Work for the IMF. Work for the World.

The IMF Statistics Department (STA) is seeking a specialized Economist/Senior Economist for its Financial Institutions Division (STAFI). The division closely collaborates with Fund departments in analytical, policy, and operational work to support the Fund’s bilateral, multilateral, and financial sector surveillance.

STA provides global leadership on macroeconomic and financial statistics methodologies and standards for the Fund, its member countries, and the international statistical community at large. It supports Fund surveillance and lending operations through capacity development (CD) activities focused on strengthening member countries’ capabilities to produce and disseminate statistics for sound policy analysis and effective policymaking. STA collaborates with other Fund departments, donors, and other external partners to ensure that data needs for bilateral and multilateral surveillance, and lending operations are met.

STAFI is responsible for operationalizing the Fund’s role as global standard setter in the methodology for monetary and financial statistics (MFS) and financial soundness indicators (FSIs) by developing and updating internationally agreed methodologies to foster the availability of high-quality, consistent, and cross-country comparable data. STAFI also contributes to the ongoing update of international statistical methodologies, focusing on cutting-edge financial sector related issues such as digital finance/money, fintech, and nonbank financial intermediation. It plays a leading role in the development and dissemination of global databases, including on MFS, FSIs, and financial access, which support the analysis of global financial trends and imbalances, internal and external vulnerabilities, and financial stability. STAFI also contributes to STA’s program on developing climate change statistics, the IMF’s Climate Change Indicators Dashboard (CID), and the G20 Data Gaps Initiative 3 (DGI-3) with a focus on financial aspects and financial sector. STAFI manages STA’s CD program on MFS, FSIs, and financial access, including provision of technical assistance (TA) and training to IMF member countries across the world.

Duties and responsibilities

The successful candidate will contribute to STAFI’s work on statistical methodology, data, and CD for both MFS and FSIs aimed at implementing the division’s work program, including focusing on the preparations for the expected update of the methodological standard for MFS. The selected candidate will work under the general supervision and guidance of STAFI management.

More specifically, the selected candidate will be involved in the full breadth of STAFI’s work program, including:

·       Developing, updating, enhancing, and implementing international statistical methodologies for MFS and FSIs, including developing new methodologies on frontier issues such as digital finance/assets, fintech, and climate.

·       Contributing to the work on the G20 DGI-3, focusing on the recommendations related to fintech and digital money.

·       Maintaining and enhancing the specialized databases under STAFI’s in support of financial sector and macro-financial surveillance.

·       Implementing STAFI’s CD program, including training and TA.

·       Supporting other Fund departments in multilateral and bilateral surveillance through methodological advice, data, CD, and analytical work.

·       Collaborating with other international organizations.

·       Pursuing research and analytical work within the division’s areas of responsibility, in support of furthering STA’s objectives, including showcasing STA databases and/or using them for evidence-based policymaking.

Minimum qualifications

An advanced degree in Economics, Finance, Statistics and/or related field, supplemented by a minimum of four years of relevant professional experience is required. The potential candidate should have strong methodological and technical skills on MFS and/or FSIs statistical compilation and methodology, with professional experience in compiling these statistics. Experience in providing technical assistance and training, published research on financial sector issues and/or financial statistics methodology, and/or exposure to other statistical and/or policy areas would be strong assets.

In addition to technical skills, the candidate should possess excellent written and oral communication skills in English, as well as strong interpersonal skills to foster effective working relationships with the authorities and excellent team collaboration. The candidate should also be dynamic and highly motivated, with a strong drive for results, proven ability to work independently as well as in teams, and an appetite for innovation; and be capable of managing a wide range of assignments and work under tight deadlines. A working knowledge of French, Spanish, or Arabic would be an additional asset.

This vacancy shall be filled by a 3-year Term appointment in accordance with the Fund’s new employment rules that took effect on May 1, 2015. 

A regular staff member who is selected to fill the vacancy will maintain their open-ended status. If the selected candidate is a contractual employee, they will be offered a Term staff appointment. Staff members already on a term appointment will continue their current term but may receive an extension provided that their current term appointment has not already been extended.

This position is open for fungible economists as well as specialized economists.

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The IMF is committed to achieving a diverse staff, including age, creed, culture, disability, educational background, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, nationality, race, religion and beliefs, and sexual orientation. We welcome requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities during the selection process.