Urban Development Economist

Reference #: ADB-HR-13-0273

Position Title: Urban Development Economist

Department: South Asia Department

Division: Urban Development and Water Division, SARD

Location: Manila, Philippines

Recruitment Type: International

Closing Date: 23 May 2013 , 5:00 p.m. (1700 Manila Time, 0900 GMT)

Job Purpose:

Support the project teams in the processing and administration of the urban sector loans, technical assistance (TA) projects, and non-lending products and services (NLPs) in the developing member countries (DMC) of ADB in South Asia and undertake relevant economic and financial analysis. Assist in the Division’s urban sector analysis and assessment, including undertaking specific economic/sector work and preparation of road maps as a part of the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) and Country Operation and Business Plan (COBP) as relevant. Work within broad policies and objectives with supervision for unfamiliar or critical tasks.

Expected Outcomes

a. Strategy and Planning
- Provide technical and analytical inputs and analyses for country programming and contribute to the development of the urban sector road map for CPS,
- Participate in interdepartmental working groups and country teams in addressing general urbanization and urban development challenges faced by DMCs,
- Undertake specific economic/sector works as part of the Division’s sector analysis and diagnosis of urbanization trends in South Asia DMCs and provide support in the development of appropriate policy and operation response

b. Project Development, Processing and Management
- Provide technical and analytical support for project processing mission leaders to ensure compliance of economic due diligence of the loans and TA projects with ADB’s policies, guidelines, operations manuals and staff instructions.
- Provide analytical support for the project processing mission leaders, where applicable, to conduct economic assessment of the integrated urban development projects on a regional economy basis, as a city cluster or along an economic corridor.
- Provide guidance for project processing mission leaders to ensure compliance of financial due diligence of loans and TA projects with ADB’s policies, guidelines, operations manuals and staff instructions.
- Provide technical and analytical support for the project processing mission leaders to identify the public and private partnership potentials and analyze their economic rationale and feasibility.
- Provide assistance to mission leaders in undertaking the administration of loans and TA projects, as assigned, and ensure that projects are implemented in compliance with guidelines, operations manuals and staff instructions,

c. Policy and Project Evaluation
- Monitor, analyze, and report on urbanization tendency and policy developments in the urban sector of South Asia DMCs.
- Provide support for the monitoring and assessment of the impact of ADB urban sector policies, strategies and operations in South Asia DMCs.
- Provide analytical support for economic assessment to evaluate the development impact of projects upon project completion.

d. Knowledge sharing
- Contribute to the production and dissemination of knowledge products that provide strategic advice, operation guidance, and best practice on promoting inclusive and sustainable urban development in South Asia DMCs.
- Lead or assist the task managers in conducting high quality economic, sector and thematic research as information for developing policy, programming and strategic options and opportunities.

e. Staff Supervision
- Provide leadership and support for reporting staff.
- Supervise the performance of reporting staff, providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on their performance.
- Ensure the on-going learning and development of reporting staff.

Educational Requirements:

Master’s degree in economics, preferably with specialization in urban development area or other related fields; University degree in Economics or other related fields, combined with specialized experience in similar organization/s, may be considered in lieu of a Master’s degree

Relevant Experience And Other Requirements:

- Suitability to undertake the responsibilities mentioned above at the required level
- At least 6 years of relevant professional experience in the sectoral or thematic area under consideration, including experience in conducting economic and financial due diligence and/or feasibility study for urban development projects, preferably with experience in applying transit oriented development concept for integrated urban development projects and/or in analyzing region-wide/city cluster-based urban development issues; International experience working in different countries.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

Core Competencies:

Application of Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Regularly shares knowledge on new international best practice trends in comparator situations
• Proactively applies relevant international best practices to own work
• Convinces others to adopt international best practice by explaining the situational relevance and benefits

Client Orientation

• Helps colleagues work effectively with clients in different contexts and from diverse backgrounds and country situations
• Adapts own approach and style when interacting with clients, as opposed to requiring them to adapt
• Draws upon international best practice in exploring solutions with clients
• Confirms the clients’ understanding and agreement before progressing

Achieving Results and Problem Solving

• Draws on own and others’ multi-country experience to identify viable courses of action when conducting analyses
• Helps internal and external clients achieve quality results beyond presenting problems and precedent
• Highlights possible solutions for project issues based on relevant multi-country and/or multi-client experience
• Regularly contributes insights and experiences to colleagues in the Division to help them achieve quality results
• Overcomes unexpected difficulties and challenges to produce desired outcomes

Working Together

• Maintains collaborative relationships within the Department
• Works effectively with diverse colleagues in own and other Divisions and Departments
• Flexibly alters positions and adjusts previously stated points of view to support the group consensus
• Follows through on team priorities in the absence of a team leader

Communication and Knowledge Sharing

• Checks the audience’s level of understanding and awareness of required follow up actions
• Consistently seeks and addresses feedback on own performance
• Creates knowledge products endorsed for wider distribution based on lessons and multi-country experience
• Independently amends and clarifies messages and documents

Innovation and Change

• Actively supports work improvement and/or organizational change by work and deed
• Develops and adopts change plans to support Division initiatives on which one works
• Considers current and future client needs in proposing ideas
• Vocalizes early support for change
• Recommends inputs to new policies, systems and processes in immediate work area

Immediate Reporting Relationships / Other Information:

• Supervisor: Director, SAUW
• The following staff positions may be supervised by the incumbent:
  • Administrative Staff
  • National Staff

Women are encouraged to apply.

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