Economist

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank’s Distributional Impact of Policies Global unit in the Fiscal Policy and Growth Department integrates distributional analysis of reforms and investments into operational knowledge and lending. The unit’s multidisciplinary team supports World Bank Group teams and governments in ensuring interventions, country policies, and programs reduce poverty and inequality sustainably. The Economist, based in Washington, DC, will conduct policy-relevant analytics on poverty and equity; develop micro-empirical models and analytical frameworks; apply geospatial and subnational fiscal analysis; and support country operations, evidence-based policymaking, and knowledge-sharing between country and global teams. The role also contributes to global reports, public goods, policy briefs, reviews, and rapid analytics and diagnostics.

Requirements

Master’s degree in economics, public policy, or a related field, with a strong quantitative background; a PhD is preferred.
At least five years of relevant professional experience.
Strong programming skills.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including demonstrated experience conducting complex econometric analysis and statistical modeling and translating findings into actionable recommendations for poverty and inequality reduction.
Experience integrating geospatial and household survey data to analyze spatial dimensions of poverty and inequality, including disparities in public service delivery and infrastructure and the effects of subnational fiscal policies, using GIS, remote sensing, and econometric methods.
In-depth expertise in at least two of the following: poverty mapping or small area estimation; spatial econometrics and modeling; processing and management of big data; or subnational fiscal analysis, including revenue and expenditure data and distributional impacts of tax and expenditure policies.
Experience designing and delivering technical training and workshops, communicating complex methods to diverse audiences and adapting content and delivery to different regional and institutional contexts.
Excellent communication skills, including presenting technical findings and policy implications to varied audiences and producing high-quality technical papers, policy notes, and presentations.
Organizational and project management skills, including managing multiple deliverables and meeting tight deadlines.
Flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic environment where priorities may shift.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and take initiative with minimal supervision while aligning with team and institutional priorities.
Ability to work flexibly, creatively, and on multiple tasks; high self-motivation, a positive attitude, commitment, and drive.
Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, including effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and sensitivity to cultural, political, and gender issues.
Ability to work with staff at all levels.

Nice To Haves

PhD in economics, public policy, or a related field.
Experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent contexts.
Ability to responsibly use digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.

Responsibilities

Design and implement advanced poverty and equity analytics that provide policy-relevant guidance and foster public debate, including contributing as a team member to global reports.
Support development of micro-empirical models examining linkages between welfare, fiscal, and social policies, incorporating spatial dimensions as appropriate.
Develop and apply analytical frameworks, tools, and technologies to assess spatial disparities and the distributional impact of policies.
Support country teams in integrating geospatial and subnational fiscal analytics into operational engagement and policy dialogue.
Support country teams in designing operations and strengthening data systems for evidence-based policymaking.
Contribute to public goods and knowledge products and facilitate knowledge flows between country and global teams.
Contribute to departmental corporate engagement, including reviews, briefs, policy notes, and just-in-time rapid analytics and diagnostics.