Resident Macroeconomic Frameworks Advisor (PFTAC)

Overview

Provide macroeconomic advisory and capacity development in Pacific countries.

You have:

• Post-graduate degree in Economics.
• At least five years of relevant professional experience.
• Practical knowledge of the IMF's financial programming framework.
• Excellent data management and analytical skills, including the use of MS Excel and econometric applications.
• Experience in macroeconomic modelling and forecasting.
• Knowledge of software such as EViews, Matlab, Dynare, and Iris is a plus.
• Strong spoken and written communication in English.
• Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and diplomatic skills.
• Ability to work well in teams.

Work for the IMF. Work for the World.

The IMF’s Institute for Capacity Development (ICD) and the IMF’s Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre (PFTAC) are seeking a qualified candidate to fill the position of Resident Macroeconomic Frameworks Advisor. PFTAC was established in 1993 as the IMF’s first regional technical assistance center. The goal of PFTAC is to strengthen the institutional capacity of Pacific Island countries (PICs) to design and implement sound macroeconomic and financial policies, which are essential underpinnings for sustainable economic growth and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. PFTAC support is provided to sixteen PICs. These comprise 13 members of the IMF, including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, plus the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.

The aim of capacity development (CD) in the area of macroeconomic frameworks is to help recipient countries improve the macroeconomic forecasting and analytical capabilities of government institutions in support of their macroeconomic policy decision-making process. Depending on country needs and capacity, macroeconomic-frameworks technical assistance (TA) projects may range from building Excel-based, sectoral-relationship frameworks with supporting economic projection equations, to building semi-structural gap Quarterly Projection Models of national economies. Near-term forecasting/nowcasting and/or debt dynamics tools will also be included in these macroeconomic frameworks. In view of the capacity constraints and small staff of many of the PTFAC members, the work agenda may include assistance with the implementation of basic elements of macroeconomic diagnostics, such as the analysis of equilibrium exchange rates, output gaps, and the basics of debt sustainability, and may require training-intensive activities as integral part of the TA engagement.

The ICD-backstopped Macroeconomic Frameworks Advisor will undertake these activities through TA missions, TA-related training engagements, and peer-to-peer learning activities, either alone or together with IMF staff and/or specialized short-term experts (STX) employed by the IMF. She/he will coordinate closely with ICD’s CD delivery divisions, the Asia-Pacific Department (APD)-backstopped Macroeconomic Advisor and the IMF−Singapore Regional Training Institute (STI) to ensure consistency with other IMF CD activities in the region. Among the main tasks, the Macroeconomic Frameworks Advisor will:

• Deliver, oversee, and coordinate TA and related training on developing macroeconomic frameworks to support forecasting and policy analysis and decision-making processes in central banks, ministries of finance and relevant government agencies, in close cooperation with IMF-APD country teams, the APD PICs resident representative, other PFTAC resident advisors and, where applicable, other CD providers.
• Prepare, under the supervision of ICD and in close coordination with the PFTAC Director and APD Macroeconomic Advisor medium-term project and 12-month workplans in collaboration with country authorities and IMF stakeholders (ICD CD delivery divisions, ICD Resource Management division, APD Pacific Island country teams and IMF Pacific resident representatives).
• Manage the STX certification and contracting process, by preparing the STX’s draft terms of reference, submitting them to Headquarters (HQ) for final approval, and acting as back-stopper of the STX’s work.
• Maintain close contact with relevant country teams in APD; prepare required TA and training documents (e.g., pre-mission briefs, BTOs) for ICD and APD internal review and approval, including through CDMAP; maintain existing projects updated in CDMAP, including oversee budget expenses and RBM reporting (log frames).
• Contribute, as required by the PFTAC Director, to the PFTAC corporate work (e.g., steering committee meetings, annual report, quarterly newsletters, outreach efforts, preparation of conferences/seminars and other activities of the center).

The selected candidate will work under the guidance of the PFTAC Director on day-to-day operational matters, while being supervised by ICD macroeconomic-frameworks TA back-stoppers based in HQ. The IMF offers a competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with the successful candidate’s skills and experience.

The selected candidate should be prepared to take up the position in Fiji by September 2025. The initial appointment will be for a period of one year with the possibility for extension contingent on performance and ongoing budget/business needs.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should have: (i) a post-graduate degree in Economics; (ii) at least five years of relevant professional experience, with practical knowledge of the IMF's financial programming framework; (iii) excellent data management and analytical skills, including the use of MS Excel and econometric applications; (iv) experience in macroeconomic modelling and forecasting, including in using relevant software—knowledge of EViews, Matlab, Dynare, and Iris would be a plus; (v) strong spoken and written communication in English; and (vi) exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and diplomatic skills, as well as the ability to work well in teams.

Department:

ICDMM Institute for Capacity Development Macro Modelling and Monetary DivisionHiring For:

A11, A12, A13, A14The IMF is guided by the principle that the employment, classification, promotion, and assignment of staff shall be made without discrimination against any person. We welcome requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities during the selection process. Information on how to request accommodations will be provided during the application process.

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Potential interview questions

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