Senior Economist

Male

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Male
Grade: Mid level - SB-5 (SC10/SC11), 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 Senior Economist to help contribute to its overall work programme. The Senior Economist will support the country office by providing economic analysis and policy advice 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 Senior Economist is expected to contribute to knowledge generation through research and analysis, represent UNDP as required in policy discussions, and work closely with the country programme teams and the regional network on SDG integration, acceleration, and innovation.

The Senior Economist post is located within the Country Office and lead 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 act an adviser and is expected to work within both the Ministries. While reporting to the Resident Representative (RR) the 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. The postholder would also be expected to access expertise and experiences in the region and beyond, via UNDP’s network of country and regional offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Resident Representative with matrix reporting to the Regional Economic Advisor in Bangkok Regional Hub, the Senior Economist will be primarily responsible for the following work streams:

Serve as the lead technical advisor on economic topics and Provision of support to UNDP country office management, including to help strengthen programme development and implementation.
Serve as the technical coordinator for the UN Joint Programme and lead on UNDP components linked to the INFF;
Servie as the lead coordinator for linking technical expertise from the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub and the UNDP global Finance Sector Hub (FSH) with key stakeholders to enable stronger dialogue and collaboration on financing policies;
Provision of technical policy advice to national government counterparts, especially in support of the 2030 Agenda and the introduction of sustainable and inclusive economic policies.
Representation, advocacy, and partner engagement to support 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.

1.Provide support to UNDP country office management, including to help strengthen programme development and implementation.

Assist UNDP country office management with preparation and implementation of country programmes and strategies, including the Country Programme Document (CPD);
Assist UNDP and stakeholders with analysis and interpretation of economic and statistical data, thorough monitoring of trends and application of advanced analytical methods (econometrics, poverty/ welfare/ human development metrics and economic modelling);
Support UNDP country office teams to develop and manage relevant thematic portfolios, such as activities to support inclusive growth and progress towards the SDGs;
Offer bespoke technical inputs on COVID-19 impacts and aftermath, on macro policies and recovery options.
Produce relevant research on standing priority topic areas (social protection, developmental macroeconomic policies, financing for development and Industry 4.0) and promote inclusive and substantiable economic policymaking;
Provide analysis and research in priority thematic areas at the country level, including through the publication of policy briefs or other analytical outputs;
Compile and analyse statistical data as required in support of country strategies and activities;
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 and coordination of signature analytical products such as the National Human Development Report.

2.Provide high level technical and policy advice to national government counterparts and other partners, especially in support of the 2030 Agenda and the introduction of sustainable and inclusive economic policies.

Support and facilitate dialogue on sustainable development issues with government officials, development partners, civil society, and the private sector;
Support on near term policymaking and the macro stance, with special refence to ongoing work on the covid-19 emergency and inputs on medium term recovery;
Provide policy and programming advice and support for development planning and policy formulation at the national, sub-national and local levels;
Support the identification and analysis of interventions that can impact multiple development goals and targets at the same time;
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;
Lead and prepare the Annual narrative progress reports, Mid-term progress review process, Final consolidated narrative report, after the completion of the UN joint programme in consultation with Senior Management.

3.Representation, advocacy, and partner engagement to support UNDP’s institutional positioning and advance its mandate.

Develop and/or strengthen partnerships with UN agencies, IFIs, bilateral development agencies, private sector entities, and civil society;
Represent 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;
Facilitate policy advice in support of achieving the SDGs, Human Development and inclusive and sustainable economic growth by participating in relevant forums, conferences and training;
Collaborate Government-led as well as donor-sponsored research and policy processes with a focus on supporting economic transition and sustainable development.

4.Contribution to UNDP’s work across the Asia-Pacific region, including collaboration with the regional economist network and 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;
Guide and mentor the junior economist to undertake research, data analysis and draft reports;
Connect with think tanks, academia and other development partners doing interesting innovative and relevant work.
Liaise with UN agencies, development 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.

Competencies

Core

Innovation -Ability to make new and useful ideas work ;Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them
Leadership -Ability to persuade others to followLevel 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers
People Management-Ability to improve performance and satisfaction;Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others
Communication -Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform;Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others
Delivery -Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement;Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Technical/Functional

Econonmic General -Knowledge of economics concepts, principles and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations;Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Economic Planning -Knowledge of Economic Planning concepts and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations;Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Economic Recovery-Knowledge of Economic Recovery concepts and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations ;Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

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 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Innovation -Ability to manage organizational resources and deployment in pursuit of innovative approaches and initiatives; Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Building Strategic Partnerships - Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders -Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Resource Mobilization - Analyzes information, identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors -Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in economics/ development economics

Experience:

At least 5 years of relevant experience at international level in research and analysis and provision of policy advice and technical assistance (TA).
Experience of UN or international organizations; knowledge of UN/UNDP, and/or UN/UNDP procedures and approaches, is preferable.
Extensive experience in research and policy-level analysis.
High level policy experience of 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.
Economic analysis skills (or strong awareness/ understanding of) modelling; use of advanced statistics and econometrics; poverty/ inequality and human development metrics; political economy analysis.
Experience in preparing and writing high quality policy briefs,guidance notes and concise presentations for use by senior policy makers.
Experience of working with the private sector/ civil society in the field of economic and social development in Maldives.
Extensive experience in research and policy-level analysis.
Direct experience providing technical advice to government officials.
Knowledge of the SDGs and their application at the national level.

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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For clarification and questions please write to zeeniya.ahmed@undp.org

Take home pay : Approximately MVR 36,800

This vacancy is now closed.
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