Senior Environmental Economist - The World Bank (req 14839)

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.  For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region comprises 30 extremely diverse countries, with a population of nearly 500 million people. Although ten of our clients have joined the EU and seven of these have graduated, most continue to remain active recipients of knowledge and/or lending services. Furthermore, in the midst of a crisis like the pandemic that we are experiencing now, some of the advanced countries re-engage with the Bank for additional support, including financial. ECA has a strong lending pipeline as well as a large and growing portfolio of Reimbursable Advisory Services. Knowledge is critical to the Bank’s value proposition to client countries in the ECA region in both lending and advisory services.

A predominantly middle- and high-income region, ECA continues to be at the forefront in confronting the numerous development challenges that countries face in the evolving global economy. The region is at the vanguard of building regional connectivity while having to manage the changing structure of the labor market. At the same time, digital technologies are changing the nature of work, populations are aging, and large migration flows have generated social tensions that have contributed to increased political polarization. These emerging trends threaten to reverse the region’s achievements in regional integration, poverty reduction and shared prosperity.  

The ECA region is also vulnerable to climate change. It has a large potential to strengthen climate resilience and reduce its contribution to GHG emissions. Other important challenges affecting parts of the region include frozen conflicts and domestic political instability.

In February 2020, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak interrupted the incipient recovery and the impact on growth remains highly uncertain and in a downside scenario of prolonged shutdowns, output in ECA could contract by nearly 8 percent in 2020. The pandemic also poses medium-term risks, particularly if global value chain linkages are lost or if extended school closures have a significant impact on learning, dropout rates, and human capital development. The near- and medium-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis serve to re-emphasize the critical importance of ECA’s medium-term strategic agenda on raising productivity and boosting resilience, while pursuing “green transition” that addresses environmental and climate risks.

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/eca

The Sustainable Development Practice Group

The Sustainable Development (SD) Practice Group (PG) helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, Environmental and Social Framework, Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience & Land, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, and Water.

Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy (ENB) Global Practice

The sustainable management of the environment and natural resources is vital for economic growth and human wellbeing. When managed well, renewable natural resources, watersheds, productive landscapes and seascapes can provide the foundation for sustained inclusive growth, food security and poverty reduction. For more information:  https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/environment

Duties and Accountabilities

SCAEN, the ENB unit of SD PG in ECA, has a growing program of analytical,  advisory and operational  work to support ECA countries in facilitating green economic transition, enhancing environmental sustainability of growth and addressing climate change. The unit seeks to recruit Senior Environmental Economist, based in Washington DC, to provide leadership to unit’s work in advancing the environment, climate change and green transition agendas in ECA countries through knowledge, cutting edge research, policy dialogue and support to policy reforms. The selected candidate will join a team of over 40 environmental and climate change professionals located in Washington DC and various ECA countries and will report to unit’s Practice Manager (currently located in Washington DC).

Roles and Responsibilities

The Senior Environmental Economist- will have the following key responsibilities as agreed with her/his Practice Manager based on an annual Result Agreement: 

Analytical Work Program

The Senior Environmental Economist is expected to be a thought leader for the World Bank in the areas of environmental, natural resource and climate change economics.  This will include remaining current on the latest developments in the field.  The position requires flexibility, adaptability and innovation, using economics tools to solve a range of practical problems in the areas of natural capital renewal, GHG emissions and pollution management, and climate resilience. This includes an ability to integrate economic analysis with bio-physical modeling and/or undertake an analysis of macro and fiscal policies related to environment.  The work program will include leading or providing a major contributing to studies and technical assistance on various issues in the nexus of development, environmental sustainability, and climate change, including (but not limited to) Country Environmental Assessments (CEAs), Green Growth studies and Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDR). It will also include effective communication to senior leaders in governments and institutions of the results of these studies through written and verbal communication. 

Technical Advisory Work

The Senior Environmental Economist will be expected to provide technical advice on a broad range of environmental /green growth economics-related challenges to governments and other institutions in ECA countries and Bank staff.  This will include leading /contributing to advisory work and policy dialogue to help transfer knowledge and analytical findings into policy reforms and development programs, technical review of analytical work carried out by other teams in the Bank, and economics advice to lending operations financed by the World Bank.

Operational Work Program

The Senior Environmental Economist will contribute to World Bank operations, particularly in the area of economic analysis for investment operations, and the design of development policy operations.

Knowledge Management, Collaboration and Mentorship

The selected candidate will be involved with relevant internal and external communities of practice and partner groups, including, academia, civil society, the private sector as well as specialized international organizations. Active participation in knowledge sharing for a would be an important element of the position, including presenting the Bank’s work at technical conferences and workshops.

The Senior Environmental Economist will contribute to building partnerships with country-based academic and research institutions to jointly develop and share new knowledge.

Within the World Bank Group, the successful candidate will be expected to work effectively with economists and staff from other Global Practices and Practice Groups (particularly Economics, Finance and Institutions PG), lead/integrate into multi-disciplinary and culturally diverse teams, and mentor junior staff.

The economist will also coordinate and carry out other tasks as requested by the relevant Manager such as for example, contribute to the organization of training or knowledge sharing events.

Selection Criteria

• Masters or Ph.D. in Economics, Applied Economics, Environmental Economics, Natural Resource Economics, or Climate Change Economics. There is strong preference for Ph.D.
• Minimum of 8 years of full-time relevant professional experience post-Master’s Degree on research or applied work as an economist on environmental issues.
• Rigorous quantitative training in economics, econometrics or quantitative economic modeling is required.
• Experience of working in developing countries or/and economies in transition on the issues in development/environment interface.
• Familiarity with the green transition, climate and environmental contexts of ECA countries. knowledge of EU Green Deal, legislation, strategies and directives is a plus
• Proven collaboration and teamwork skills, with successful experience of leading/working with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with examples of successful dialogue with governments of World Bank client countries and development partners.
• Excellent communication skills in English (writing, speaking, listening and reading).
• Willingness to travel extensively, subject to COVID-19 restrictions.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life, and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Term appointment that expires later than the end date of this appointment, s/he will retain the duration of his/her current Term appointment.

CSOD SYSTEM ID: 5969519