Economic Affairs Officer

The Economic Affairs Officer supports the Sub Regional Office for West Africa in achieving structural transformation for inclusive and sustainable development. The role involves economic and sector analysis, intergovernmental support, technical cooperation, and administrative duties to advance economic development and policy formulation in West Africa.

Responsibilities

• Develops socio-economic databases and qualitative information necessary for specified recurrent or ad hoc assignments.
• Interprets, applies and, as necessary, adapts econometric models to determine trends, patterns and relationships and to analyse the effects of alternative policies and assumptions.
• Drafts specified inputs for technical papers and analytical studies on selected global, regional, national or sector aspects of economic development.
• Identifies and analyses policy proposals made elsewhere relating to assigned topics.
• Attends international, regional, and national meetings to collect information and to hold discussions with colleagues in other institutions.
• Assists in the organization and servicing of expert group meetings, seminars, etc. on development issues.
• Prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff.
• Prepares inputs for reports to intergovernmental bodies.
• Follows intergovernmental meetings and prepares summary reports.
• Prepares inputs to statements by members of the Bureau and Secretariat staff to such meetings.
• Assists in the organization of panels, round tables etc. on development issues for intergovernmental processes.
• Participates in missions on development issues, usually as a member of a team.
• Organizes training seminars for national experts.
• Prepares documentation for technical cooperation programmes and projects.
• Contributes to the preparation of material for the approval of regional, country or sector technical cooperation projects.
• Monitors, backstops and assesses the implementation of technical cooperation programmes and projects.
• Performs other related duties as required, including a variety of administrative tasks necessary for the final delivery of the work unit’s services.
• Undertakes on-the-job and other training activities, both internally and externally.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics or related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in sustainable development, regional integration, economic research and analysis, policy formulation, application of economic principles in development programmes or related area is required.
• 2 years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
• Experience in analyzing trends and policy challenges emerging in developing countries and society is desirable.
• Experience in writing analytical policy papers is desirable.
• Experience with developing strategies for development cooperation, with designing and delivering of frameworks and services for interorganizational collaboration is desirable.
• Experience in project management and evaluation matters relating to multilateral environmental agreements at a national or international level is required.
• English and French are required at UN Level II for reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Skills

• Economic Research
• Policy Formulation Support
• Sustainable Development
• Regional Integration
• Data Analytics
• Business Analytics
• Data Science
• Economic Analysis
• Project Management
• Evaluation of Environmental Agreements
• Development Cooperation
• Interorganizational Collaboration
• Analytical Policy Writing
• Trend Identification
• Technical Cooperation

Languages

English, French