Economist

Job Description

Description

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet

The Economics and Private Sector Development Vice Presidency (CEDVP) is responsible for identifying and delivering on private sector diagnostic needs, drawing on resources across the WBG, to grow IFC’s capacity to deliver Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSDs), and present private sector perspectives in Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF) and country strategies; developing rigorous sector economic analyses and an ex-ante project assessment framework to help guide project selection, complementing our expertise in supporting and monitoring project implementation; as well as identifying and strategically driving policy engagements that create and grow new markets for the private sector. CEDVP also encompasses teams working on global macroeconomic analyses and prospects as. The Vice Presidency is also home to two additional teams focusing on Blended Finance and Partnerships.

The Development Impact Measurement Department (CDI) within CEDVP analyzes economic sectors with a view to identifying opportunities and solutions for private sector development and works closely with IFC Operations. It provides technical support to operations related to structuring, appraising, and monitoring investment and advisory projects and is responsible for reporting on IFC’s impact. The department is in charge of implementing the ex-ante project assessment framework (Anticipated Impact Measurement and Monitoring- AIMM) for investment projects throughout the project cycle, help ensure high-quality economic support for IFC operations teams on strategies and projects; develop sector economic analyses with a focus on solutions for private sector development; and undertake impact evaluations.
CDI staff comprise mainly sector economists and results measurement specialists assigned to units organized along IFC industry groupings. These include units for Financial Institutions (CDIFI); Infrastructure (CDIIN); Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Services (CDIMA); and Funds and Disruptive Technology team (CDIDF). The department also includes staff working on cross-cutting and thematic areas of results measurement, impact evaluations, corporate reporting and sustainability, that support all industry groups. In short, the department offers an “end-to-end” support and impact assessments for IFC investments and advisory services, engaging upstream and downstream throughout the project cycle.
The CDIIN team undertakes the activities above in relation to the infrastructure sector working closely with the Infrastructure and Energy Industry Groups (CNG/CEM). The infrastructure sector remains one of IFC’s strategic priorities, and IFC’s activities in the sector have expanded significantly over the last few years. IFC through its support for investment and advisory clients, expands the reach of services in the energy, water and transport and telecommunications sub-sectors, as well as promotes sustainable mining.
CDIIN is looking for an Economist to join its team, based in one of IFC’s offices in Hanoi, Jakarta or Hong Kong. The Economist will contribute to various facets of the Department’s work, working closely with investment staff across the East and South Asia regions, economists within CDI, as well as regional and IFC support department counterparts.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Contribute to CDIIN’s inputs during all stages of sector and project work. This will include:

Articulating and measuring the impact of the infrastructure sectors and of projects in these sectors undertaken by the IFC.

Application of CDI’s development impact framework (AIMM) to assess such impacts.
Contributing to ex-post project monitoring by coordinating with portfolio officers on inputs for the assessment as well as researching on the status of the sector/market.
Tracking portfolio AIMM status and progress.
Contributing to the development of sector strategy, market/sector analysis, and annual planning documents.
Supporting analytics for the infrastructure business, including background research across sub-sectors, and preparation of regular briefings, presentations and updates to management.
Preparing CDIIN input on key IFC and WBG initiatives; including the implementation of workstreams related to the World Bank scorecard.
Working with other CDIIN team members on specific assignments in the area of development results, including ex-post thematic evaluations.
Helping deliver on strategic engagements, initiatives, and publications – working closely with the CDIIN manager as needed.
Interfacing with other industry and corporate departments.
Supporting CDIIN team members engagements with IEG, including on Expanded Project Supervision Reports (XPSRs), evaluative notes, Sector/Regional Results and Performance reports.

Selection Criteria

Masters’ degree in economics, finance or business or equivalent professional qualification.
At least 6 years (or a PhD and 4 years) of relevant professional experience.
Prior work experience and/or research related to infrastructure sectors in an MDB setting, in particular in South and East Asia, would be an advantage.
Ability to synthesize large volumes of information from diverse sources, to compile data, and prepare quantitative and qualitative management reports.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including knowledge of excel and other types of database software (e.g. STATA, Tableau, PowerPoint, etc.).
Strong written and verbal communications skills
Proven capability to handle complex assignments and produce work to a high professional standard.
Proven strong conceptual, analytical, and evaluation skills, initiative, ability to translate ideas into actions and timely delivery.
Strong team player, with proven ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Solid understanding of economic theory – macro and micro – and its application to emerging markets.
Ability to interpret basic output from statistical and econometric and other quantitative research tools.
Understanding of key drivers of growth, productivity, profitability and efficiency in the infrastructure sectors.
Familiarity with development impact assessment tools and frameworks and their application in an emerging market setting.