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JOB #: 130125


JOB TITLE: Lead Agriculture Economist


JOB FAMILY: Agriculture & Rural Development


JOB TYPE: Professional & Technical


GRADE: GH


LOCATION: Abuja, Nigeria


RECRUITMENT TYPE: International Hire


LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT: English [Essential]; French [Desired]


BACKGROUND / GENERAL DESCRIPTION:


The Africa Region is committed to working with Africans and their development


partners to make faster progress toward the MDGs, particularly cutting poverty


levels in half by 2015. With a wide-ranging work program that covers the


environment, agriculture and rural development, social and post conflict, water,


urban, energy, and transport sectors, the Region’s Sustainable Development (SD)


Department is critical to the delivery of the region’s goals for sustainable


development in the region. The department has 320 staff and an overall


portfolio (including IDA/IBRD, GU, large RE TF, and GEF) of about 250 projects


with net commitments totaling about $30 bn.


The Africa Agriculture Program has been growing rapidly and is centered around


four pillars, including: (i) land and water management; (ii) market access;


(iii) food security and vulnerability; and (iv) agricultural technology. There


is active collaboration with PSD and IFC to facilitate private sector


investments in African agriculture. Nutrition and resilience to climate change


are new areas of attention. The agriculture portfolio comprises of about 65


projects with net commitments exceeding US$ 4 billion. New lending is expected


to exceed US$ 1 billion annually in the coming years.


The Africa agriculture sector grouping consists of three units (AFTA1 for


West-Africa, AFTA2 for Central and Southern Africa and AFTA 3 for Eastern


Africa). Each of the three units is managed by a Sector Manager. Each Sector


Manager is also responsible for a number of relevant cross-cutting themes. The


three units together have about 90 staffs of which 60% are based in country


offices.


The Government of Nigeria, which came to office in 2011, has launched a major


Agricultural Transformation Agenda which combines needed policy and


institutional reforms with key public investments aimed at connecting markets


and supporting the expansion of the private sector and productivity growth in


prioritized value chains. To support implementation of this Agenda, as


requested by the Government, the Bank is scaling-up its already substantive


engagement in Nigerian agriculture even further. The current portfolio consists


of projects focusing on agricultural research, livelihoods development, and


commercial agriculture. Looking forward, these will be scaled-up through


additional financing, while a new irrigation project, as well as a programmatic


sector budget support operation will be added to the portfolio. In view of this


AFTA1 seeks a seasoned Lead Agriculture Economist to lead its strategic,


advisory, and operational work in Nigeria.


DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:


The Lead Agriculture Economist will assist the AFTA 1 Sector Manager in delivery


of the unit’s work program, assurance of quality, interaction with internal and


external clients, including the private sector, staff development and


partnerships.


The primary responsibility of the Lead Agriculture Economist will be to provide


technical and strategic leadership to the development and implementation of the


AFTA 1 program in Nigeria. In particular, the Lead Agricultural Economist will:


• Lead complex operations as Task Team Leader (TTL), both in agriculture and


multi-sectoral operations, assuring quality in all stages of the project cycle;


• Serve as an advisor to colleagues who are themselves TTLs of demanding


operations, providing them with mentoring, advice and support;


• Work with the Sector Leaders based in the Nigeria CMU and especially the SD


Sector Leader to identify opportunities to address agricultural issues in the


Nigeria country partnership strategy, country policy dialogue, budget support


operations, and other multi-sectoral projects. Assure a strategic approach to


support agricultural growth and effectively communicate that to the country


team;


• Identify innovative new opportunities or ways to address existing needs in the


agricultural sector, by bringing in experience from other regions and with a


wide range of instruments;


• Remain current with relevant major pieces of analytical work in the


profession. Lead or participate in major analytical activities in Nigeria , and


work with AFTA1 colleagues engaged in analytical work;


• Represent the Bank in fora involving the community of development partners.


Provide leadership, either explicit or implicit, in the work of the development


partners in the sector;


• As necessary, represent the Bank and AFTA1 management at events with sectoral


focus that take place in the field;


• Develop strong client relations and partnership, including with IFC, on


operational matters and policy dialogue;


• Work with other units in the department and more broadly in the region, e.g.


with PSD, and with the ARD Anchor in representation of Nigeria specific issues


in regional and corporate strategies;


• Initiate and maintain a high level and quality of engagement and dialogue with


key stakeholders, including government, civil society, private sector and


research/academic community on strategic and policy issues concerning


agriculture, irrigation and natural resources in Nigeria.


SELECTION CRITERIA:


COMPETENCIES


Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Influences the design and


execution of major policy and/or research initiatives; conceives and promotes


innovations in development policies, project design, organization and management


to improve operational and sector work.


Policy Dialogue Skills – Has a track record of conducting effective policy


dialogue with country counterparts; communicates and defends difficult issues


and positions to senior bank management and government officials.


Integrative Skills – Possesses in-depth understanding of Bank resources in all


areas of work in the network, and proven fungibility.

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