Principal Economist, Regional Infrastructure (Central Asia) - London

This position is being offered as a regular contract and will be initially based in London and subsequently assigned to the EBRD Almaty Resident Office.

Role Overview

The Country and Sector Economics (CSE) Team consists of a team of around 30 economists, economic analysts and support staff. It contributes to the operational policy engagements and strategy work of the Bank and provides intellectual leadership on the development of a well-functioning private sector and market economy in the EBRD’s region of operation, which comprises all countries in Emerging Europe and Central Asia, Turkey, Mongolia, and most recently Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, as well as Cyprus and Greece. CSE works closely with the Banking Department in structuring, appraising and monitoring investment projects and pursuing policy dialogue opportunities that advance the transition to a well-functioning market economy. CSE also works with Banking and other departments on coordinating the Bank’s policy initiatives, contributes to the development of country and sector strategies and supports the Bank’s operations by monitoring macroeconomic developments and risks.

We are looking for a regional sector economist to contribute to our sector and structural reform analysis and policy advice on infrastructure in Central Asia. This position will be initially based in London HQ and then go on assignment to the EBRD’s office in Almaty (the regional hub) within 12 months of starting. You will be primarily responsible for infrastructure sector and reform-related policy dialogue for this region, but also provide support for other relevant sectors by accessing relevant expertise within CSE and expert networks across the Bank. Your will also support work on the design and appraisal of key investment projects in the infrastructure sector in an effort to link policy reforms to the Bank’s infrastructure investments. You will also support the lead regional economist on more general sector /macroeconomic analysis and on policy engagements outside of the infrastructure sector across the Central Asia region.

You will be part of the Infrastructure Sector group in the Sector Economics and Policy pillar in CSE, which comprises 4-5 sector experts, and report to a Lead/Senior infrastructure economist based in London; you will also have a report line to the Lead Regional Economist, based in Almaty, and work in close coordination with banking colleagues in the RO in Kazakhstan as well as with the Infrastructure Policy Unit in Banking and the Office of the General Counsel’s Legal Transition Team (LTT). Senior banking colleagues in the RO and of the Russia and Central Asia Infrastructure Banking team will be involved in setting your work programme and giving feedback on performance at year end.

The Infrastructure Sector team in CSE covers both Transport (roads, railways, ports, logistics, and aviation) and Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure services (water and wastewater, waste materials, urban transport, district heating/cooling and facilities management). Its main work includes project design, appraisal and monitoring; policy dialogue on sector reform issues; assessment of progress on infrastructure sector reforms in the EBRD Countries of Operation; the development of EBRD country and sector strategies; and managing internal and external relations on Infrastructure sector policy issues.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

Infrastructure sector (transport and municipal and environmental infrastructure):

• Engage in Policy Dialogue activities, including carrying out structured engagement with the governments and other stakeholders on sector reforms in the infrastructure sector; develop and lead reform-related Technical
  


• Assistance assignments (TCs) in the infrastructure sector. In this regard, assist the Infrastructure Policy Unit in
  


• Banking and the LTT with the planning, implementation and follow-up discussions related to Policy Dialogue activities, alongside CSE’s sector economists;
  


• Engage with Banking project teams to design and appraise selected key investment projects and TCs in the infrastructure sector, with a view to increase their transition potential and reducing the associated risks; recommend actions to strengthen the transition/development impact of the Bank’s operations;
  


• Monitor and assess infrastructure reform progress in the Bank’s countries of operation;
  


• Provide intellectual leadership on sector analytics, in particular CSE’s diagnostic studies (Private Sector
  


• Development and Investment Climate). Contribute to the Assessment of Transition Challenges (ATC)or reform gaps in the infrastructure sector in each of the COOs in the Central Asia region;
  


• Structure Technical Assistance projects and engage with the Donors on infrastructure programmes;
  

Broad structural reforms and macroeconomics:

• Support the lead regional economist on more general sector /macroeconomic analysis and policy dialogue engagement outside of the infrastructure sector in smaller countries of Central Asia, particularly in the context of country strategies and sector analytics;
  


• On occasion, represent the Bank and contribute technical input to relevant fora (conferences, dialogues with IFI counterparts, government officials, think tanks, etc.) to develop and spread best practices; engage with the donors’ community and other local stakeholders on reform advocacy and policy advisory services.
  


• Prepare briefing notes and presentations on broader reform and infrastructure related issues for the Vice
  


• President Policy and Partnerships and the CSE Managing Director’s contributions to ExCom, Opscom, SP Com and RiskCom deliberations
  


• The job will require extensive travel from the regional hub to other Central Asian countries and within Kazakhstan.
  

Essential Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Demonstrated infrastructure sector knowledge; the successful candidate must have work experience related to the infrastructure sector, gained, for example through full-time employment in a governmental institution, sector regulator, consultancy/company, think tank or academia;
  


• Knowledge of regulatory and infrastructure policy issues facing transition economies and emerging markets and demonstrated ability to influence decision makers and build trust and credibility with clients and colleagues.
  


• The successful candidate must be fluent in Russian; and must have excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
  


• Familiarity with the EBRD region of operations and the countries of Central Asia, particularly work or study experience in the region would be an advantage.
  


• Investment projects experience and ability to understand credit analysis would be an advantage.
  


• A postgraduate degree in economics or related field from a leading university is a must.
  

Diversity Matters

Diversity is one of the Bank’s core values which are at the heart of everything it does. A diverse workforce with the right knowledge and skills enables connection with our clients, brings pioneering ideas, energy and innovation. The EBRD staff is characterised by its rich diversity of nationalities, cultures and opinions and we aim to sustain and build on this strength. As such, the EBRD seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities and works in an inclusive environment. The EBRD encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of the EBRD member countries to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities.

Competencies and Personal Attributes

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in teams as well as independently;
  


• Ability to plan and organise work unsupervised;
  


• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines;
  


• Good organisational and multi-tasking skills;
  


• Ability to operate in a multicultural environment and build effective working relationships with internal/external clients and colleagues.
  

Closing date for applications : 3 January 2016