Junior Economist

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is a regional arm of the United Nations established to promote economic and social development in the Arab region. ESCWA was founded in 1973 and has since been working to foster cooperation among its member states, which include 18 countries in the Arab region. The organization focuses on various areas including economic development, social development, and environmental sustainability, aiming to provide a platform for dialogue and collaboration among member states to address regional challenges and promote sustainable development goals.

Job Overview:
The position of Junior Economist at ESCWA involves providing essential research support for the Development Challenges Project. The individual contractor will be responsible for delivering research outputs on various development indicators and indices, as well as assisting in the creation of effective policy assessment tools. The role requires collaboration with the project team to draft the Arab Development Challenges Report, which will analyze the development challenges faced by the Arab region. The contractor will engage in data collection, synthesis, and analysis, contributing to the understanding of economic resilience and multidimensional inequalities. The position is expected to last for three months, during which the contractor will also help finalize comments and organize statistical software codes and datasets related to the projects.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Junior Economist will have a diverse set of responsibilities, including:

• Assisting in drafting several chapters of the Arab Development Challenges Report (ADCR) and related materials.
• Supporting regional analysis and the drafting of policy briefs and blog posts related to the ADCR.
• Contributing to the drafting of a technical paper focused on Economic Resilience.
• Collecting, synthesizing, and analyzing data on development, inequalities, and economic resilience, while updating the key messages portal.
• Preparing training materials for regional sessions on the Development Challenges Index tool use and methodology.
• Tailoring the index to the national level and preparing national development challenges reports.
• Assisting with other related tasks as requested by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master's degree in economics, statistics, or a related field. It is essential that all applicants submit a copy of their educational degree, as incomplete applications will not be considered. While no previous work experience is required for this position, a minimum of one year of professional experience in human development and governance analysis is desirable. Additionally, experience in conducting quantitative analysis using statistical software, as well as skills in economic data analysis, presentation, drafting, and visualization, are considered advantageous.

Educational Background:
The educational requirement for this position is a Master's degree in economics, statistics, or a closely related field. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of economic analysis and development indicators, which are central to the role of a Junior Economist at ESCWA.

Experience:
While the position does not require previous work experience, candidates with at least one year of professional experience in human development and governance analysis will be preferred. This experience should ideally include conducting quantitative analysis of data using statistical software, which is vital for the tasks associated with the Development Challenges Project.

Languages:
Fluency in Arabic and English is required for this position, as these are the working languages of ESCWA. Fluency is defined as a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas: speaking, reading, writing, and understanding. Knowledge of French is also beneficial, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, but it is not mandatory for this role.

Additional Notes:
The position is a contract role expected to last for three months. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or training. Furthermore, the organization does not request information regarding applicants' bank accounts.