Lead Agriculture Economist needed at International Finance Corporation

Duties & Accountabilities

The Lead Agriculture Economist will assist GP management in delivery of the West and Central Africa agriculture work program, assurance of quality, interaction with internal and external clients, including the private sector, staff development and partnerships. The primary responsibility of the Lead Agriculture Economist will be to provide technical and strategic leadership to the development and implementation of the region’s work program (and elsewhere if needed).

In doing so, s/he will work closely with the Country Directors and the CMUs, including the Sector Leaders. S/he will assist the Practice Managers in overseeing the work program and will be expected to work closely with other GPs, particularly within the Sustainable Development group. S/he will participate in a leading and supporting role in the supervision of complex operations, preparation of new operations and carrying out specific pieces of high priority ASA.S/he will generate knowledge and provide thought leadership and mentoring. S/he is expected to lead the policy and reform dialogue in selected countries, support and guide others in the unit for a subset of the region, contribute to broader SD engagements and dialogue, lead and oversee analytical work or contribute to core analytic pieces for the country engagement as needed and proactively engage and seek opportunities for business engagement and support the achievements of milestones and targets. Her/his responsibilities will include, but will not be limited, to the following:

• Lead task teams in the design and implementation of new lending projects and programs, knowledge products and reports.
• Lead complex operations as Task Team Leader (TTL), both in agriculture and multi-sectoral operations, assuring quality in all stages of the projects and other financial instruments such as DPLs, IPFs, P4Rs, and trust funds.

Provide technical and thought leadership to the development and implementation of the work program, with special emphasis on the design of innovative and transformative solutions. In doing so, s/he will engage the global leads/cross cutting themes in the center.

• Lead/initiate/participate in a high level and quality of engagement and just-in-time dialogue with key government stakeholders on the strategic program and policy.
• Lead or actively engage in key stakeholder dialogue (including donors/external stakeholders) and represent the Global Practice at relevant events and speaking engagements.
• Collaborate and engage with partners to identify cooperation opportunities and leverage financial and intellectual resources to complement unit resources.
• Remain current with relevant analytical work on agriculture development, stay up to date on key operational designs and implementation experiences, and identify opportunities to address existing or emerging needs in the agricultural sector by bringing in experience from other countries within the Region or other regions.
• Assume an active role in the country teams with the aim to ensure adequate and appropriate integration of relevant aspects of the agriculture and rural development agenda in core Bank products, country partnership frameworks, country economic memoranda, etc.
• Serve as an advisor to colleagues who are themselves TTLs of demanding operations, providing them with mentoring, advice and support.
• Work across sectors with staff of other Global Practices, IFC, and MIGA to ensure coherence and integration of the agriculture portfolio in West and Central Africa and beyond.
• Support the management of the Agriculture and Food Global Practice by contributing to corporate, and regional initiatives when requested and represent the Bank and the Agriculture and Food Global Practice at public events with agriculture sector focus as needed.

Selection Criteria

The Lead Agriculture Economist will have broad knowledge in the agriculture sector and policies and across SD and will be well versed in the Bank’s operational and reform dialogue on agriculture, and the broader SD sector. In addition to meeting the Bank-wide requirements for Grade GH Level position, it is expected that the successful candidate will meet the following selection criteria:

• Advanced degree in Agricultural Economics or closely related discipline, with at least 12 years of relevant professional experience in agriculture, agribusiness, food science and nutrition, and other disciplines related to food systems. Experience in two regions, a corporate assignment or similar experience that builds global expertise and client facing skills;
• Recognized by peers and/or managers for cutting edge disciplinary knowledge as evidenced by peer reviewed publications and the ability to identify and pro-actively solve operational issues and problems.
• Demonstrated intellectual leadership and recognized authority in the sector, based on strong technical capabilities and research credentials, and a capacity to represent the Bank externally and lead discussions at high policy levels;
• Demonstrated familiarity with Bank/MFI procedures, directives, business practices and experience in identifying, preparing, appraising, and supervising operations, as a task team leader or team member;
• In-depth knowledge of the issues faced by smallholders participating in modern value chains;
• Ability to think innovatively and strategically in dealing with policy issues while maintaining a strong client focus;
• Ability to take principled and balanced positions on complex issues and to communicate and defend them orally and in writing to Senior Bank management and Senior Government officials;
• Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, and team skills with ability to think innovatively and strategically to find balanced, pragmatic and implementable solutions;
• High degree of discretion, ethics, tact and sensitivity in handling confidential and sensitive information;
• Ability to work under pressure while retaining perspective and a sense of humor;
• Very high level of energy, initiative and self-motivation, coupled with willingness to travel extensively and work under challenging conditions;
• Excellent spoken and written English. French will be a plus.

Competencies:

• General Economic Knowledge and Analytical Skills – Possesses Cross-country knowledge in economic specialty and demonstrates ability to link the macro, institutional, and micro-level behaviors; able to support findings/policy recommendations with credible analysis and tools.
• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
• Policy Dialogue Skills – Anticipates needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.
• Integrative Skills – Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
• Agricultural Economics – Deep understanding of most of the economic concepts used in agriculture, with significant experience.
• Agriculture Policy, Strategy and Institutions – Solid understanding of agriculture policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Project Design for Impact and Sustainability – Contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context.
• Sector Dialogue – Able to conduct a dialogue with the client on familiar topics, with a narrow scope, based on a solid understanding of the sector.
• Operational Project Management – Demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of project management tools & methodologies, as well as of Bank instruments and processes related to project preparation & implementation, resource management, and stakeholder communications.
• Operational Policies Application to the Project Cycle (fiduciary, disbursement, safeguard and GAC policies) – Possesses a strong understanding of procurement and disbursement policies; knows what issues might arise and who to involve in problem resolution.
• Team Leadership – Leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.
• Knowledge of Relevant Operational Policy and Associated Good Practices – Has a solid understanding of all aspects of OP 8.60 and associated Good Practice Notes; has experience in designing DPOs.
• Knowledge of Relevant Bank Procedures and Associated Guidance – Has a solid understanding of all aspects of BP 8.60 and associated Good Practice Notes; has experience in designing DPOs.
• ASA/TA Policy, Strategic and Technical Analysis for Country/Sector Issues – Participates fully in the production of quality ASA work and policy papers, leveraging relevant analytical tools and a grasp of issues surrounding policy and sector reform.
• Client Orientation – Maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or directions and provides evidence-based advice and solutions based on sound diagnosis and knowledge.
• Drive for Results – Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion – Shows leadership in ensuring the team stays organized and focused, and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication – Leads in the sharing of best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and partners, articulating ideas verbally and in writing in a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels.