Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank 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 120 offices 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, www.worldbank.org
The South Asia Region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) is at a crucial stage of development. Rapid economic growth, driven by urbanization and demographic dividends, has brought down poverty rates but significant challenges remain. Severe forms of exclusion and disparities based on ethnicity, caste, and gender remain. The recent polycrisis has reduced growth rates and increased vulnerabilities. South Asia is also among the most closed regions in the world in terms of trade and investment, with underperforming in exports, leading on slow productivity growth. It also has large informal sectors and low female labor force participation rates. Moreover, past growth has also come with congestion and pollution in cities. South Asia is affected by changes in temperature and extreme weather event. All these challenges must be addressed to secure continued rapid growth in coming decades.
More information on https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar
Unit Context:
Staff of the Economic Policy Global Practice staff work across a wide array of Bank instruments. They often lead or participate in the preparation of lending operations, strategic country diagnostics and core analytic reports such as Country Economic Memoranda, Country Private Sector Diagnostics, and Country Climate Development Reports. They work across 9 thematic areas: (a) macroeconomics; (b) fiscal policy; (c) growth and jobs; (d) economic management in resource rich environments; (e) macroeconomic modelling & statistics; (f) trade and regional integration; (g) competition policy; (h) investment policy and promotion; and (i) business regulation.
The Economic Policy Team in India is responsible for macroeconomic monitoring and analysis, as well as policy dialogue, technical advice and capacity-building support in areas related to fiscal management and policy, trade policy, climate change and employment creation. In addition to this analytical mandate, the team manages a rich program of lending operations that includes policy and results-based financing operations. All of the tasks are cross-sectoral and integral to the Bank’s policy dialogue in India.
Duties and accountabilities:
The SAR Economic Policy team is looking for an outstanding economist, to be based in New Delhi with strong analytical and interpersonal skills and experience in operational and/or analytic work drawing on diverse teams. The selected candidate is expected to contribute substantially to analytical and lending operational work and as well as to policy dialogue with Union and state governments. They will report to the Economic Policy Practice Manager covering South Asia.
• Carry out Research and Analysis: Conduct and research and analytic tasks on macroeconomic issues, including economic growth, trade, fiscal policy, and employment/labor, ensuring comprehensive and insightful analysis..
• Contribute to Strategic Reports: Contribute to high-level economic, sectoral, and strategic reports. This involves conducting rigorous data analysis, evaluating findings, and formulating well-founded conclusions and recommendations to guide policy and strategic decisions.
• Support the team’s broader operations and technical work: Participate in various lending and non-lending operations and provide expert inputs to the work of the Economic Policy Delhi-based team, including to policy briefs, presentations, and on-demand analysis.
• Manage Data and Models: Maintain economic databases and economic and financial models and conduct macroeconomic modeling and forecasting, ensuring accuracy and reliability in economic projections.
• Foster Stakeholder Relationships and Knowledge Exchange: foster relationships with key government counterparts, at central and state levels, and stakeholders, including NGOs, civil society, universities, and international organizations. Facilitate knowledge exchanges with other India country teams and the broader Economic Policy global practice to enhance the rigor of advice on cross-cutting and sectoral issues in support of the inclusive growth agenda.
Selection Criteria
• A minimum of a Master’s or Ph.D. (preferred) degree in economics with at least five years of experience in applied research and policy analysis in international organizations, national administration, universities, or research institutions.
• Proven effectiveness in conducting policy dialogue on economic issues with senior government officials, the private sector, donor representatives, and civil society. Proven ability to gain trust and respect while maintaining objectivity and focus on the Bank's mission.
• Exceptional analytical skills with a strong background in macroeconomic, fiscal, growth, and structural policy issues. Experience working with macro-microdata, large administrative datasets, or surveys such as PLFS. Thorough understanding of the interlinkages between various macroeconomic accounts.
• Proficiency in working with large databases and advanced statistical software (e.g., STATA, R, or others).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly to senior policy officials. Demonstrated initiative, results orientation, leadership qualities, and effective teamwork skills.
• Ability to manage multiple competing demands and priorities, respond quickly to requests, and set priorities for self and others. Excellent command of English, both oral and written.
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.
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This vacancy is archived.