Description
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Job Details: ETC – Agricultural Economist Tajikistan
The vision of the World Bank Group is to eradicate extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity. Delivery of this vision relies on a three-pronged strategy that includes maximizing development impact by engaging country clients in identifying and tackling the most difficult development challenges; promoting scaled-up partnerships that are strategically aligned with the goals; and crowding in public and private resources, expertise and ideas. The architecture underpinning the strategy is the establishment of 14 Global Practices or GPs (organized into four Practice Groups) and five cross-cutting Solution Areas that, in concert with WBG Regions, design and deliver solutions that address clients’ most pressing developmental challenges, and ultimately, enable the WBG to meet its twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity.
The Agriculture and Food team in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region (SCAAG) is organized under the umbrella of ECA Sustainable Development that also incorporates water, environment, social, urban, disaster resilience, and land teams. The unit’s work program covers six Country Management Units that comprise the ECA Region and is led by a Practice Manager. The team consists of 24 staff (14 of whom are based in Country Offices). The focus of the team’s work going forward is on the future of agri-food systems, including inclusiveness, diversification of economies, jobs, agricultural competitiveness and linking farmers to markets, leveraging the private sector, climate-smart agriculture, digital agriculture, financial innovation, resilience, post-COVID recovery, and fragility and conflict.
Duties and Accountabilities:
The World Bank Group is recruiting an Extended Term Consultant (ETC) Agriculture Economist based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The ETC will report to SCAAG Practice Manager and support the delivery of the work program, assurance of quality, interaction with internal and external clients, including the private sector, and partnerships in Tajikistan. The primary responsibility of the ETC will be to provide operational and strategic support to the development and implementation of SCAAG’s work program and broader Sustainable Development program in Tajikistan, and engagement in the broader Bank’s country policy dialogue. In doing so, s/he will work closely with the Country Manager for Tajikistan, the SD Program Leader and the agriculture team in Central Asia. Her/his responsibilities will include, but will not be limited, to the following:
As a core team member on cross-WBG teams working in the agriculture, the selected candidate will:
• Support the design and implementation of analytical, lending and advisory work on agriculture-related issues;
• Participate as team member and provide technical and operational support to projects under preparation and implementation in the portfolio. The work will involve a range of activities throughout the project cycle (identification, preparation, appraisal, supervision, and completion).
• Analyze, review and process operational documents related to lending preparation and coordinating across WBG teams to assure timely completion of quality project packages.
• Provide research and analytical support for drafting policy notes related to agriculture and associated policies. In addition, he/she is expected to independently review relevant documentation, assemble and analyze data, and contribute to the knowledge and communication agenda.
• Conduct technical review and analysis of client reports and sector reports.
• Support the discussions for developing and implementing sector strategies and assist in country-specific policy and advisory work.
• Coordinate and participate in discussions with the Government and project counterparts on agriculture relevant discussions.
• Respond to ad-hoc information requests from internal and external parties.
• Work closely with other members of the agriculture team and other task teams within multi-disciplinary missions and actively collaborate in the country dialogue as required.
• Work closely with client counterparts, development partners and the Country Management Unit towards development and effective delivery of the sector’s portfolio.
Selection Criteria
The ETC will have broad knowledge in the agriculture sector and related policies. In addition to meeting the Bank-wide requirements for Grade GF Level position, it is expected that the successful candidate will meet the following selection criteria:
• A dynamic, independent and highly organized professional with enthusiasm to further expand/deepen his/her knowledge in the above areas of responsibility and beyond, and an ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multi-sectoral and multi-cultural environment.
• At least 5 years of work experience in agriculture and rural development in Tajikistan and/or Central Asia for a candidate with an MSc, MBA or Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences, Policy, or Economics;
• Familiarity with the WBG’s development initiatives, policies and practices related to lending and non-lending operations
• Ability and skills to provide inputs to key project documents and ability to serve as a team member making contributions and taking responsibility for operational tasks assigned.
• Demonstrating a strong client focus and capacity for solution-oriented dialogue;
• Strong communication skills, and ability to interact with the Client’s senior-level decision-makers as well as project technical staff.
• Strong understanding of, and experience with, the institutional and political context in Tajikistan and exposure to agriculture policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Knowledge of agriculture and agribusiness context in Central Asia is desired;
• Spoken and written strong Russian and English skills are required;
• Team player and leader able to function in a fast-paced, multi-sectoral and multi-cultural environment;
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently in Tajikistan.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
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Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable for an additional one year, at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET Appointment of two years. If an ET appointment ends before a full year, it is considered as a full year toward the lifetime maximum. Former and current ET staff who have completed all or any portion of their second-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.