Senior Agriculture Economist

The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. 

Duties & Accountabilities:

The WBG is recruiting a Senior Agriculture Economist based in Panama City, Panama. The Senior Agriculture Economist will report to the SLCAG PM and assist in the delivery of the Unit’s work program, assurance of quality, interaction with internal and external clients, including the governments and private sector, and partnerships in the CMU covering Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic (LC2 countries). The Senior Agriculture Economist will primarily focus on the SLCAG portfolio in LC2 client countries, but will also support the activities of other SD units or other Practice Groups, as well as supporting the broader strategic dialogue and engagements, in areas including agri-food system reforms, competitiveness, climate change, food and nutrition security, integrated risk resilience, jobs, inclusion of vulnerable populations, gender mainstreaming and rural transformation opportunities.

Selection Criteria

The Senior Agriculture Economist will have broad knowledge in the agriculture sector and policies and across SD and will be well-versed in the WBG’s operational and reform dialogue on agriculture and the broader SD sector. In addition to meeting the WBG-wide requirements for a grade GG-level position, it is expected that the successful candidate will meet the following selection criteria:

- PhD in agricultural economics strongly preferred.Master’s degree and at least 8 years of relevant professional experience related to agriculture economics or macroeconomics, agribusiness, finance, climate studies, and other disciplines related to food systems;

- Relevant, proven operational experience in the area of agricultural and rural development that demonstrate cross-country/global expertise and client-facing skills;

- Robust, proven operational experience as TTL of agriculture and multi-sectoral lending operations;

- Strong analytical skills in the range of issues of relevance to agriculture and food systems;

- Recognized substantive leadership in one or more of the strategic/ technical areas noted above;

- Familiarity with the institutional context of LCR regional agricultural development and World Bank operations will be an advantage;

- Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving and team skills with ability to find balanced, pragmatic and implementable solutions also in a multi-disciplinary context;

- High level of energy, ability to work under pressure, and willingness to travel and work under challenging conditions;

- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish, including the ability to present complex issues to World Bank management and senior government representatives, as well as to non-specialist audiences;

- Willingness and ability to travel.