Government Finance Statistics Resident Advisor at the East African Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFE)
This is a long-term expert position (contractual) open to Fund staff and external candidates.
The Statistics Department (STA) of the IMF and the IMF’s East African Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFE) are looking for a qualified candidate to fill a Government Finance Statistics (GFS) Resident Advisor position based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The Resident Advisor will provide technical assistance (TA) and training, and manage statistical capacity building program in GFS in the eight countries covered by the AFE (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), and Uganda).
The Resident Advisor’s work program will be closely aligned with national statistics plans as well as the Regional Statistics Development Plan of the East African Community (EAC), comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. In this context, the Resident Advisor will support, in close collaboration with the EAC secretariat, the implementation of relevant aspects of the East Africa Monetary Union (EAMU) Protocol, signed in November 2013, as well as the associated bills and directives.
The Resident Advisor’s initial appointment will be for two years (beginning approximately in early 2022) with the possibility for extensions.
Duties
- The Resident Advisor will provide and oversee TA in GFS to the eight countries covered by the AFE. These areas of work include: (1) managing TA on statistical capacity building in GFS and public sector debt statistics; (2) facilitating activities carried out by, and promote interaction of, government agencies in the development of such statistics; and (3) coordinating TA activities with the relevant IMF Departments (STA, African Department, as well as Monetary and Capital Markets Department (MCM) and Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) as needed) and, where appropriate, with other international and regional institutions and bilateral agencies involved in TA in statistics to the EAC.
- The Resident Advisor will help the eight countries achieve the objectives of their work program on GFS, including the recommendations made by previous IMF TA missions. On evolving priorities, he/she will consult closely and continuously with the country teams in the IMF’s African Department (AFR) responsible for surveillance work in the selected countries. He/she will also build upon the technical assistance and training provided in recent years, which has focused on assisting the EAC member countries to develop and implement their statistical capacity-building programs in the GFS area.
- The new Resident Advisor will continue with the current program with specific time-bound reforms that have been closely coordinated with national authorities, the EAC, AFR, and STA. The program’s implementation is being conducted in close collaboration with FAD’s public financial management advisor and macro fiscal advisor at the AFE and Fund HQ, as well as with AFR country teams that set the strategic direction of CD for their respective country authorities.
- The Resident Advisor should expect to provide remote assistance to the countries until the travel restrictions due to COVID-19 are lifted and to travel within the region after that. The Resident Advisor will also be responsible for ensuring that the appropriate mission documentation is produced in line with STA’s guidelines. This would include STA streamlined documentation requirements as they evolve, as well as implementation of the IMF’s Capacity Development Management and Administration Program (CDMAP) program, Results Based Management (RBM) framework and use of the STA RBM catalog.
- The Resident Advisor will also be expected to contribute to a number of corporate activities of the AFE, such as the production of the mid-year and annual reports, quarterly newsletter, and outreach, as needed.
- The Resident Advisor will work under the general direction of the AFE Center Director and the technical direction of STA at IMF headquarters; STA’s Government Finance Division will be responsible for backstopping the Resident Advisor.
Qualifications
The successful candidate must have an advanced university degree in a relevant discipline, and should demonstrate strong expertise in GFS methodology and have familiarity with the compilation and dissemination of GFS. The candidate should have a minimum of 10 years of practical experience. The candidate should have very strong interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written) and be fluent in English. Ability to coordinate TA with the relevant IMF departments and with other international institutions and bilateral agencies is essential. Familiarity with the target countries’ GFS and current work program is highly desirable.
Given the important role of the Regional Advisor in the GFS regional harmonization project for the EAC member countries, familiarity with the EAMU regional integration process would be an asset.
Special Eligibility Provisions for Internal Applicants
A staff member whose open-ended appointment decision has been approved is eligible for consideration. A staff member appointed to East African Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFE) will retain their staff employment status, remain on the Fund’s payroll, and move laterally for the duration of the assignment subject to the limit of staff assignments earmarked for this purpose. The selected staff will be eligible for overseas assignment benefits. At the end of the assignment, a staff member is expected to return to his/her home department in the Fund, unless other arrangements have been made (e.g., the staff member has applied and is selected in another department). In the event an external or a contractual candidate is selected for this assignment, the candidate will be hired on a contractual appointment basis, and the provision under the Handbook for Experts on Long-Term Assignments will continue to apply.
The IMF is committed to achieving a diverse staff, including gender, nationality, culture and educational background.
The deadline for submitting the application is 05 September 2021.