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Chief Economist

The World Bank Economics logo

The World Bank
Washington DC - United States
S: Competitive

Background

The Latin America and Caribbean Region (LCR) of the World Bank is seeking a Regional Chief Economist*. The search is framed by a context of profound changes in the field of development, including:
• A rapid mutation and rising complexity of the development process under the forces of technological change, globalization (commercial, financial, cultural, etc.), demography, and the end of the commodity super-cycle. These tectonic shifts are re-shaping the patterns of poverty reduction, job creation, skill demand, income distribution, economic structure, and productivity dynamics, and are doing so in manners that are insufficiently understood and hence call for new and innovative research.
• Global and regional issues that spill over national boundaries and are becoming increasingly central to development. They require coordination and collective action for their solution. In addition to long-standing cross-border public goods such as trade, financial flows, and migration, a number of new areas have come to the fore, including climate change, pandemics and fragility.
• The rising relative importance of knowledge as a fundamental driver of development. It implies that policies and institutional reforms underpinned by sound logic and strong evidence can have major, beneficial effects on poor people's lives.

The World Bank Group has active programs embedding financing, knowledge and convening services in nearly all countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Clients range from large, sophisticated middle income countries, to the small and vulnerable countries of the Caribbean, to one of the poorest and most fragile countries in the world, Haiti. Despite natural resources, dynamic societies, and an average annual income per capita of about $4,000, poverty and deep inequalities persist in most LCR countries.

The World Bank's work in Latin America and the Caribbean focuses on: (i) helping countries set the foundations for economic recovery; (ii) strengthening infrastructure services; and (iii) investing in human capital and protecting the poor. Across these themes, the WB seeks to ensure social and environmental sustainability and resilience, and to enhance transparency and accountability.

The Office of the Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean (LCRCE) is responsible for the following roles, programs and products.

1. The Regional Research and Flagship Program. The LCR Chief Economist office deploys its own staff and leverage and mobilizes talent from DEC, the WBG Global Practices, as well as from the academic community to design, implement, enhance the quality and disseminate a robust, rigorous, and policy-relevant Regional Research Program. The program is developed in is approved by the RVP, and developed in consultation with the Regional Leadership Team. Its implementation involve mixed teams, including LCRCE staff, DEC researchers, Global Practice experts, and academics.

2. The Regional Conferences and Partnership Program. LCRCE leads an ambitious agenda of partnerships. It funds WB participation in the Annual LACEA meetings (in collaboration with the Research Department of the IDB). It cosponsors and co-organizes other policy and academic conferences. It also promotes research by supporting regional economic research networks, including several LACEA networks and the RIDGE research network). In addition, LCRCE partners with academic institutions, think tanks and government agencies inside and outside LCR to organize policy-oriented and academic events geared at promoting evidence-based discussion of issues that are key to the region's economic and social development, and contributes to the substance of those events on the strength of its Regional Research and Flagship Program.

3. Quality Enhancement, advice to LCR RLT and corporate contributions. The Regional Chief Economist is the main economic counsellor to the LCRVP. As such s/he is expected to provide advice to the LCRVP and RLT members upon request. In addition, the Chief Economist is expected to contribute to preparation of the Regional Strategy Update to the Board of Executive Directors of the WBG, Systematic Country Diagnostics, Development Policy Financing, and policy advice on complex economic issues. In addition, the Chief Economist is expected to contribute inputs on other corporate products, including DEC economic reports.

*NOTE: This position has a duel reporting relationship to Jorge Familiar Calderon, Vice Presiden, LCRVP, and Kaushik Basu, Sr. Vice President & Chief Economist, DECVP.

The Regional Chief Economist is the principal economic councellor to the Regional Vice President (with accountability for the quality and relevance of economic analytical and advisory services.
In addition, she/he will report to the Bank's Chief Economist.

S/he is a member of the LCR leadership and management teams. In addition, the Chief Economist manages a small office of around ten staff.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 2 year term appointment.


Duties

The Chief Economist will:
• provide intellectual leadership on economic matters to ensure the quality and relevance of
economic and sector non-lending services;
• Provide advice to Regional Managers and to the RVP on Systematic Country Diagnostics and Country Partnership Frameworks
• Provide guidance on the design and ensure the quality of development policy finance and P4R;
• Ensure the quality of sectoral and economic analysis in investment project financing;
• Develop, guide and disseminate regional economic work for example the Regional Studies Program;
• Act as regional spokesperson on economic issues for both internal and external audiences;
• Interact with the academic and policy communities in client countries and internationally;
• Liaise with the economic units of other international and bilateral agencies working with the
region;
• Support the RVP and Country Directors on country policy dialogue at their request;
• Support the Bank's Chief Economist with requested regional inputs to the WDR, GDF, GEP and other institutional policy papers, and with respect to the research Agenda of DEC
• Represent the Bank Group in such external functions as the Senior Management may request.


Selection Criteria

Recognized expert in the field of international and development economics, especially those
economic issues facing LAC, and a track record of intellectual leadership;

• Sound publications record;
• Demonstrated ability to work with senior government officials to resolve complex economic problems and provide policy advice at the national level;
• Ability and willingness to work in a corporate, team environment;
• Highly respected by policymakers, peers, and staff as mentor, advisor, and guide;
• Proven ability to share knowledge and experience, and to identify and disseminate best practices;
• Outstanding written and verbal communications skills.
Position-Specific Requirements:
• Ph.D. in economics;
• Substantive senior level professional experience in a research and/or public/private/academic organization;
• Familiarity with the political, economic, social and cultural context of the region;
• Policy-making experience desirable.
Language: English and Spanish - essential; Portuguese - desirable

Job summary

Employer:

The World Bank

Location:

Washington DC, United States

Education:

PhD/Doctorate

Sector:

Economist

Salary:

Competitive

Job Type:

Permanent

Hours:

Full-Time

Posted:

20th July 2016

Apply By:

3rd August 2016

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