Work for the IMF. Work for the World.

This is a long-term expert position (contractual) open to Fund staff and external candidates. The Statistics Department (STA) of the IMF and the IMF’s Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Center (PFTAC) have an opening for a Regional Government Finance Statistics (GFS) and Public Sector Debt Statistics (PSDS) Advisor (hereinafter referred as “Regional Advisor”) based in Suva, Fiji.

The Regional Advisor’s initial appointment is for one year (expected to begin on October 1, 2024), with the possibility of an extension, contingent on performance and management approval. The Regional Advisor will oversee and undertake capacity development (CD) support in GFS and PSDS in sixteen participating countries (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) as part of the PFTAC work program funded by donors and member countries.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Regional Advisor will support sixteen participating countries, of which, seven are fragile states (Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and Tuvalu) to improve the compilation and dissemination of fiscal and public sector debt statistics, which is intended to inform the authorities’ policy analysis and formulation, as well as support the IMF’s operational work with those countries.

The successful candidate is required to:

• Develop and implement the work program and manage support on statistical CD in GFS and PSDS, including public sector balance sheet. In this undertaking, he/she will be guided by the Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 (GFSM 2014) and Public Sector Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users (PSDSG), which are the latest internationally accepted methodology for comprehensive, timely, accurate, reliable and cross-country-comparable fiscal and debt statistics of adequate frequency.
• Offer tailored country advice to assist the targeted countries achieve the specific outcomes of the project. As the beneficiary countries are at different stages of GFS/PSDS development, the Regional Advisor will need to offer sufficient expertise to provide CD to countries ranging from advanced reformers striving to compile and use GFS beyond the general government sector and balance sheets for comprehensive fiscal analysis to countries with persistent shortcomings in the institutional and instrument coverage of, as well as inconsistencies in, their fiscal and debt statistics.
• Assist the participating countries in initiating plans to expand data in new areas of demand, such as incorporating the financial operations of extrabudgetary funds in general GFS, public debt of state-owned enterprises and climate change indicators, and on improving the dissemination of their data through various channels, including National Summary Data Pages.
• Closely coordinate CD priorities and activities with the respective IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department’s country teams and other relevant IMF Departments and PFTAC advisors working on related CD fields, such as external sector statistics, public financial management, and debt management;
• Conduct country CD activities and provide regional training in GFS and PSDS;
• Manage and backstop missions by short-term experts;
• Apply IMF standards and policies, including STA’s guidelines in documenting
• CD activities; and
• Contribute to reports prepared for the PFTAC Steering Committee, as well as to other outreach activities that promote PFTAC and STA’s CD program.

The Regional Advisor should expect to deliver blended CD (technical assistance combined with training) using different modalities including, hybrid modality (combination of virtual and in-person delivery), depending on the specific needs of individual countries. The successful candidate will work under the general direction of the PFTAC Director and the technical direction of STA staff at IMF headquarters.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must have an advanced university degree in economics, statistics, or related field. He/she should have extensive knowledge of the GFSM 2014 and PSDS Guide concepts and principles, as well as proven experience in the compilation and dissemination of fiscal and debt data.

The following qualifications are highly desirable: (i) experience in managing and backstopping capacity-building projects; (ii) experience in and knowledge of GFS and PSDS compilation practices and systems in countries with similar GFS/PSDS challenges covering the full range of statistical development that is also likely to be found in the sixteen participating countries; (iii) background in the areas of macro-fiscal policy and/or public sector accounting; (iv) practical experience with countries that have limited capacities; and (v) familiarity with the synergies between GFS/PSDS and Public Financial Management reforms in recipient countries.

Strong relationship management and negotiating and influencing skills are critical for the position. Excellent interpersonal skills, strong English oral and written communication skills, drive for results, and ability to work on various projects under tight deadlines are essential. A proven propensity and track record to undertake outreach is an additional asset. Female candidates and nationals of the IMF’s underrepresented regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and Middle East and North Africa) are encouraged to apply.

Special Eligibility Provisions for Internal Applicants

A staff member whose open-ended appointment decision has been approved is eligible for consideration. A staff member appointed to PFTAC will retain their staff employment status, remain on the Fund’s payroll, and move laterally for the duration of the assignment subject to the limit of staff assignments earmarked for this purpose. The selected staff may be eligible for overseas assignment benefits. At the end of the assignment, a staff member is expected to return to his/her home department in the Fund, unless other arrangements have been made (e.g., the staff member has applied and is selected in another department). In the event an external or a contractual candidate is selected for this assignment, the candidate will be hired on a contractual appointment basis, and the provision under the Handbook for Experts on Long-Term Assignments will continue to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Department:

STAGO Statistics Department Government Finance

Hiring For:

A11, A12, A13, A14

The IMF is committed to achieving a diverse staff, including age, creed, culture, disability, educational background, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, nationality, race, religion and beliefs, and sexual orientation. We welcome requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities during the selection process.