Senior Economist in Nairobi, Kenya

Terms of Reference for a Senior Economist in Nairobi, Kenya, Regional Bureau EHAGL

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a Temporary Appointment within the GCR Section/External Engagement Pillar in the UNHCR Regional Bureau in Nairobi, Kenya.

UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

Title: Senior Economist
Duty Station: Nairobi, Kenya
Duration:  November 2020 ¿ 31 December 2021
Contract Type: Temporary Appointment

Organizational context
The Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) promotes a stronger, more predictable and more equitable international response to large-scale and/or protracted refugee situations. It represents the transformation of the refugee response model from the traditional camp-based care and maintenance programs to government-led comprehensive refugee responses that use multi-stakeholder approaches to: (i) ease pressure on host countries; (ii) enhance refugee self-reliance; (iii) expand access to third-country solutions; and (iv) support conditions in the country of origin for return in safety and dignity.

Coupled with the broader reform of the UN Development System, the GCR offers UNHCR an opportunity to play a facilitator and catalyst role in the transformation of the refugee response model. UNHCR is expected to catalyse comprehensive solutions in a context characterized by the collaboration, collective responsibility sharing, and a renewed sense of purpose. By building strong institutional relationships with a range of new actors, including multilateral development banks (MDBs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and the private sector, UNHCR will facilitate effective interventions aimed at strengthening resilience and promoting solutions in refugee-hosting and return areas. It will support efforts to complement humanitarian interventions with development and private sector investments in order to lift displaced populations out of poverty, enable solutions, and encourage holistic area-based approaches to refugee response.

The Regional Bureau for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes (EHAGL) is playing a significant role in operationalizing the GCR by strengthening and institutionalizing UNHCR¿s catalytic role at the regional level. Although the successful design and implementation of comprehensive refugee responses are highly context-specific and dependent on national and local circumstances, the catalytic and supportive activities of UNHCR field offices are being supported and strengthened by the Regional Bureau. In particular, the Regional Bureau is focusing on: (i) promoting a regional approach for comprehensive responses; (ii) translating global priorities into region-specific strategies; (iii) creating workable results-based management systems that integrate/reflect the SDGs; (iv) leading the engagement with political and development actors in the EHA Region; and (v) providing technical support and guidance to country operations.

In order to enhance its ability to reposition UNHCR as a facilitator and catalyst, the UNHCR Regional Bureau for EHAGL is setting up an Economic Advisory Unit in the GCR Section of its External Engagement Pillar. The Economic Advisory Unit will closely work with the various Bureau units as well as DRS, Global Data Service, and UNHCR-WB Joint Data Centre (JDC) to enhance UNHCR country operations¿ effectiveness in collecting, analyzing and applying economic data and information to better inform UNHCR¿s protection and assistance interventions. The Unit will ensure that the various, analytical, advocacy/policy dialogue and operational/programmatic activities undertaken by the Bureau and country teams will be informed by sound economic analysis and modelling. By combining economic data and analysis with UNHCR¿s protection expertise and deep understanding of the context in refugee-hosting areas, the Economic Advisory Unit will prepare cutting edge economic briefs and policy notes on various topics relevant to the provision of asylum, the protection of persons of concern and the pursuit of durable solutions in line with the GCR.

The position
The Senior Economist will head of the Bureau Economic Advisory Unit and will be responsible for facilitating close collaboration with DRS and country-based economists, facilitate collaboration with the World Bank, the Joint Data Centre (JDC), OECD, African Development Bank and other stakeholders on a range of bespoke economic analyses, including: (i) economic impact assessments of the presence of refugees and IDPs; (ii) measuring poverty and welfare among refugees and host communities; (iii) socio-economic profiling of persons of concern; (iv) economic modelling of various protection and solutions policy options; and (v) cost-benefit analysis and project appraisals. The Sr. Economist will provide technical support and advice to help various Bureau units and UNHCR country operations effectively use economic data and analysis to inform programming and policy dialogue. Preparation of economic briefs and policy notes. To guide the Bureau leadership, the Sr. Economist will prepare economic briefs and policy notes on various topics relevant to the provision of asylum, the protection of persons of concern and the pursuit of durable solutions in line with the GCR. The Sr. Economist will also prepare periodic economic updates to inform the strategic decisions made by the Bureau Director and heads of pillars. More information on the duties and responsibilities of the Sr. Economist are provided below.


Duties and responsibilities
In close collaboration with DRS, Sr. Economist will facilitate collaboration with development actors and other stakeholders in the areas outlined below.

Economic analysis
¿ Facilitate collaboration with the World Bank, the Joint Data Centre (JDC), OECD, African Development Bank and other stakeholders on a range of bespoke economic analyses, including:
o assessing the economic impact of the presence of refugees and IDPs;
o measuring poverty and welfare among refugees and host communities;
o socio-economic profiling of persons of concern;
o economic modelling of various protection and solutions policy options;
o analyzing economic trends in the EHAGL Region that will impact the protection and solutions of Persons of Concern; and
o cost-benefit analysis and project appraisals.
¿ Provide oversight, vision and guidance to country-based economists on the collection of raw primary and secondary datasets and the preparation of final datasets to be used for analysis.
¿ Supervise cleaning of all datasets and creation of necessary indicators for measuring a wide range of socio-economic indicators and impact indicators.
¿ Provide technical guidance to country-based economists and research teams on: (i) research design; (ii) data analysis plans; (iii) the preparation of descriptive statistics and regression analysis; and (iv) the preparation of various outputs such as briefs, presentations and academic papers.

Translating the economic analysis into advocacy/policy dialogue and programs
¿ Provide advice to the Bureau management on: (i) macro-economic themes relevant for the protection and solutions agenda of UNHCR; (ii) economic outlook for the EHAGL countries; and (iii) the economic implications of various protection-related decisions.
¿ Provide technical support and advice to help various Bureau units and UNHCR country operations effectively use economic data and analysis to inform programming and policy dialogue.
¿ Advise programme, protection and technical unites and country operations during program design, implementation and evaluation using the economic analysis to support quality programming and advocacy.
¿ Lead the preparation of research papers including formatting and creating tables, graphs, and related analysis.
¿ Provide guidance/recommendations on obstacles and possible improvements to UNHCR¿s programming by preparing and supporting the use of available economic statistics, industrial surveys and other available data.

Preparation of economic briefs and policy notes
¿ Prepare presentations, technical reports and non-technical reports to communicate the findings of economic analyses.
¿ Prepare cutting edge economic briefs and policy notes on various topics relevant to the provision of asylum, the protection of persons of concern and the pursuit of durable solutions in line with the GCR.
¿ Prepare periodic economic updates to inform the strategic decisions made by the Bureau Director and heads of pillars.
¿ Contribute to Bureau external engagement products, including Bureau publications, regional updates, funding appeals, and other reports.

Oversight, strategy and coordination
¿ Lead the Bureau Economic Advisory Unit, by providing strategic vision and leading the engagement with senior management, internal business units and external partners.
¿ Prepare strategy for economic analysis and advisory.
¿ Mainstream economic analysis in UNHCR¿s protection and assistance activities.
¿ Provide guidance and input to the External Engagement Pillar annual programme planning and review process to support the development and approval of sound plans and the effective allocation and use of resources.
¿ Ensure good communication and coordination with Bureau units, UNHCR country operations, UNHCR HQ, the Joint Data Centre, the World Bank, governments, researchers and partners.
¿ Participate in official missions and deliver capacity building and training activities for partners and governments.
¿ Identify research opportunities and contribute to proposals for research partnerships and funding.
¿ In close collaboration with DRS, provide a technical oversight to country-based economists. Guide and mentor junior economists in the Bureau and country operations.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required
The ideal candidate will have:
¿ At least a Master¿s Degree in Economics.
¿ At least 10 years of professional experience on economic analysis and advisory with international financial institutions (IFIs), development finance institutions (DFIs), reputable management consulting firms, or economic advisory units of investment firms.
¿ Demonstrated ability to provide professional advice and analysis within a complex political environment.
¿ Extensive experience of working in a reputable management consulting firm on economic advisory at a strategic and global level.
¿ A substantial track record of effective interaction, influencing and collaboration with senior stakeholders in government, international organizations and the private sector.
¿ Demonstrated core consulting skills of research, analysis, presentation, and attention to detail.
¿ Aptitude to grasp new concepts and effectively produce results.
¿ Exceptional problem-solving skills ¿ an analytical, innovative, and creative mindset.
¿ Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
¿ Ability to be self-directed and be an independent contributor to the team.
¿ Proven track record of successful management and a leading role in the formulation of policies and strategies.
¿ Successful track record of building effective, productive and relevant working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
¿ Facility in data analysis using econometric program (e.g. Stata or R).
¿ Experience overseeing primary data collection and analysis.

Location
The successful candidate will be based with the team in the UNHCR GCR Section, External Engagement Pillar, in the Regional Bureau in Nairobi.

Conditions
The Temporary Appointment is for a period of up to 31 December 2021  and the start date is in November 2020. It is a full-time role with working hours starting from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (40 hours per week). 

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees). Please note that the closing date for this TA advertisement is Thursday 29 October 2020 (midnight Geneva time).