Director - Western Hemisphere Department

Overview

Oversee IMF’s relations in the Western Hemisphere region and lead the department.

You have:

• An advanced degree in economics, with a strong background in open economy macroeconomic, financial sector, and structural policy issues.
• Experience working in the region with particular emphasis on Latin American and Caribbean countries, and in advanced economies.
• Extensive leadership experience, particularly leading large and complex teams, developing functional strategy, and translating broader organization strategy.
• Proficiency in a major continental language would be a plus.
• Proven ability to provide intellectual and strategic leadership.
• Knowledge and understanding of Fund policy and operations.
• The ability to engage with member countries at a level that facilitates traction of the Fund’s policy advice.
• Ability to foresee shifting needs in the global and region’s economies.

Work for the IMF. Work for the World.

Job Summary The Director of the Western Hemisphere Department oversees the IMF’s relations with its member countries in the region. The Director works under the overall guidance of the Managing Director and in close collaboration with other members of the IMF’s management team. The Director is responsible for providing strong intellectual leadership and strategic vision in planning, managing, and supervising the work of the department employees. The Director is also expected to contribute to the development of IMF policies.

The primary function of the Western Hemisphere Department is to provide policy advice to our member countries in the region, with the aim of promoting and preserving macroeconomic, financial, and external stability, and improving the conditions for sustained economic growth. The director is also responsible for implementing IMF policies with respect to these countries, including the provision of financial support and technical assistance. Finally, the Director is responsible for maintaining contact with regional organizations, other multilateral institutions; as well as to oversee the activities of the IMF Offices in the region.

Key competencies required:

Ability to understand the Fund’s mandate, culture, policies, and practices, especially as it relates to the region.

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills, reflected in an ability to foster close and effective cooperation both with relevant authorities and with the Executive Board, management, and other departments, and a capacity for effective media outreach.
• The ability to provide clear direction to enable others to achieve mission critical priorities, lead and champion innovation and change to keep pace with the external environment, and conceptualize and turn ideas into actions.
• Ability to demonstrate strong and agile intellectual and operational leadership, and ability to shape and reshape key strategic priorities
• Ability to lead the development and transformation of teams, structures, systems, and work processes to quickly address business needs.
• Ability to collaborate across the institution, build collation/alliances, consensus and effective cooperation with multiple stakeholders. Ability to lead tough negotiations and persuade/influence policies/decisions by balancing differing interests.
• Ability to be an effective interlocutor and communicate in a clear, persuasive, tactful, impactful and inspiring manner—be the face of the Fund in the region and the face of the department within the Fund.
• Ability to inspire, lead and develop diverse teams to build/strengthen institutional capability.
• Ability to lead and champion innovation, including the ability to engage early on to get buy-in and support.
• Ability to embody the core values of the Fund and be considered as a role model in the institution.
• Ability to demonstrate self-awareness (of oneself and the department’s image), commitment to continuous learning and development, and resilience.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should have:

• An advanced degree in economics, with a strong background in open economy macroeconomic, financial sector, and structural policy issues.
• Experience working in the region with particular emphasis on Latin American and Caribbean countries, and in advanced economies.
• The ability to engage with member countries at a level that facilitates traction of the Fund’s policy advice, ideally based on prior experience with one or several countries in the region at a senior level. Proficiency in a major continental language would be a plus.
• Ability to foresee shifting needs in the global and region’s economies.
• Extensive leadership experience, particularly leading large and complex teams, developing functional strategy, and translating broader organization strategy.
• Proven ability to provide intellectual and strategic leadership.
• Knowledge and understanding of Fund policy and operations.

Note A regular staff member who is selected to fill the vacancy will maintain their open-ended status. Staff members already on a term appointment will continue their current term but may receive an extension provided that their current term appointment has not already been extended.

Department:

WHDAI Western Hemisphere Dept. Immediate OfficeHiring For:

B05The IMF is committed to achieving a diverse staff, including age, creed, culture, disability, educational background, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, nationality, race, religion and beliefs, and sexual orientation.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: imf.org