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Job Description
Org. Setting and Reporting
ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission will be guided by ECA’s five strategic directions, which are: (a) Advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solutions to the continent; (b) Developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; (c) Designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; (d) Contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace, security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; (e) Advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues. The Macroeconomic and Governance Division (MGD) is headed by a Director and reports to the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme).
The Division is responsible for supporting African member States in their efforts to accelerate economic transformation and inclusive growth through effective development planning, improved macroeconomic management and economic governance as well as better mobilization and allocation of domestic and international public finance. The Division is divided into three main sections: Finance and Domestic Resource Mobilization; Macroeconomic Analysis, Institutions and Economic Governance Section; and Sustainable Development and Integrated Planning Section. This position is located in the Finance and Domestic Resource Mobilization Section (FDRMS) of the Macroeconomic and Governance Division. The Economics Affairs Officer will report to the Chief of FDRMS.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Economic Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Economic or sector analysis:
• Develops socio-economic databases and qualitative information necessary for specified recurrent or ad hoc assignments.
• Interprets, applies and, as necessary, uses economic and financial intelligence tools to determine trends, patterns and relationships and to analyse the effects of alternative policies and assumptions.
• Drafts specified inputs for technical papers and analytical studies on selected global, regional, national or sector aspects of economic development and financial deepening.
• Identifies and analyses policy proposals made elsewhere relating to assigned topics.
• Attends international, regional, and national meetings to collect information and to hold discussions with colleagues in other institutions.
• Assists in the organization and servicing of expert group meetings, seminars, etc. on development issues.
• Prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff.
Intergovernmental support:
• Prepares inputs for reports to intergovernmental bodies.
• Follows intergovernmental meetings and prepares summary reports.
• Prepares inputs to statements by members of the Bureau and Secretariat staff to such meetings.
• Assists in the organization of panels, round tables etc. on development issues for intergovernmental processes.
Technical cooperation:
• Assists the section in mobilizing internal and partner resources (extra-budgetary resources, grants, and joint-funded activities) to finance non-recurrent activities and overall ECA engagement on capital markets.
• Participates in missions on development issues, usually as a member of a team.
• Organizes training seminars for national experts.
• Prepares documentation for technical cooperation programmes and projects.
• Contributes to the preparation of material for the approval of regional, country or sector technical cooperation projects.
• Monitors, backstops and assesses the implementation of technical cooperation programmes and projects.
General:
• Performs other related duties as required, including a variety of administrative tasks necessary for the final delivery of the work unit’s services.
• Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities, both internally and externally.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
Competencies
Professionalism: Ability to apply economic theories and concepts in different sectors of economic and sustainable development. Ability to conduct independent research on economic topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Shows skill in developing sources for data collection. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in finance, economics or related field is required.
- A first-level university degree in combination with two years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
Work Experience
- A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in economic and financial research and analysis, policy formulation, application of economic principles in development programmes or related area is required.
- 2 years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
- Experience and knowledge in the structuring and execution of debt and equity investments is desirable.
- Experience in and good understanding of socio-economic and development issues and dynamics in Capital Market development, preferably in Developing Countries is desirable.
- Experience and competence in the use of standard Financial Market software such as Bloomberg, S&P Global or Reuters is desirable.
Languages
- English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, fluency in one of the working languages is required.
- Knowledge of the other is desirable.
- Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
| Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II |
| French | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II |
Assessment
- Evaluation of qualified candidates may include assessment exercises, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is available on a temporary basis. If the selected candidate is a staff member of the United Nations Secretariat, this will be a temporary assignment. While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect.
The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. When completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date.
This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. Staff member of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate for their last separation as “retirement”. Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link.
Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.