Economist
Organizational Context
The UN Secretariat's Resident Coordinator System (RCS) underwent reform in 2019 to enhance UN Development System effectiveness for the 2030 Agenda. UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCOs), led by empowered Resident Coordinators, support country-level development priorities and SDGs. The Colombo RCO, part of this system, focuses on SDG acceleration and the UN 2.0 shift, reporting to the Head of RCO.
Job Purpose
This Economist role supports the UN Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through evidence-based economic analysis and advice. The incumbent will analyze economic data, identify trends, and provide policy recommendations to accelerate SDG progress, focusing on economic transformation, green transitions, and SDG financing. The role involves supporting the Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team (UNCT) in developing integrated policy support, fostering partnerships with national counterparts and stakeholders, and contributing to UN sustainable development programming cycles. A key aspect is leveraging UN 2.0 capabilities, including data, digital innovation, and strategic foresight, to enhance analytical capacity and inform decision-making for more inclusive and sustainable economic development.
Responsibilities
The Economist will provide substantive economic analysis and evidence-based advice on sustainable development, economic transformation, and SDG financing. This includes researching and analyzing economic data, trends, and good practices, and conducting policy analysis to support the Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team in identifying challenges and opportunities for SDG acceleration. The role involves supporting the implementation of global guidelines, preparing analytical notes, policy papers, and briefing materials, and monitoring national and global economic developments. Additionally, the Economist will support partnerships and engagement with national counterparts, UN entities, IFIs, and other stakeholders on economic transformation and SDG financing. This includes contributing economic and financing analysis to the UN sustainable development programming cycle, such as the Common Country Analysis and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, and supporting knowledge management and learning activities related to economic transformation and SDG financing.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressive experience in economic research, analysis, macroeconomic/socioeconomic policy, or development economics is required. Experience in economic and policy analysis, translating trends into policy options, and SDG financing is essential. Desirable experience includes supporting strategic planning, working with diverse stakeholders, applying inclusive approaches, partnership building, resource mobilization, UN inter-agency coordination, and data analytics.
Skills
Professionalism, teamwork, and creativity are core competencies. Specific skills include applying sustainable development theories, conducting data collection and analysis, conceptual and evaluative skills for research, interpreting data for decision-making, collaboration, problem-solving, and generating innovative solutions.