Senior Economist

The Senior Economist reports to the Division Director.

Medium-term projections and forward looking analyses of global agricultural markets, policies and emerging issues.

Leadership and conceptual thinking for the development and implementation of comprehensive technical, statistical and/or analytical frameworks to support the programme of work and related products, projects and services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

• Plans, manages, or leads highly specialized or multi-disciplinary teams, leads, coordinates, and/or participates on Organization-wide, cross-Departmental committees, project teams, and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Analyses global and country specific requirements as well as agricultural, economic, social, environmental factors to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work as well as Detailed Work Plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.
• Implements and monitors work programmes involving the conception and development of comprehensive statistical and/or analytical frameworks including early warning, medium and long term plans and strategies, leading edge tools, methods, systems and databases, critical indicators, and/or policy models, etc.
• Oversees and reviews data collection, validation, analysis and reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, FAO flagship publications/yearbooks, and/or on-going programme development as well as technical and/or policy advisory services.
• Provides technical and policy advice to Member Countries and technical support to decentralized offices in the development and implementation of their programmes of work.
• Plans, organizes and participates in capacity development activities involving the provision of advice, technical assistance projects, training workshops, seminars, and meetings as well as oversees the development of related materials, on-line tools and information kits.
• Represents the Organization at international/inter-governmental meetings and conferences, advocates strategic partnerships, best practices, and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national partners.
• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the Corporate strategy.

• Manages the human and financial resources of the team, including the recruitment and supervision of consultants;
• Leads and coordinates the operation, maintenance and development of EST'fs commodity simulation modelling system (Cosimo), including the underlying database and post-simulation analysis tools.
• Manages the production and publication process of the annual 'gOECD']FAO Agricultural Outlook'h report, from planning to the publication of the report and follow-up actions.
• Plans and provides capacity development on medium-term projections and model simulations;
Undertakes forward-looking scenario analyses of global agricultural commodity markets and related interdisciplinary projects, using the modelling system;
• Prepares regular contributions and reports on commodity markets and trade, with focus on emerging issues, and ensures the Division'fs quality contributions to FAO'fs publications as appropriate;
• Prepares notes, briefs and statements for senior management on specific topics related to medium-term commodity market outlook and emerging issues;
• Develops and implements strategic partnerships and promotes collaborative work, including joint reports and publications, in the area of commodity markets, agricultural trade and related issues;
• Perform other tasks and duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

• Advanced university degree in economics, agricultural economics or a related field.
• Ten years of relevant experience in forward-looking economic analysis of agricultural markets, trade and policies, economic modelling and projections.
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)

• Results Focus
• Leading, Engaging and Empowering Others
• Communication
• Partnering and Advocating
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Thinking

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is essential
• Extent and relevance of experience in forward-looking economic analysis of food and agricultural commodity markets with economic projections models
• Demonstrated ability to undertake quantitative economic analysis of production, consumption, stocks, trade and prices of agricultural commodities and to prepare analytical reports explaining the results and their implications
• Extent and relevance of experience in planning and implementation of programmes related to medium-term projections in development organizations
• Extent and relevance of knowledge of relevant economic modelling and simulation software
• Ability to mobilize resources
• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing international meetings, seminars and training courses