Regional Government Finance Statistics and Public Sector Debt Statistics Advisor (METAC)

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The Statistics Department (STA) of the IMF, and the IMF’s Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC), have an opening for a Regional Government Finance Statistics (GFS) and Public Sector Debt Statistics (PSDS) Advisor (hereinafter referred as “Regional Advisor”) based in Beirut, Lebanon. METAC is a multi-donor financed Regional Capacity Development Center (RCDC) of the IMF that serves 14 member countries (Afghanistan, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank & Gaza, and Yemen).

The Regional Advisor’s initial appointment is for two years (expected to start around September 2023), with the possibility of an extension by one year, contingent on performance and management approval. The Resident Advisor will oversee and undertake capacity development (CD) support in GFS and PSDS areas in METAC member countries as part of METAC’s statistical work program.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Regional Advisor will primarily support METAC member countries to improve the compilation and dissemination of fiscal and public sector debt statistics, which is intended to inform the authorities’ policy analysis and formulation, as well as support the IMF’s operational work with those countries.

The successful candidate is expected to:

• Develop and implement the annual work program and manage statistical CD in GFS and PSDS, including public sector balance sheet. In this process, he/she will be guided by the Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 (GFSM 2014) and Public Sector Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users (PSDSG), which are the latest internationally accepted methodology for comprehensive, timely, accurate, reliable and cross-country-comparable fiscal and debt statistics of adequate frequency.
• Offer tailored country advice, hands-on training, as well as regional training in GFS and PSDS to assist member countries achieve the specific outcomes of their projects.
• Manage and backstop missions by short-term experts.
• Coordinate CD activities with the relevant IMF Departments and with other METAC advisors working on related CD fields, including the real sector statistics, public financial management, customs administration, and revenue administration advisors.
• Coordinate CD activities, where appropriate, with other international institutions and bilateral agencies involved in providing CD in GFS and PSDS.
• Apply IMF standards and policies (and STA’s guidelines) in documenting CD activities.
• Monitor the implementation and evaluation of his activities in the IMF’s Capacity Development (CD) portal; and
• Contribute to reports prepared for the METAC Steering Committee, as well as to other publications and outreach activities that promote METAC and STA’s CD program and provide visibility for METAC’s contributing development partners.

The Regional Advisor should expect to provide in-person assistance to the beneficiary countries or remote assistance, depending on specific needs of individual countries. The successful candidate will work under the general direction of the METAC Director and the technical direction of STA staff at IMF headquarters.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should have an advanced university degree in economics, statistics, or related field. He/she should have extensive knowledge of the GFSM 2014 and PSDS Guide concepts and principles, as well as proven experience in the compilation and dissemination of fiscal and debt data. Strong relationship management and negotiating and influencing skills are critical for the position. Excellent interpersonal skills, full proficiency in French and strong English oral and written communication skills, drive for results, and ability to work on various projects under tight deadlines are essential. Arabic language skills are highly desirable.

The following qualifications are highly desirable: (i) experience in managing and backstopping capacity-building projects; (ii) experience in and knowledge of GFS and PSDS compilation practices and systems in countries with similar GFS/PSDS challenges; (iii) background in the areas of macro-fiscal policy and/or public sector accounting; (iv) practical experience with countries that have limited capacities; and (v) familiarity with the synergies between GFS/PSDS and Public Financial Management reforms in beneficiary countries.

Department:

STAGO Statistics Department Government FinanceHiring For:

A12, A13, A14The 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.