Senior Economist/Public Sector Specialist

Senior Economist/Public Sector Specialist

Job #:

req21294

Organization:

World Bank

Sector:

Economics

Grade:

GG

Term Duration:

3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:

International Recruitment

Location:

Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):

English, French

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:

2/27/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is trulyworthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity foryou to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The WorldBank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge fordeveloping countries; a unique global partnership of five institutionsdedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promotingsustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 officesworldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing ingroundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to developsolutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information,visit www.worldbank.org

TheGovernance Global Practice

More than half of the global population expresses distrust ingovernment institutions. The Governance GP helps our client countries build capable,efficient, open, inclusive and accountable institutions that can supporteconomic growth, reduce poverty, deliver needed services and earn theconfidence of citizens. Our work encompasses domestic resourcemobilization, public financial management, public procurement, civil servicereform, open government, anti-corruption, and using technology to improvequality and access to government services. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/governance

CountryContext

Overview

Cameroon is alower-middle-income country with a population of over 25 million (2019).Located along the Atlantic Ocean, it shares its borders with the CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria. Two of itsborder regions with Nigeria (northwest and southwest) are Anglophone, while therest of the country is Francophone. Cameroon is endowed with rich naturalresources, including oil and gas, mineral ores, and high-value species oftimber, and agricultural products, such as coffee, cotton, cocoa, maize, andcassava.

Political Context

The firstregional elections were held in December 2020. The ruling party, the CameroonPeople's Democratic Movement (CPDM), won nine of the ten regions. Theseelections mark the start of the decentralization process provided for in the1996 Constitution. The new regional councilors will work with the Ministry ofDecentralization and Local Development to pave the way for the gradual transferof power and the necessary funds to the regions.

Having enjoyedseveral decades of stability, Cameroon has in recent years been grappling withattacks by Boko Haram in the Far North and a secessionist insurgency in theAnglophone regions. Since September 2017, this situation has displaced morethan 1 million internally and around 470.000 refugees have sought shelter inCameroon. Following the resurgence of the crisis in the Central AfricanRepublic since January 2021, more than 6,000 Central Africans refugees havefled to Cameroon's eastern region, which is already hosting over 60 % ofCentral African refugees.

According to theUN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in September 2022 Cameroon was hosting over 470,000refugees, primarily from the Central African Republic (73%) and Nigeria (26%).

Social ContextBecause itspoverty reduction rate is lagging behind its population growth rate, theoverall number of poor in Cameroon increased by 12 % to 8.1 million between2007 and 2014, and poverty is concentrated in the country's northern regions,where 56 % of the poor live.

Economic OverviewSince November2021, Cameroon is experiencing high inflation, driven mainly by shortage andincrease of the price of staple goods (bread, wheat and related products,vegetable oil, and meat), which can be explained by the disruption of theglobal value chain due to Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.The war in Ukraine has impeded Cameroon's economic recovery, heighteninginflation pressures and domestic structural vulnerabilities. Despite the globaleconomic turmoil, real GDP growth is projected to reach 4.0 percent in 2022 and4.6 percent by 2024.

Development ChallengesRanked 144 out of180 countries in the 2021 Transparency International corruptionperceptions index,Cameroon suffers from weak governance, hindering its development and ability toattract investors.

EAWG2Unit & Program in Central Africa

The EAWG2 Unit covers the Governance Global Practice program in Westand Central African countries (Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, CentralAfrican Republic, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone). The Governance portfolio in Cameroon is in line with the CountryPartnership Framework (CPF). The Cameroon Governance Portfolio is pursuing the CPF's objectivesthrough a diverse portfolio of contributions to Development Policy Lending(DPLs) Investment Project Financing (IPFs) and Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA).

You will be under the supervision of the Governance PracticeManager for the EAWG2 Unit and will work in coordination with other EAWG2 teammembers based in HQ and the field, as well as colleagues from other GlobalPractices (GPs), especially the Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions(EFI) cluster, the Social Sustainability and Inclusion GP, the Health,Nutrition, and Population GP, the Digital Development GP, and from the CentralAfrican Country Management Units (CMUs).

Responsibilities

* The Senior Economist/Public Sector Specialist/ Governance Specialistwill lead the Governance country program and Governance team for Cameroon, andbe based in Washington, DC.

* Central to the role is leadingtechnically on a program of engagement to improve governance in Cameroonthrough public sector reforms, decentralization, greater transparency andopenness, building the capacity of civil society and through improved publicfiscal management - both on the revenue-raising and expenditure side.

* The post requires building, coordinating, andleading an inclusive and integrated Governance team and maintaining strongengagement at the country level with the government counterparts and keystakeholders.

* The role includes managingteams which include other Bank staff and technical advisers working asconsultants.

* The role requires strong teamwork with those managing the CountryProgram including the Country Director, Operations Manager and team leaders from all other Global Practices and colleagues working on projects in Cameroon.

* The role specifically requires monitoring the Governance work programobjectives and deliverables, keeping the loan portfolio in "satisfactory"status, and working in close coordination with the Lead Governance Specialistbased in Cameroon and the team of specialists based in Washington DC.

* Inaddition, the Senior Economist/Specialist will lead on addressing keygovernance dimensions of the Bank's overall country engagement in CentralAfrica, working closely with the CMU and contributing significantly to EFI andsector programs to ensure integrated solutions to the client's public sectorand governance issues.

* It also requires close collaboration with developmentpartners to ensure coordinated and coherent support. Contributing to thebuilding of a strong and cohesive country office team and broader country teamwill also be an important part of this role.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree in economics, public policy/administration, political science, public financial management, finance, or another related field.

• At least 8 years of relevant experience.

• Relevant experience and knowledge in fragile and conflict-affected environments.

• Strong experience and global knowledge in one or more of the following Governance areas of focus (GSGs); including decentralization, public sector institutions, public financial management, GovTech and domestic resource mobilization; with knowledge and experience of fiscal and institutional decentralization a distinct advantage.

• Experience/knowledge in governance in sectors and service delivery.

• Knowledge of francophone public administration systems.

• Strong experience in World Bank operations.

• Experience in mentoring and quality assurance support to junior staff and consultants.

• Strong team player with the ability to work independently and effectively both remotely and face-to-face.

• Strong integrative skills.

• Fluency in English; Fluency or Advanced French.

GENERAL COMPETENCIES

• Written and Verbal Communication - Delivers information effectively in support of team or workgroup.

• Client Orientation - Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.

• Drive for Results - Takes personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results and has the personal organization to do so.

• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team's work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.

• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignments and shares knowledge with others, communicating and presenting information in a clear and organized manner.

• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others' work.

• Public Administration - Understands the overall dimensions and structures of the mechanics of government and its public administration, including domestic resource mobilization (especially tax policy and administration); public financial management, and service delivery).

GOVERNANCE CROSS-CUTTING CRITERIA

• Integrative Skills - Demonstrates ability to think and work across WBG, practices and sectors; integrates divergent viewpoints of multiple external and internal stakeholders into a coherent project/program/strategy

• Policy Dialogue Skills - Possesses political judgment, diplomatic acumen, and negotiating skills; builds and sustains key stakeholder relationships with government and other key stakeholders.

• Operations - Demonstrates strong knowledge and understanding of project management tools and methodologies, as well as of WBG instruments and processes related to project preparation and implementation, resource management, and stakeholder communications. • Leads studies and analytical work and led at least one analytical product.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.