Economist/Senior Economist (Iran) - MCDDA

International Monetary Fund•Washington, DC

11d

About The Position

Work for the IMF. Work for the World. Division A of the Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD) has an opening for an experienced economist to work on Iran, one of MCD’s largest surveillance cases. Iran is facing a complex socio-political and macroeconomic environment, with significant structural and policy-related challenges. Loose macroeconomic policies and a weakening market exchange rate have led to very high inflation, in the context of sanctions and uncertainty about the prospects for nuclear deal with the US. Climate change challenges are also paramount as Iran is among the largest 20 GHG emitters globally. Tighter fiscal and monetary policies as well as far-reaching reforms are essential to address underlying vulnerabilities and develop growth drivers. Article IV missions have not taken place since 2018 and recent engagement has focused on capacity development and analytical work. With the ongoing and fast evolving developments, near term priorities include maintaining strong analytical readiness and deepening policy understanding to ensure the Fund is well-positioned to engage quickly and effectively as soon as conditions allow. The assignment offers an excellent opportunity to work on a highly complex and visible case & with the breadth and intricacy of the challenges the country faces, it provides a unique and stimulating experience, including scope to work on a range of cross-cutting analytical topics. The selected candidate will have substantial responsibilities and would be expected to be involved in all aspects of the work, including conducting macroeconomic analysis; coordinating the macro-framework; drafting of country and operational documents; and attending to all other desk responsibilities, including review work, action items and requests, coordinating capacity development activities, and liaising with other departments and stakeholders, among others. While familiarity with fiscal sector/issues would be helpful, it is not required, and specific sectoral responsibilities will be decided based on skills, interest, and the team’s needs. The selected candidate will also be expected to contribute to the work of the division, including reviewing and commenting on departmental and Fund papers. Finally, time permitting, the selected candidate will have opportunities to participate in one-off MCD missions, contribute to the work of MCD policy groups, and more broadly to the analytical agenda of the department. Countries in Division A include Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. Candidates interested in the position can reach out to the Iran mission chief, Asmaa El-Ganainy ([email protected]).

Requirements

strong background in macroeconomics
strong analytical skills
excellent communication and drafting skills
mature judgement
strong knowledge of Fund policies and procedures
solid organizational and planning skills
attention to details
adaptability to meet tight deadlines
strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills
abilities to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment

Nice To Haves

familiarity with fiscal sector/issues

Responsibilities

conducting macroeconomic analysis
coordinating the macro-framework
drafting of country and operational documents
attending to all other desk responsibilities, including review work, action items and requests
coordinating capacity development activities
liaising with other departments and stakeholders
contribute to the work of the division, including reviewing and commenting on departmental and Fund papers
participate in one-off MCD missions
contribute to the work of MCD policy groups
contribute to the analytical agenda of the department