Senior Economist
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Job #: |
req35501 |
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Organization: |
World Bank |
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Sector: |
Economics |
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Grade: |
GG |
| Term Duration: | 5 years 0 months |
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Recruitment Type: |
International Recruitment |
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Location: |
Tbilisi,Georgia |
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Required Language(s): |
English |
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Preferred Language(s): |
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Closing Date: |
2/10/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC |
Description
Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. 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, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. 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. Visit www.worldbank.org.
Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region:
The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region comprises 30 extremely diverse, predominantly middle-income countries, with a population of nearly 500 million people. ECA countries face structural and legacy issues, including an incomplete transition to a market economy and declining productivity, weak institutional capacity, dependence on fossil fuels, limited physical and digital connectivity and, in many instances, aging populations. Recent shocks (COVID-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, weather shocks and natural disaster) have further exacerbated these challenges, with significant impacts on the level, inclusiveness and sustainability of growth and overall living standards.
The World Bank Group is working closely with client countries in the region to address these issues, with increasing focus on productivity growth and job creation, energy security and water management, human capital and economic inclusion, and physical and digital connectivity. The region has a strong lending pipeline and a large portfolio of projects spanning a number of sectors. In addition, knowledge is critical to the Bank’s value proposition to client countries in the ECA region.
In view of these challenges, the ECA regional strategy is to help countries (i) create solid foundations for higher productivity and resilience— macroeconomic and financial stability, effective governance and institutions, enabling the environment for the private sector-led growth, and capacity to address global public goods, especially climate change; (ii) build an environment for productive individuals to overcome vulnerability and achieve middle-class status—investing in maternal and child health, investing in safety nets to protect households during times of adversity, improving labor productivity and labor force participation to achieve higher incomes, fostering inclusion and engaged citizenry for shared prosperity; and (iii) enabling markets to achieve sustained and inclusive growth—support private sector growth, promote entrepreneurship, competition and innovation, facilitate access to new markets, foster regional economic integration, and participate in global value chains.
The three countries of the South Caucasus have made significant development achievements since the turn of the century, with GNI per capita (atlas method) increasing more than tenfold since year 2000 and all three countries becoming upper-middle income. In recent years, growth rates have been robust and poverty rates have continued to decline. However, these countries still struggle in creating quality jobs, partly due to incomplete structural transformation and productivity issues, poverty rates still remain high despite the declines, and inequities and geographic disparities remain. While the nature and extent of the issues differs by countries, there is a consensus that productivity growth needs to improve across all countries, supported by more competitive markets, deeper financial markets and more qualified workers; there is space as well to improve the efficiency of public spending and the governance of State-Owned Enterprises. In addition, Azerbaijan faces challenges similar to other resource-rich country.
The WBG has a longstanding and significant program in the South Caucasus. IBRD lending includes investment operations in energy, access to finance, innovation, transport, agriculture, and human capital, and some innovative Program for Results operations. The policy dialogue is supported by Development Policy Operations in Armenia. In addition, the WBG has a wide range of knowledge products and technical assistance engagements, being Bank’s primary instruments for broadening engagement with stakeholders in the three South Caucasus countries.
The Fiscal Policy and Growth (FPG) Global Practice
The Fiscal Policy and Growth (FPG) Global Practice leads the World Bank Group’s dialogue and engagement with clients in macroeconomics, fiscal policy, trade, competition and investment. FPG links the macroeconomic dialogue with programs focused on expanding the role of the private sector in economic development. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/economicpolicy
The FPG has an exciting program in the sub-region. The FPG team has led most of the Development Policy Operations and has led Public Finance Reviews, Country Growth and Jobs Reports, and other key flagship report. It has provided technical assistance on a range of issues including on carbon taxation, debt management, and fiscal risk monitoring, among other topics. The team has a strong technical engagement with key agencies of economic management across government and other stakeholders in the private sector, academia and the civil society in the three countries.
Duties and Accountabilities
As part of the ECA Economic Policy unit, the Senior Economist will:
• Lead the economic policy dialogue with the government counterparts in the three South Caucasus Countries (SCC): Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
• Provide thought leadership and advice to the Division Director on core economic policy issues, working closely with the country economists working on the South Caucasus.
• Lead coordination on macroeconomic policy dialogue with the IMF and other development partners.
• Lead and/or advise teams working on Development Policy Operations or other types of lending operations focused on broader economic policy and institutional reforms.
• Lead and/or advise teams working on core diagnostics and other economic reports.
• Serve as the focal point or spokesperson on economic issues to clients and other external constituencies and expert economic groups.
• Support the analytical work program of the CMU, including the preparation of CPFs and other key strategic pieces, and their quality control, and provide advice to the Division Director on country strategic engagement.
• Work closely with other GPs on the preparation of key strategic pieces and/or engagements.
• Mentor and coach FPG colleagues working on the delivery of the practice’s work program.
Note: This internal requisition is open to WBG and IMF staff only (including short-term and extended term consultants/temporaries). External candidates are requested not to apply. In case an external candidate applies, their application will not be considered.
Selection Criteria
This position requires technical breadth and depth to devise development solutions and carry out client dialogue, a combination of integrative skills, strong operational experience, sensitivity to the political economy of the client countries, in-depth knowledge of WBG services and products, and strong communication/language skills. Specifically, the candidates should have:
• Ph.D. or Master’s in economics with at least twelve (12) years of relevant professional experience, including a track record of delivery of high quality analytical and advisory products.
• Strong analytical skills in macroeconomics, fiscal management, microeconomics, finance and development economics and proven ability to conduct policy-relevant research.
• In-depth knowledge of WBG financing operations as well as analytical and advisory services, including work programming, budgeting, task management, and strong familiarity with WBG instruments.
• Demonstrated client orientation through identifying and evaluating emerging opportunities aligned with WBG strategy, and challenging others to remove barriers and to deliver beyond client expectations.
• Proven experience in leading high impact development policy operations; sound knowledge of Bank lending tools and procedures.
• Demonstrated leadership in teamwork, in working across boundaries and in ensuring that diverse talent and capabilities are mobilized across Prosperity and in support of other PGs. Proven ability to work across practices and disciplinary boundaries.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex analyses to non-specialist audiences.
• Strong client-orientation and diplomatic skills combined with candor and courage of opinion.
• Ability to work flexibly on a range of assignments and adjust to a variety of complex evolving tasks to meet deadlines.
• Entrepreneurial capabilities that can be deployed in identifying and securing new business opportunities.
• High energy and demonstrated interest in achieving impact through analytical work and technical assistance for demanding and sophisticated clients. Previous experience in delivering high impact work in a country under economic transformation would be a plus.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.
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.
Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.
