Country Economist

The Country Economist works under the direct guidance of the Resident Representative and Deputy Resident Representative in the Country Office India, collaborating closely with programme and operations teams and the RBAP Chief Economist. The role involves providing policy support, strategic positioning, technical expertise, and advocacy to advance sustainable and inclusive economic policies aligned with the 2030 Agenda and national development priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide analysis to UNDP Country Office management with the preparation and implementation of country programmes and strategies, including the development of country programme document (CPD) and related analyses
• Advise and support UNDP Country Office teams to develop and manage relevant thematic portfolios, such as activities to support inclusive growth and progress towards the SDGs and (sub-) national development priorities
• Lead UNDP Country Office efforts to conceptualize and implement the Development Finance Assessment (DFA) and accompanying process and use existing financial resources more effectively and efficiently to achieve the SDGs
• Provide analysis, research and foresight in priority thematic areas at the country level, including publication of policy briefs (and state briefs) or other analytical outputs
• Provide analysis of economic, social and political developments at national and sub-national level
• Support the preparation of policy briefs, background notes, speeches, talking points, presentation materials, etc., on critical development issues within the SDG framework for senior management at the country and regional levels
• Lead the development of the National Human Development Report (HDR) at national and sub-national level and ensure that it provides added value in terms of development economic analysis, updated data, and information for policy formulation; Compile data and perform statistical analysis as required to support innovative knowledge work country strategies and activities
• Collaborate across UNDP teams, especially to ensure linkages to the work emerging from the network of acceleration labs
• Advise on systems thinking and support the creation of large-scale development solutions to help address complex development challenges
• Support expansion of Country Office service offers on financing for development, including innovative financing models and country specific/sector specific studies
• Advise and facilitate dialogue on sustainable development issues with government officials, development partners, civil society, and the private sector, providing and sharing global experience and policy
• Provide the best global practice, policy and programming advice and support for development planning and policy formulation at the national, sub-national, and local levels, including on data for development, systems thinking and foresight exercises
• Advise and support the identification and analysis of interventions that can impact multiple development goals and targets at the same time
• Advise and support monitoring and reporting of progress related to SDGs and other national development frameworks, including to help strengthen national and local level data collection and statistical capacity
• Guide to leverage UNDP’s regional and global programmes, to provide holistic and effective support to the country
• Leverage support and expertise from the UNDP’s global/regional Economist networks to strengthen UNDP’s support on economic analysis and policy development for the Government and the UN Country Team
• Contribute, in close collaboration with senior management, to the development and/or strengthening of partnerships with UN agencies, IFIs, bilateral development agencies, private sector entities, and civil society
• When delegated, represent the UNDP Country Office in relevant forums, conferences, or workshops, including presenting research or programmatic results
• Facilitate the Resident Representative in resource mobilization and future growth strategies and contribute to the design of large-scale programme and development solutions
• Contribute to national, regional, and global knowledge networks and communities of practice
• Substantively contribute as possible to UNDP regional knowledge products and development of programming offers in regional priority areas (e.g., inequality, future of work, innovative financing, development strategies, economic governance, political economy)
• Participate actively in the Economist Network of RBAP by attending regional meetings (in-person and/or virtual), sharing relevant experiences, and conducting peer reviews
• Collaborate and contribute to regional and sub-regional publications, practice notes, and Regional Human Development Reports
• Stay informed about broader developments, contribute to cross-border and cross-GPN initiatives, and support the economist network through common analyses, frameworks, and templates
• Enhance UNDP’s understanding and design of new approaches to sustainable development across the region by acting as a regional thematic lead where possible
• Perform other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics or related field is required, Or a first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in Economics or related field in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
• A Ph.D. in Economics will be an advantage
• Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience at the national or international level in relevant areas of economic research and policy and implementation support is required
• Extensive experience in research and policy-level analysis is required
• Proven policy, advisory, and advocacy experience is required
• Experience in preparing high-quality policy briefs and guidance notes for use by senior policymakers is required
• Experience in strategic visioning with strong technical and highly developed analytical capabilities is desired
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of the SDGs and their application at the national level, politically astute with demonstrated experience in stakeholder analysis and engagement is an asset
• Experience in handling data and software programmes for statistical analysis is desired
• Previous work experience in Asia and the Pacific region and cross-country experience would be an asset
• Experience in supporting resource mobilization is desired
• Experience in strengthening partnerships with UN agencies, IFIs, bilateral development agencies, private sector entities, and civil society is an advantage
• Fluency in oral and written English is required

Skills

• Economic Research
• Policy Analysis
• Policy Advisory
• Advocacy
• Policy Brief Writing
• Strategic Visioning
• Analytical Skills
• SDG Application
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Statistical Analysis
• Resource Mobilization
• Partnership Building
• Economic Policy Implementation
• Cross-Country Experience
• Regional Economic Expertise
• English Language Proficiency

Languages

English