Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 130 locations worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions.  In fiscal year 2021, IBRD committed $30.5 billion to client countries, and IDA committed $36.0 billion on grant and highly concessional terms to the poorest countries.

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into seven client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and eighteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

The Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Practice Group (EFI) is one of the World Bank Group’s four Practice Groups. EFI’s mandate is “Growth, Finance, and Institutions for all.” Our approach is to leverage public and private sector expertise, together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to support a data-driven reform agenda. EFI supports clients in advancing evidence-based structural reforms to build the foundations for inclusive and sustainable growth.

EFI is composed of four Global Practices (GPs), the Prospects Group, and CGAP:
•  The Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment (MTI) GP provides broad macroeconomic analysis in support of countries’ economic programs, including the analysis of macro-financial risks, and macroeconomic modelling services to the rest of the WBG. MTI supports sound fiscal frameworks and fiscal risk management as well as better institutions and capacity on debt management to improve efficiency of public spending and bolster macroeconomic stability.
•  The Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation (FCI) GP, consisting of two directorates (the Finance directorate, and the Trade, Investment and Competitiveness (TIC) directorate) aims to support client countries to create an enabling environment in which financial stability, efficiency and firm-level solutions are provided in an integrated way to crowd in the private sector, support the creation of markets, and accelerate equitable growth.
•  The Governance GP (GOV) helps countries build capable, effective, accountable, transparent and inclusive institutions that deliver citizen-centric services, facilitate private-sector growth and build trust in government; and provides fiduciary support to all Bank operations.
•  The Poverty and Equity GP (POV) consists of micro, labor and development economists to build the evidence base, provide advice and operational support to ensure country policies and WBG interventions are inclusive.
•  The Prospects Group provides analysis on global economic and financial developments and their impact on emerging market and developing countries. It is responsible for the publication of the Global Economic Prospects report, the Commodity Markets Outlook and Global Monthly.
•  CGAP is a global partnership of more than 30 leading development organizations that works to advance the lives of poor people through financial inclusion.

MTI brings together about 530 professionals working across more than 100 countries. The Global Practice houses the Bank’s country economists and professional staff with expertise in macroeconomics, fiscal policy, growth, and statistics.  About fifty percent of MTI professional staff are decentralized to the field, working very closely with the Country Management Units (CMUs) and directly with clients.  MTI is responsible for delivering timely policy advice to support the following lines of work: (i) designing macro-fiscal frameworks that are aligned with the goals of reducing extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity, as well as being grounded in economic, social and environmental sustainability; (ii) supporting fiscal and debt policy sustainability;  (iii) generating growth analytics and policy recommendations to sustain and boost growth; and (iv) analyzing the impact of external shocks and climate change risks on growth and the government fiscal position. MTI professionals are responsible for the preparation and delivery of Development Policy Operations using both IDA and IBRD resources, and lead or participate in the preparation of Advisory Services and Analytics, Technical Assistance and integrative outputs such as Strategic Country Diagnostics, Country Economic Memorandums and cross-sector Public Finance Reviews. Important additional engagements in macroeconomic and fiscal policies are carried out through work on debt management (including through the Debt Management Facility) and work on macro-fiscal climate issues (including in support of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action). Knowledge and learning is a central part of MTI with work focused on 5 thematic areas: (a) macroeconomics; (b) fiscal policy; (c) growth; (d) economic management in resource-rich environments; and (e) statistics.

Within MTI, the Fiscal Policy and Sustainable Growth Unit (EMFTX) provides effective support for World Bank Group operations to strengthen countries’ efforts in using tax and expenditure policy, the management of fiscal risks and fiscal planning for boosting equitable growth and underpinning macroeconomic stability. As a Global Unit, EMFTX provides technical advice, support and thought leadership on these issues to the wider GP’s operational work in the Regions.

The fiscal policy work covers overall fiscal policy design, public expenditure polices, and domestic revenue mobilization. This work includes:

(a)  Preparation of analytic work, guidelines, tools, and data that support the Bank’s global engagement and the work by regional units on fiscal policy issues and quality of spending;
(b)  Development and management of the BOOST program and Public Finance Review (PFR) Platform;
(c)  Quality review and support to the Bank’s operational work such as PFRs and DPFs;
(d)  Fundraising and management of Fiscal Policy Umbrella trust funds;
(e)  Cross support to regional teams on fiscal policy issues in PFRs, DPOs, CEMs, etc.
(f)  Knowledge management on fiscal policy issues and fiscal policy work;
(g)  Knowledge sharing on fiscal policy issues, by hosting a Fiscal Policy Community of Practice and organizing knowledge sharing events such as fiscal policy brown-bags and fiscal policy training sessions;
(h)  Providing inputs to and managing fiscal policy aspects of corporate initiatives such as CPIAs.
(i)  Engagement with other international stakeholders such as the IMF and the OECD on fiscal policy issues.

POSITION

The Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice (MTI) is seeking to recruit a highly qualified candidate for the position of Senior Fiscal Economist to work in the MTI’s EMFTX Global Unit. The position is based in Washington D.C., USA.

The Senior Fiscal Economist will work on fiscal policy and sustainable long-term growth issues, with a focus on building and managing fiscal data for Public Finance Reviews, data analytics and data innovation. She/he will be an integral part of the MTI GP’s wider work on fiscal policy and sustainable growth and will report to the Manager of MTI’s Global Unit EMFTX.

Selection Criteria

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.