[Hiring] Senior Economic and Public Finance Consultant @AGORA

Role Description

The purpose of the consultancy is to undertake a high-level economic and public finance analysis of debt dynamics, fiscal adjustment, external financing pressures and social sector financing in Ethiopia, with a focus on implications for children and future human capital development.

UNICEF is undertaking a broader global initiative to strengthen understanding of how debt dynamics, fiscal pressures, access to development financing and macroeconomic reform processes affect investments in children and future human capital development. The initiative seeks to generate evidence and policy analysis that can inform national and international discussions on sustainable financing for development, fiscal space, and the protection of essential social sector investments.

The work recognises that economic policies, debt management decisions and financing conditions have important implications for governments’ capacity to invest in health, education, social protection, nutrition and other services that are critical to child well-being and long-term development.

As part of this broader effort, UNICEF Ethiopia will undertake an in-depth economic and public finance analysis examining how debt dynamics, fiscal adjustment, external financing pressures and macroeconomic reforms influence fiscal space and social sector financing in Ethiopia. The assignment will combine empirical analysis, political economy analysis and policy reform analysis to identify key drivers, constraints and opportunities for protecting and strengthening investments in children.

The resulting analysis is intended to support evidence-informed policy dialogue, contribute to national discussions on public finance and development financing, and generate lessons that may be relevant to broader international discussions on debt, fiscal policy and child outcomes.

The consultant will undertake a comprehensive analysis of the relationships between debt dynamics, public finance management, macroeconomic reforms and social sector financing in Ethiopia. Particular attention should be given to the interaction between debt dynamics, external financing, exchange-rate reform and social sector financing.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in economics, macroeconomics, development economics, public finance, public policy, political economy or related fields.
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in economics, public finance management, fiscal policy, debt management, macroeconomic analysis, political economy, development financing, or related fields.
• Demonstrated track record of leading or substantially contributing to high-level analytical work, policy advisory assignments, or economic reform processes for governments, international financial institutions, multilateral organisations, development partners, or research institutions.
• Proven experience producing policy-relevant analytical products and recommendations for senior decision-makers, including on public finance, debt, fiscal reform, economic governance, social sector financing, or related areas.
• Previous experience working on economic policy, public finance management, debt, fiscal policy or development financing in Ethiopia or comparable contexts is highly desirable.
• Existing professional networks with relevant government institutions, development partners, international financial institutions, research institutions or other key stakeholders are considered an asset.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Requirements

• Strong expertise in macroeconomics, public finance management, sovereign debt, fiscal policy, and development financing, including the interaction between economic reforms and social sector outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to undertake rigorous empirical and political economy analysis, integrating quantitative, documentary and qualitative evidence to generate actionable policy recommendations.
• Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex economic and fiscal issues into clear and practical recommendations for policy and programme audiences.

Benefits

• UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it.
• UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does.
• UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence.
• UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.