Background to the job

IFAD is an International Financial Institution and a Specialized United Nations Agency whose mission is to enable poor rural people to overcome poverty. IFAD’s headquarters is in Rome, Italy, and its staff work with poor rural people; and their governments, communities and organisations in more than 80 countries to develop and finance programmes and projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and incomes.

The Programme Management Department (PMD) is responsible for the overall lending programme of the Fund, and is composed of five (5) regional divisions and a Technical Advisory Division (PT).
Under the general supervision of the Director of the PT and direct supervision and overall guidance of the Coordinator of the PT Financial Services, Access to Markets und Enterprises (FAME) cluster, the role of the technical adviser is to support the functions of (i) quality enhancement of IFAD supported projects and programmes, (ii) conceptual support to the secretariat for Quality Enhancement, and (iii) learning and knowledge management.

Duties and responsibilities

The Technical Adviser (economist) will cooperate closely with the colleagues of PT, the Senior Technical Adviser for economic and financial analysis (senior economist), the Senior Technical Adviser for agriculture (senior agronomist) of PT and all other relevant IFAD Departments and those of major stakeholders and partners working on related financial and economic analysis issues. The incumbent will (i) provide state-of-the-art professional advice throughout the project cycle (identification, conceptualization, preparation, project design and implementation), from result-based Country Strategic Opportunity Papers, project design and Quality Enhancement (QE) to direct supervision of projects; (ii) share knowledge in an effective and systematic way within IFAD, with IFAD partners, and with the public; and (iii) involve in temporary task teams to refine procedures in the QE process.

The technical adviser (economist) will undertake the following tasks and duties:

• Provide the economic and financial analyses of rural development project design documents and grant proposals as part of the QE process as reviewer and panellist.
  • Assume Lead Adviser responsibilities as requested by the Division, synthesising the comments of the reviewing team and presenting them at the QE Panel;
  • When needed, identify external reviewers and supervise their work as appropriate.
• Participate in country programme management teams (CPMTs) and provide analytical inputs to IFAD country strategic opportunity papers (COSOPs) and as they may be requested for operational guidance notes, technical papers, and project support during implementation, in particular in the context of direct project supervision, as well as to other policy documents related to rural development and poverty reduction.
• Initiate mainstreaming of innovative analytical approaches and of new sub-sectoral investment opportunities.
• Participate in project missions as necessary and pilot methods of economic and financial analysis for IFAD projects
• Assist developing an innovative, learning and knowledge management base in IFAD’s //xdesk environment; disseminate and represent IFAD in international fora in the field of responsibility of the economist.
• Establish contacts and liaise with external experts and maintain active partnerships with institutions on economic analysis to facilitate mainstreaming of innovative economic analysis methodologies in IFAD.
• Review proposals for small and large grants as required.
• As part of the QE task team of PT, lead on selected modules and participate in ad-hoc working groups designated to conceptualize and improve QE business processes.
• Perform any other tasks related to the FAME cluster agenda (FAME Cluster Performance Framework 2010 – 2012) as requested by the direct supervisor and cluster coordinator.

Education and experience

• University degree in Business, Economics, Industrial Engineering, International Development or related fields. Advanced University Degree in the above-mentioned subjects or post-graduate studies are an asset.
• At least five years of professional work as adviser and/or researcher with relevant experience in economics and financial analysis.
• Familiarity with the design, preparation, implementation and monitoring (project cycle) of development projects.
• Experience within an international institution in development, implementation, performance monitoring, and supervision of rural economic development initiatives.

Technical / Function competencies

• Analytical skills: you will have strong numeric and analytical skills.
• Performer: you will have the ability to deliver high-quality outputs; and will be able to communicate ideas clearly and confidentially issues and recommend solutions.
• Team Worker/Builder: you will have the capacity to foster teamwork and establish harmonious working relationships in a multicultural environment.
• Planner and Organiser: you will have the ability to assess and respond to multiple and new challenges; and you will be able to set clear priorities within a boundless and often challenging agenda with tight deadlines.

Communication

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; including the ability to set out a coherent argument in presentations and group interactions; working knowledge of any other IFAD language (Arabic, French or Spanish) is also required.
• Strong computing skills, especially in MS applications and other major data base tools.

Other information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD. 

IFAD reserves the right to appoint a candidate at the appropriate level commensurate with experience and knowledge. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by completing IFAD’s Personal History Form and sending their applications to the Office of Human Resources, Via Paolo di Dono 44, 00142 Rome, Italy, Fax +39-06-5043463, Email vacancy@ifad.org. Applications from women candidates are particularly encouraged. 

Candidates must indicate clearly the Vacancy Number and are kindly requested not to send their application via multiple routes. Any application received by IFAD after the closing date will not be considered. In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

Candidates must be prepared to take a written test and may be asked to give a presentation as well as participate in interviews.