Agriculture Economist

To achieve this vision, the WBG Board of Governors in 2013 approved a new strategy for the organization. This strategy leverages the combined strength of the WBG institutions and their unique ability to partner with the public and private sectors to deliver customized development solutions backed by finance, world class knowledge and convening services. The strategy has three components: maximizing development impact by engaging country clients in identifying and tackling the most difficult development challenges; promoting scaled-up partnerships that are strategically aligned with the goals; and crowding in public and private resources, expertise and ideas.The architecture underpinning the strategy is the establishment of 14 Global Practices and five Cross-Cutting Solution Areas that, in concert with WBG Regions, will design and deliver solutions that address clients’ most pressing developmental challenges, and ultimately, enable the WBG to meet its twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Agriculture is one of the 14 Global Practices and its agenda is essential for achieving the Bank’s twin goals of eliminating poverty and boosting shared prosperity: 75% of the world’s poor are rural, and most are engaged in farming.  Over 842 million people go to bed hungry every day, 26 percent of all children under age five are stunted, and 30 percent suffer from Vitamin A deficiency. The world needs to produce about 50 percent more food to feed the world’s expected population of nine billion by 2050.  A changing climate means that, in Africa alone, a warming scenario of 1.5°C to 2°C for the 2030s and 2040s will trigger a 40 to 80 percent reduction of area where maize, millet and sorghum are currently grown.  Accordingly, agriculture is critical for fighting hunger, boosting food and nutrition security, improving incomes, creating jobs, providing environmental services, and stopping a “4°C world.”The selected candidate will report to GFADR’s Practice Manager covering Central and Southern Africa., Kenya & Rwanda.  The primary responsibility of the Senior Agriculture Economist will be to provide technical and strategic leadership to the development and implementation of GFADR’s program in Kenya and contribute to program implementation in Rwanda and beyond working closely with the Country Management Unit. In particular, the Agricultural Economist will:• Contribute as team member to complex operations and lead operations as TTL, both in agriculture and multi-sectoral operations, assuring good quality in all stages of the project cycle;• Advise colleagues who are themselves TTLs of demanding operations, providing them with mentoring, advice and support;• Work with the Program Leader(s) to identify opportunities to address agricultural issues in the CSD, CPS, country dialogue, CEMs, and multi-sectoral operations. Assure a strategic approach to support for agricultural growth and effectively communicate that to the country team;• Identify innovative new opportunities or ways to address existing needs in the agricultural sector, by bringing in experience from other regions and with a wide range of instruments;• Remain current with relevant major pieces of analytical work in the profession. Lead or guide key pieces of sectoral Analytical Advisory Activity (AAA);• Represent the Bank in fora involving the community of development partners. Provide leadership, either explicit or implicit, in the work of the development partners in the sector;• As necessary, represent the Bank and GFADR management at events with sectoral focus that take place in the field;• Develop strong client relations and partnership on operational matters and policy dialogue;• Work with other units in the department and more broadly in the region and within GFADR in representation of country issues in regional and corporate strategies• Work with Government counterparts towards implementing the CAADP framework and the Malabo Declaration at the national level in collaboration with Development Partners.• Master’s degree in agricultural economics, agriculture policy, agricultural sciences, rural development, or closely related field with at least six years of relevant experience. • Experience in identifying, preparing, appraising and supervising agricultural and rural development projects.• Familiarity with the institutional context of Africa, and experience interacting with institutions involved in agriculture and rural development.• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Government officials and technical staff and with other stakeholders, including farmers and farmer communities.• Demonstrated ability to conduct policy dialogue with senior government officials and other stakeholders (communities, NGOs, private sector).• Demonstrated analytical skills, and ability to produce high quality reports in a timely fashion• Strong leadership and communication skills and ability to work cross-sectorally and lead inter-disciplinary teams.• Familiarity with World Bank operational policies and procedures.• Strong oral and written communication skills.• Fluency in English is essential; fluency in French is desirableFor further details and to apply, please go to www.worldbank.org/careers and under “current job openings” seek vacancy number 141580. Deadline for applications is January 20, 2015.