Oxford Policy Management Limited (OPM) is one of the world’s leading international policy development and management consultancies. We enable strategic decision-makers in the public and private sector to identify and implement sustainable solutions for reducing social and economic disadvantage in low and middle-income countries.
We seek to bring about lasting positive change using analytical and practical policy expertise.
Building Resilience in Ethiopia (BRE) is a three year (2019-2022) technical assistance project co-funded by FCDO and USAID, being implemented by OPM. The main aim of BRE is to support Ethiopia’s drive towards becoming a middle-income country, by strengthening nationally owned and led systems that better anticipate and respond to recurrent shocks and resulting acute needs. BRE’s vision is in line with the National DRM Policy and will support the ‘Government of Ethiopia (GOE) to lead and deliver an effective, gradually self-financed and accountable response to climate and humanitarian shocks’.
The Disaster Finance (DRF) work stream under BRE supports the Federal Ministry of Finance in better preparing for and responding to disasters. The intended outcome of the DRF workstream is to ensure that Ethiopia’s public finances are more resilient to shocks.
We are seeking to recruit a Senior Economist (Fiscal Risk Advisor) to be embedded within the Fiscal Policy Directorate in the Ministry of Finance (MoF). This is a full time position, based in the MoF in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Following an initial training period, where the Senior Economist will receive training from the BRE team on the technical tools and approaches, the Senior Economist will play a key role in supporting the MoF to better manage fiscal risks, with a specific focus on disaster-related fiscal risks (e.g. drought, floods, locust and health epidemics etc). The selected candidate will play a key role in supporting the Fiscal Policy Directorate (FDP) to quantify disaster-related fiscal risks, further develop the fiscal risk registry and statement, and improve coordination of fiscal risk management across the GOE. S/he will be expected to build the capacity of counterparts in the MOF, through a combination of formal training and on-the-job mentoring.
The BRE programme has already commenced technical work in this area, focusing on developing an analytical approach and MS-Excel model for the quantification of fiscal risks associated with drought and flood. We are seeking a senior economist for the second stage of the work, where the approach will be expanded to include other types disaster-related risks, and efforts will turn to building the capacity of the Fiscal Policy Directorate to operate, update and take full ownership of the tool.
The Senior Economist (Fiscal Risk Advisor) will based in Addis Ababa, working closely with BRE team members based in Addis Ababa and the UK. S/he will perform tasks and undertake responsibilities as follows:
o Utilising the recently developed analytical framework and tool to support the Fiscal Policy Directorate (FPD) to quantify the fiscal risks arising from disasters (flood, and droughts presently, soon to be broadened to include other disaster related hazards). This will involve working closely with a team of international and local experts who will provide training to bring the Senior Economist up to speed on the framework, tool and work to date;
o Support the FPD in maintaining and updating the fiscal risk registry, and drafting the annual fiscal risk statement;
o Support the FPD in establishing their role as the central entity for the coordination of fiscal risk management across the GOE. The activities falling under this role would remain flexible, but could cover: support to establishing government counterparts for each fiscal risk identified by the MoF; establish data availability and the data gaps for fiscal risks; work in collaboration with the FPD to engage with the agencies dealing with fiscal risks and identify gaps in the capacity of entities dealing with different types of risks;
o Support capacity building efforts within the Ministry of Finance in relation to fiscal risk management to ensure skill transfer. This will include playing a key role in training workshops and seminars. Material will be developed in collaboration with international experts;
o Draft quarterly reports on progress in skill transfer to the FPD;
o Provide inputs to a note on how fiscal risk management can be better institutionalised;
o Ad-hoc support to the Fiscal Policy Director on key economic and policy issues including drafting the annual Flagship report of the Ministry;
o Provide ad-hoc support to other BRE Tasking Orders implemented in the Ministry of Finance, including, but not restricted to, climate and disaster risk finance mainstreaming and resource mobilisation
o Develop and maintain excellent working relations with government partners, ensuring continual dialogue on the opportunities for support from the BRE programme and ensuring that BRE’s technical assistance aligns with and meets government’s needs;
o Coordination with other development partners engaged in the supporting the management of fiscal risks (FCDO, World Bank and IMF)
o Liaise with the BRE Finance workstream to support the overall aims of the BRE programme, including monitoring, learning and evaluation (MEL), coordination and technical working groups.
Reporting arrangements
o The senior economist will be supervised by the Director Fiscal Policy Directorate of the MoF, and the BRE Disaster Risk Finance Workstream Lead.
Required:
o A postgraduate (Masters) degree in Economics or an equivalent professional training;
o At least seven years of experience conducting macroeconomic & policy analysis;
o Familiarity with the public financial management system in Ethiopia;
o Experience working in or on public policy issues;
o Excellent inter-personal and communication skills with a proven track record of developing and sustaining collaborative relationships with partners.
o Fluency in English and Amharic;
o Strong computer skills: MS Office, MS Excel in particular.
Desired:
o Previous experience working for or with the Ministry of Finance;
o Previous experience working on fiscal risks.
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