The EIB, the European Union’s bank, is seeking to recruit for its Projects Directorate (PJ), Environment and Natural Resources Department (ENR), Water Management Division (WM) at its headquarters in Luxembourg, a (Senior) Sector Economist.

This is a full time position at grade 5/6 for which the EIB offers a permanent contract.

Panel interviews are anticipated for October.

The EIB is the “EU Climate Bank”, having as goal to provide climate finance that supports the European Green Deal and to help make Europe carbon-neutral by 2050. As a result, the Bank, which provides long-term investment financing, needs to pay increasing attention to long-term climate and environmental aspects of projects it finances. The Projects Directorate’s sector experts are in charge of ensuring the quality of projects financed by the Bank and play an important role in assessing and shaping relevant aspects of projects be they on climate, environment or other social, financial and economic aspects. In this context, the Projects Directorate is seeking to strengthen its Environment and Natural Resources department with a (Senior) Sector Economist.

Purpose

As a (Senior) Sector Economist, you will conduct, within multidisciplinary teams, the due diligence of investment projects. You would have passion for Environment and Natural Resources and pro-actively address issues with internal and external project stakeholders.

Due diligence of investment projects may include the preparation, appraisal and monitoring, of economic, financial and other closely related aspects of projects. Projects may be capital investment projects and programmes in the fields of environment: water (water supply, wastewater, flood management, water resource management), waste management, circular economy, etc. Projects may also be investment projects implemented by companies innovating to move towards a circular economy within a wide range of sectors.

You will assess the financial, economic, technical and environmental viability of investment projects and programmes in all countries where the bank operates, in accordance with the Bank’s and the Projects Directorate’s procedures. You will also carry-out in-depth industry and economic research and draft policy papers in support of the Bank’s sector and lending policies.

Operating Network

You will report to the Head of the Water Management Division covering water, waste management, blue economy, and circular economy. You will work within a multi-disciplinary team with other professional staff in the Projects (PJ) Directorate and in close cooperation with the Lending Directorates and other services of the Bank on the overall appraisal of financing proposals in accordance with EIB procedures, assessing and monitoring the long-term financial and economic viability of investment projects and programmes located both inside and outside the EU.

You will also cooperate closely with EIB colleagues working in different sectors and bank services (financial, legal, etc.), as well as representatives of the European Commission, other Financial Institutions and relevant external stakeholders.

You will be required to travel to project locations within and out of the EU (normally short trips of up to a week depending on the project location).

In order to ensure the smooth and timely delivery of outputs and responses demanded from the various internal and external counterparts, the post requires strong organizational, relationship, teamwork, and communication skills.

Accountabilities

Depending on the nature of investments (sector, public/private), you will be part of a multi-disciplinary team and will:

• Contribute to the identification and screening of new water, waste management and circular economy projects.
• Assess the economic and financial viability of investment projects and programmes in the areas of water, waste management, and circular economy, in the countries in which the Bank operates.
• Prepare incisive appraisal and monitoring reports in areas of responsibility or projects and programmes.
• Evaluate the commercial viability and sustainability of the business model of companies innovating to move towards a circular economy, including the assessment of investments in tangible and intangible assets related to Research, Development and Innovation and / or the manufacturing or process deployment of technologies.
• Contribute as needed to all other aspects of the appraisal of projects to be approved by the Bank’s governing bodies, including cross-cutting environmental, climate and social aspects.
• Monitor project implementation, including final evaluation of project completion and further project follow-up when required.
• Prepare sector, policy and methodology papers related to your sector of responsibility in support of the Bank’s sector and lending policies and assist in identifying investments representing new financing opportunities in these sectors.
• Carry-out in-depth industry and economic research related to environment topics, and in particular circular economy.
• Develop and maintain external cooperation in areas of expertise, including with the corresponding units in the European Commission, other international bodies, specialised institutes and IFIs as well as active representation at selected sector events.
• Maintain knowledge on water, waste management, circular economy and broader environmental issues in the countries of responsibility.

Qualifications

• University degree (minimum an equivalent to a Bachelor) preferably in Economics, Business Administration or in another relevant field.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in environmental (water, waste management, circular economy) or industrial economics, preferably gained in industrial corporates, consultancy firms, independent research institutions or financial institutions.
• Sector experience covering cost/benefit analysis, cash flow modelling, valuation of externalities, willingness to pay, affordability issues.
• Knowledge of institutional frameworks, sector regulation, tariff setting mechanisms, service models including PPP’s, utility management.
• Sector experience in data driven analysis, simulation, modelling, exposure to investment due diligence and market analysis of industrial companies.
• Affinity to technology and proven understanding of the economic and financial aspects of innovation, at macro and micro level.
• Good understanding of industrial processes and the circular transformation of business and manufacturing.
• Solid IT (standard Office tools, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and writing skills.
• Excellent knowledge of English and/or French (*), with a good knowledge of the other.
• Working knowledge of other EU languages would be an advantage.

Competencies

Find out more about EIB core competencies here

(*) Unless stated explicitly as a required qualification, a good command of French is not a pre-requisite for hire. As both English and French are however official working languages of the EIB, proficiency in both languages is a pre-requisite for your future career development. Any language clause in your contract must be fulfilled in order for you to be eligible for a promotion (either via the annual appraisal cycle or via an internal selection process). Proficiency is understood to mean the attainment of level 5 of the Inter Institutional language courses, corresponding to B1.2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). The Bank offers appropriate training support.

We are an equal opportunities employer, who believes that diversity is good for our people and our business. We encourage all suitably qualified and eligible candidates to apply regardless of their gender identity/expression, age, racial, ethnic and cultural background, religion and beliefs, sexual orientation/identity, disability or neurodiversity.

Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact the EIB Recruitment team [email protected] who will ensure that your request is handled.

By applying for this position, you acknowledge the importance of maintaining the security and integrity of the Information of the EIB Group. In case of selection for the position you agree to comply with all measures (policies, controls, document classification and management) implemented by the EIB Group to prevent unauthorised disclosure of any information or any damage to the EIB Group reputation.

Deadline for applications: 11^th September 2023

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