Junior Economist

Male

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Male
Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Operations and Administrations
- Economics
- ManagementCapacity Development
Closing Date: Closed

Background

You are invited to join a team of dedicated development professionals whose primary role is to support the Maldives to achieve the 2030 Agenda.  As part of the UNDP team your focus will be to work with multiple stakeholders to find country specific solutions that ensures no one is left behind - and we reach those furthest behind first.

UNDP is looking for individuals who have the analytical, planning and implementation capacities that can address links, choices and connections across many issues and sectors.  We seek individuals who can apply global best practice to national contexts. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic, motivated and committed to making a positive contribution to Development in the Maldives. 

UNDP supports countries around the world to formulate strategies, policies, and programme interventions that promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To advance these aims, UNDP provides technical policy advice and programming tools, especially to help address critical sustainable development challenges.

UNDP country offices work closely with government counterparts and other national stakeholders to support the introduction of inclusive and sustainable development policies that are aligned with the national context. National economists based in country offices across the Asia-Pacific region contribute to this work, including through support to policy dialogue with government officials and other partners, assistance in programme development, and production of research and analysis. These colleagues also collaborate and share experiences and practices across countries inside and outside the Asia-Pacific region.

UNDP Maldives is recruiting a Junior Economist/ Policy and Socio Economic Development Analyst to help contribute to its overall work programme. The Junior Economist will support the country office by providing support on economic analysis to management and government counterparts that favor inclusive development, including the integration of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs into national plans and activities. S/he will also work closely with all programme teams and be responsible for helping develop large-scale development solutions and activities aimed at enhancing UNDP’s programmatic support.

The Junior Economist post is located within the Country Office and is part of the socioeconomic team within the Policy and Innovation Hub (PIH). In recent year the team has developed a strong relationship with key Government partners, most notably, the Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Finance. Therefore the post holder would also be required to support the work of the Senior Economist within both the Ministries. While reporting to the Senior Economist, the Junior Economist will work closely with counterparts on issues of policy development, planning and research and work with both the Policy and Programme clusters, and UNDP projects, enabling a strong team response to the challenges faced by Maldives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Economist, the Junior Economist will be primarily responsible for the following work streams:

•Provision of support to UNDP country office, including undertaking research, compile policy data for the economic brief;

•Provision of support to national government counterparts, especially in support of the 2030 Agenda and the introduction of sustainable and inclusive economic policies by undertaking research and studies related to DFA and Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Report, SME policy as well as sector specific studies such as private sector or tourism sector;

•Provision of support for advocacy, and partner engagement to UNDP’s institutional positioning and advance its mandate;

•Contribution to UNDP’s work across the Asia-Pacific region, including collaboration with the regional economist network and analysis of priority regional thematic areas.

•Ensure effective programme management and oversight to the programme implementation aspect

1.Provision of support to UNDP country office, including undertaking research, compile policy data for the economic brief.

•Assist UNDP country office management with preparation and implementation of country programmes and strategies, including the Country Programme Document (CPD);

•Support UNDP country office efforts to conceptualize and implement the Development Finance Assessment (DFA) tool and accompanying process, including to help Maldives identify opportunities to mobilise additional sources of finance and use existing financial resources more effectively and efficiently to achieve the SDGs;

•Provide analysis and research in priority thematic areas at the country level, including through the publication of policy briefs or other analytical outputs;

•Support the preparation of policy briefs, background notes, speeches, talking points, presentation materials, etc. on critical development issues in Maldives within the SDG framework for senior management at the country and regional levels;

•Compile and analyse statistical data as required in support of country strategies and activities;

•Provide inputs to the country office’s support to the country’s ongoing industrialization policy development efforts;

•Provide inputs to the expansion of country office service offers on financing for development, including innovative financing models (e.g., Islamic finance, Zakat Funds, SME policy) and country specific/sector specific profitability studies (e.g., private sector and tourism sector analysis);

•Collaborate across UNDP teams, especially to ensure linkages to the work emerging from the network of acceleration labs;

•Support the creation of large-scale development solutions to help address complex development challenges;

•Support the development of signature analytical products such as the National Human Development Report.

2.Provide support to national government counterparts, especially in support of the 2030 Agenda and the introduction of sustainable and inclusive economic policies by undertaking research and studies related to DFA and Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Report, SME policy as well as sector specific studies such as private sector or tourism sector;

•Support and facilitate dialogue on sustainable development issues with government officials, development partners, civil society, and the private sector;

•Support monitoring and reporting of progress related to SDGs and other national development frameworks, including to help strengthen national and local level data collection and statistical capacity;

•Support to leverage UNDP global programmes, such as Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) to provide holistic and effective support to the country;

•Leverage support and expertise from the UNDP’s global/regional Economist networks to assist in strengthening UNDP’s economic support to Government;

•Support monitoring and reporting of progress related to SDGs and other national development frameworks;

•Help to provide links through other UNDP offices and other counterparts to experiences and innovations in the region and globally, relevant to economic policy issues.

3.Support in representation, advocacy, and partner engagement to support UNDP’s institutional positioning and advance its mandate;

•Support the work on partnerships with UN agencies, IFIs, bilateral development agencies, private sector entities, and civil society;

•Support UNDP country office in relevant forums, conferences, or workshops, including to present research or programmatic results;

•Support UNDP resource mobilization and future growth strategies through project pipeline development and design of large-scale programme and development solutions;

•Contribute to national, regional, and global knowledge networks and communities of practice

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4.Contribution to UNDP’s work across the Asia-Pacific region, including collaboration with the regional economist network and support to the analysis of priority regional thematic areas and exercise thought and policy leadership;

•Participate actively in the UNDP Asia-Pacific regional network of economists, including through attending regional meetings (in-person and/or virtual), sharing relevant experiences, and conducting peer reviews;

•Substantively contribute as possible to UNDP regional knowledge products and development of programming offers in regional priority areas (e.g., inequality, future of work, innovative financing);

•Enhance UNDP’s understanding and design of new approaches to sustainable development across the region by acting as a regional thematic lead where possible;

•Connect with think tanks, academia and other development partners doing interesting and relevant work;

•Liaise with UN agencies, partner organizations, World Bank, ADB and other development partners, to maximize collective support and to avoid duplication;

•Undertake and support resource mobilization efforts to support the CPD and the UNSDCF;

•Network regionally and globally using UNDP’s system and others where opportunities lies to stimulate and strengthen policy effectiveness.

5.Ensure effective programme management and oversight to the programme implementation aspect;

•Ensure timely and adequate implementation of activities according to Annual work plan, leading to the achievement of expected results.

•Provide substantive inputs towards the development of the programme annual work plans, budgets and implementation strategies for the UNDP components.

•Manage budget implementation and make budget re-alignments/ revisions, as necessary, for the components of the projects and act as the Project Manager in ATLAS

•Supervise the Administrative Assistant in coordinating all financial resources of the project through planning, guiding, monitoring and controlling of the resources and preparing and monitoring budgets for the management of the project;

Competencies

Core

Innovation -Ability to make new and useful ideas work; Level 3: Adapts deliverables to meet client needs
Leadership -Ability to persuade others to follow;Level 3: Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others
People Management -Ability to improve performance and satisfaction; Level 3: Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making
Communication -Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform; Level 3: Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation
Delivery -Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement;Level 3: Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value

Technical/Functional

Econonmic General -Knowledge of economics concepts, principles and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations; Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Economic Planning -Knowledge of Economic Planning concepts and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations ;Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Economic Recovery -Knowledge of Economic Recovery concepts and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations ;Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Effective Development Cooperation -Knowledge of development cooperation which can then be carried forward into inclusive, country-led mechanisms for development cooperation at national and regional levels ;Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Innovation -Ability to manage organizational resources and deployment in pursuit of innovative approaches and initiatives;Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Building Strategic Partnerships - Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders ;Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Resource Mobilization - Analyzes information, identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors ;Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in economics/ development economics
Or a first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in one of the above disciplines in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience.

Experience:

At least 1 years economic-focused experience, including with government or private sector institutions.
Experience of UN or international organizations; knowledge of UN/UNDP, and/or UN/UNDP procedures and approaches, is preferable
Experience in research and policy-level analysis.
Knowledge and awareness on several policy areas: poverty reduction/ inequality; social protection policy reform; inclusive macroeconomics; productivity and industrial policies; green growth and resource economics; private sector development; and urban policy and urbanization.
Experience in handling of web-based data management system and programmes for statistical analysis of data.
Experience of working with the government counterparts, national or international financial institutions, private sector/ civil society in the field of economic and social development in Maldives.

Language Requirements:

Proficiency in English and Dhivehi
Excellent command of written and spoken English

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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If you have any specific question please contact zeeniya.ahmed@undp.org

Salary - take home approximately MVR 26,000

This vacancy is now closed.
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