Consultancy on Economic Diagnostics and Strategic Macroeconomic Analysis

Enhanced ECA capacity to deliver rigorous, high-quality, and evidence-based macroeconomic analysis and policy advice that supports African countries in achieving inclusive and sustainable economic transformation, accelerating implementation of the 2030 Agenda and continental development frameworks, and strengthening Africa’s thought leadership and policy influence.

Remotely

6 Months

Background Africa faces recurring global shocks in recent years, including geopolitical conflicts, trade tensions, supply chain disruptions, climate change, and widening technological gaps, in addition to declining Official Development Assistance (ODA), mounting debt burdens, rising inflation pressures and increasing financing costs that have put challenges to fiscal sustainability, economic resilience, and long-term development. While we tackle these challenges, Africa must leverage our strengths: youthful population, natural resource endowment for green industrialization, and scale of a continental market if harmonized. To tap the potential would require deliberate policymaking to build internal resilience, and consistent advocacy at global and regional levels with aligned positions to call for reforms. To position Africa for long-term success in an uncertain global environment, key priorities, include: enhancing domestic resource mobilization to reduce reliance on external financing; leveraging strategic assets, such as critical minerals, demographic dividends, and renewable energy potential, to drive sustainable growth; advancing industrial policies that develop regional value chains, reduce commodity dependence, and boost competitiveness; strengthening global engagement by advocating for inclusive multilateral reforms, restructuring the global financial architecture, and pushing for the modernization of multilateral development banks to improve access to affordable, long-term capital; and addressing the high cost of capital through innovative financing mechanisms, risk mitigation tools, and credit enhancement to unlock investment at scale. This will enable Africa to build economic resilience, capitalize on its comparative advantages, and secure a stronger position in the evolving global economic landscape. In its dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape, the Economic Commission for Africa is playing a leading role in providing support to 54 member States in delivering ideas and actions for an empowered, inclusive and transformed Africa in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union. The world and Africa are a few years away from 2030. The position is in the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme) and Chief Economist who oversees the implementation of ECA's programme pillar. ECA's five strategic directions are: advancing ECA's position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent's problems and take local solutions to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa's position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues. A core mandate of the Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist is to lead rigorous macroeconomic and data analysis, producing high-quality knowledge products and analysis that inform African governments’ policies and actions on economic and sustainable development challenges. Critical to this effort is the systematic study of economic trends, the evaluation of fiscal and monetary policy impacts, and counterfactual simulations. These analytical foundations are indispensable for shaping evidence-based policies and ensuring effective decision-making. The Commission is seeking the services of a consultant, who will work as a Technical Advisor to support the Commission’s capacity to build rigor and excellence in macroeconomic analysis, including rapid economic assessment on urgent headline events, econometric modelling and forecasting, data collection and economic reporting by enhancing analytical understanding of fast-evolving global context and Africa’s challenges and opportunities, with focus on policies that support social, economic and environmental frameworks to accelerate progress towards the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda and continental development frameworks and strengthen thought leadership to enable African nations drive inclusive and sustainable transformation. The consultant will work closely with relevant divisions, UN entities, and external partners to strengthen the Commission’s evidence-based policy support to African countries. Duties and responsibilities Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programmes) or her mandated representative, the consultant will be expected to undertake, but not limited to, the following responsibilities: • Monitor and analyse global economic developments and their implications for African economies, providing timely updates and strategic insights • Carry out rapid economic assessment on urgent headline events • Provide input and recommendation on primary and secondary data collection (qualitative and quantitative) for economic analysis. • Provide technical support towards the preparation and review of ECA’s knowledge products under the Programme pillar. • Support the integration of climate-related macroeconomic risks and green financing strategies into ECA’s economic analysis and policy recommendations. • Provide technical advisory services on policies and strategies relating to ECA subprogrammes and thematic specialised areas of expertise. • Support the development of policy briefs, technical notes, and presentations for high-level engagements with African policymakers, development partners, and multilateral institutions. • Provide technical input to ECA’s engagement in global and regional economic governance platforms, including the UN intergovernmental processes (such as High-level Political Forum, COP, UN Tax Convention, ECA Conference of Ministers, Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, etc.), G20, African Union and its Specialized Technical Committees, IMF and World Bank annual meetings, particularly in relation to Africa’s macroeconomic priorities and reform asks. • Undertake other tasks as required.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in Economics or Finance or a related field is required. A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in macroeconomic analysis & forecasting, policy orientated economic research and analysis, data science and visualization, and application of economic principles in development programmes is required. Substantial and related experience with multilateral financial development institutions is required. Relevant work experience in Africa is required. Familiarity with the workflows and practices of similar international organizations is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

Not available.