Post of duty: Washington, DC
The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment.
About this position
The IDB Research Department (RES) coordinates the technical cooperation (TC) on Central Bank Adaption to Climate Change and the Macroeconomic Policy and Finance Network (Network of Central Banks and Finance Ministries), with direct interaction with policymakers in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region.
The main objective of the TC on Central Bank Adaptation to Climate Change is to enhance policymaking by the central banks of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay on the important issue of climate change through regional cooperation. The network strives to fill existing gaps in several areas, including boosting the flow of data and information among the central banks; maintaining a regular, well-informed policy dialogue; building a common research and knowledge dissemination agenda; enhancing analytical capacity applied to policy issues enabling coordinated policy responses to regional challenges; and sharing know-how and best practices to support central banks in many of their responsibilities.
The Network of Central Banks and Finance Ministries, established 25 years ago, brings together top officials from central banks and finance ministries from LAC and top policymakers and academics from around the world to discuss the most important economic issues facing the region. Informally known as the Chief Economists’ Network, the meeting is a bi-annual event held in April and October of each year, usually at IDB Headquarters in Washington, DC. The meetings start with a review of the main developments in the global economy and their potential impacts on LAC. Typically, there are a series of panels focusing on topics of particular interest that include lead presentations by the IDB economists and discussants drawn from the central banks and finance ministries of the region.
The consultant will serve as an assistant coordinator for the activities of the TC and network and will work under the supervision of the team leaders.
What you’ll do
Approximately three-quarters of the time of the consultant will be devoted to the coordination and planning of the activities of the TC on Central Bank Adaptation to Climate Change. The remaining time will be devoted to activities related to the Network of Central Banks and Finance Ministries.
The main activities of the TC on Central Bank Adaptation to Climate Change undertaken by the consultant will be to: (i) coordinate events organized or sponsored by the TC (policy dialogues, conferences and workshops, and technical trainings/assistance); (ii) manage datasets administrated by the TC. (iii) assist in the planning and budget of all related activities; (iv) assist in the planning, administration, and management of the TC. More specifically, the consultant will:
Seminars/workshops
· Coordinate with central banks the organization of the agenda. That includes the selection of papers, keynote speakers, academic presenters, and participants list.
· Liaise with the host central bank for all administrative and logistical matters.
Technical training/assistance
· Define central banks’ training needs in line with TC objectives.
· Coordinate with central banks on the hiring of the instructor or firm and the terms of reference.
· Define the agenda/program with the selected instructors and the participating central banks.
· Liaise with the host central bank for all administrative and logistical matters.
Regular meetings
· The consultant will coordinate and provide administrative support for the regular meetings between the focal points of the central banks and RES.
Datasets
· Identify possible areas of cooperation among central banks.
· In coordination with central banks, determine the exact data needed for cooperation.
· Coordinate data availability with all network members.
· Periodically collect relevant data.
· Disseminate and periodically summarize data.
IDB operational activities
· Draft annual reports and other documents as required.
· Upload the TC deliverables in the IDB platform.
When coordinating the planning, administration, and management of the TC operations, the consultant is expected to produce essential documents such as the annual plan of activities, the annual research agenda, the minutes of regular meetings, a summary of the seminars and conferences, a report with each release of the datasets, the IDB annual report of the TC, and to provide inputs for budget planning.
Regarding the Network of Central Banks and Finance Ministries, the consultant will assist and provide technical and logistical support to the team leader in the activities of the April and October meetings. The consultant is also expected to propose and undertake new activities aimed at keeping the network active in between regular meetings. These specific activities will include but are not limited to:
· Collaborating with the network’s Team Leader in planning the program, proposing topics for the agendas, updating the network database, communicating via email and phone with participants, drafting invitation letters, and sending communications out as requested.
· Coordinating activities with RES administrative staff responsible for events, the project administrator, and RES front desk.
· Maintaining updated lists of network members and invitees to the meetings.
· Participating actively in the April and October meetings.
· Drafting technical summaries/minutes of discussions after the April and October meetings.
· Compiling meeting evaluations and identifying opportunities for improvements.
· Sending regular updates to network members between meetings and promoting information-sharing among members of the network.
· Collaborating in drafting the Central Banks and Finance network’s annual reports and other corporate documents as required.
What you'll need
· Education: Bachelor’s degree in project management, event management, public policy, economics, finance or related fields. Master’s degree is an asset.
· Experience: Candidates should have a minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in event coordination. They should demonstrate a working understanding of Economics, Finance, or Banking. Previous experience in international organizations and government institutions is advantageous. The consultant must exhibit strong managerial skills and the capability to work independently.
· Languages: Proficiency in English and Spanish, spoken and written, is required.
Key skills
· Learn continuously.