Chief Economist

UNDP INDIA COUNTRY OFFICE

Background:

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

Reporting directly to the Resident Representative, the Chief Economist advises on macro economic policies and trends and relevant linkages to UNDP programmes and works closely with Government counterparts to identify macroeconomic policy options that promote poverty eradication and enhance the policy impact of UNDP projects and programmes. The Chief Economist monitors economic policy developments and prepares high quality analyses and documents on issues relevant to UNDP’s Country Programme. The Chief Economist leads and supervises a team of senior staff in Delhi and in the states as well as national consultants and project staff. The Chief Economist maintains a network with colleagues from UNDP, UN Agencies, international financial institutions, Government officials,multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society.

The position of the Chief Economist will be appointed and supervised by UNDP

Summary of key functions:

1. Provide guidance and advice to UNDPmanagement on economic and development issues
2. Provide guidance and advice to government counterparts and facilitate knowledge building on economic and development issues
3. Build and facilitate strategic partnerships at national and state level
4. Promote UNDP’s mandate and mission particularly those aspects related to poverty eradication and human development
5. Supervise the provision of advisory services to state governments
6. Provide advice and liaise with national and state level institutions on poverty eradication and human development

• Compiling, analyzing and interpreting economic and statistical data
• Conducting strategic research on economicand development issues in the country and drafting relevant reports, casestudies, briefings and speeches, aimed at promoting equitable economic growth and human development
• Leading the production, consultative process and launch of relevant UNDP supported economic reports
• Contributing to the launch of economic reports, including National Human Development Reports
• Providing top quality analysis and substantive inputs to CPAP, UNDAF and other strategic documents
• Providing authoritative advice on possible areas for UNDP support and adjustment of on-going programmes to ensure that UNDP programmes are in line with national policies and priorities
• Formulating UNDP inputs and CO support tonational poverty reduction efforts including poverty monitoring and MDGs
• Supporting the preparation of human development reports at the national, state and district levels
• Participating in international, national, sub-national and inter-agency initiatives related to development issues
• Providing authoritative advice on public financial management and economic governance as well as aid coordination,public sector expenditure and budget management
• Ensuring women’s economic concerns are mainstreamed and economic opportunities for women are explored in new projects 

 2.     Provide guidance and advice to Government counterparts by:

• Facilitating policy dialogue on economic issues with Government counterparts, civil society and the private sector
• Identifying areas where UNDP support may have impact in reaching national goals and priorities
• Supervising UNDP teams, in collaboration with relevant Country Office units, and technical advisers at the state level working
• Channeling inputs into national policies onpoverty eradication including public finance management
• Identifying and promoting policy options for eradicating poverty
• Contributing high quality inputs into knowledge networks and communities of practice
• Analyzing macro-economic policies and their impact on poverty reduction, growth and equity.
• Training and providing capacity development support for UNDP staff and Government officials on economic and human development issues

 3.     Build and facilitate strategic partnerships by:

• Developing and expanding partnerships withUN Agencies, IFIs, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateraldonors, private sector and civil society based on national priorities and UNDPstrategic goals
• Preparing substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation
• Producing periodic updates and briefs on country development situation to be used by stakeholders, the CO and HQ
• Undertaking selected studies/research on emerging development concerns that feed into government/development partners processes

 4.     Advocate and promote UNDP’s mandate by:

• Advocating with stakeholders on theMillennium Development Goals, Human Development and pro-poor and equitableeconomic growth
• Participating in relevant forums,conferences and trainings
• Producing high quality research papers for presentation at international workshops and conferences
• Contributing to the monitoring and formulation of strategies to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
• Facilitating events and publications on economic issues, including annual Global Human Development Reports 

Impact of Results

The key results of the post strengthen UNDP’s contributions to the national policy dialogue and enhance the policy impact of UNDP programmes and projects. In particular, the key results will impact the design of programmes and creation of strategic partnerships. The post increases visibility of UNDP in the discussion about economic policies and analysis.

Functional Competencies

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda

Influencing the public policy agenda

• Advocates for the inclusion of UNDP’s focus areas in the public policy agenda
• Brings visibility and sensitises decision makers to relevant emerging issues
• Builds consensus concerning UNDP’s strategic agenda with partners on joint initiatives
• Leverages UNDP’s multidisciplinary expertise to influence the shape of the policies and programmes
• Demonstrates political/cultural acumen inproposing technically sound, fact based approaches/solutions
• Dialogues with national counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating country,regional and global perspectives
• Demonstrates cultural sensitivity,political savvy and intellectual capacity in handling disagreements with UNDP’spolicy agenda in order to promote and position UNDP in complex environments.

  Client Orientation

 Meeting long-term client needs

• Anticipates constraints in the delivery ofservices and identifies solutions or alternatives
• Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients,and perusades management to undertake new projects or services
• Consults with clients and ensures their needs are represented in decision making processes
• Advises and develops strategic and operational solutions with clients that add value to UNDP programmes and operations

 Conceptual Innovation in the Provision of TechnicalExpertise

 Conceptual Innovation

• Conducts programme assesmments to improve development of models and methodologies
• Designs policy models to support comprehensive interventions linking UNDP’s policy objectives to programme delivery and capacity development objectives
• Ensures that the design of the policies are appropriate to regional and country social and development context
• Demonstrates the ability to engage development partners at all levels in conceptual and methodological innovation that is pertinent to the global, national and local context.  

 Creating Visibility for UNDP/ Supporting UNDP’s Capacity to Advocate

Formulating strategy for creating the corporate image

• Formulates strategy for the implementation of promotional activities and materials
• Develops strategies for improved and expanded coverage in the mass media.
• Designs and initiates assessments of activities to improve impact and effectiveness
• Develop relationships and contacts with professional networks and high profile advocates

  Global Leadership and Advocacyfor UNDP’s Goals

 Influencing global and nationalinitiatives

• Advocates for the inclusion of development and concerns in the public policy agenda
• Brings visibility and sensitises decision makers to relevant emerging issues
• Advocates for increased priority given to human development issues internationally  and in national planning frameworks
• Advocates for increased resources at international and national level
• Develops strategies to counter challenges to UNDP’s principles and goals

Promoting Organisational Learning andKnowledge Sharing

Participating in the development of policies and innovate approaches and promoting their application throughout the organisation

• Actively seeks and promotes innovative methodologies and leads the development of supporting policies/tools toencourage learning and knowledge sharing
• Develops or participates in the developmentof policies and new approaches and participates in training of staff in their application throughout the organisation
• Promotes UNDP as a learning/knowledge sharing organization

   Job Knowledge/TechnicalExpertise

 Expert knowledge of own discipline

• Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts in primary discipline, a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant organisational policies and procedures
• Applies knowledge to support the unit’s objectives and to further the mandate of the organization.
• Applies a broad knowledge of best management practices; defines objectives and workflows, positions reporting relationships in such a way as to obtain optimum effectiveness for the unit
• Keeps abreast of new developments in the area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself personally
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
• Demonstrates expert knowledge of the current programme guidelines and project management tools and manages the useof these regularly in the work assignments

Core Competencies

• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents
• Building support and political acumen
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation
• Contributing to building and promoting effective teams
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication
• Support in creating an emotional intelligent organisation
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP and setting standards
• Sharing knowledge across the organisation and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning
• Fair and transparent decision making,calculated risk taking

• Minimum requirement of Master’s Degree in Economics with strong emphasis on macroeconomic and other quantitative skills,development economics and economic planning, have demonstrable knowledge and experience on human development approach and analysis. 
• 10 years of substantive experience at the national or international level. Extensive experience in research and policy-level analysis.  Some experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems and advanced programmes for statistical analysis of data. 
• Fluency in English and national language of the duty station.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.