Coordinator of the High-Level Working Group on the Global Financial Architecture

About the role

The Africa High-level Working Group on the Global Financial Architecture (HLWG-GFA) is coordinated by the Economic Commission for Africa and brings together African finance and planning ministers, the African Union, the African Development Bank, the African Export-Import Bank, the World Bank Group and IMF staff and executive directors. It monitors the economic impact of shocks such as the pandemic, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and cuts in official development assistance, and builds consensus on reform proposals for the global financial architecture. The ECA is seeking a consultant to act as technical expert and coordinator for the HLWG-GFA secretariat, working in Addis Ababa for about five months.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor and analyse global economic developments and policy updates on global financial architecture reform, and draft reform proposals, policy briefs, technical notes and presentations for high-level engagements.
• Provide technical input to ECA's engagement in global and regional economic governance platforms such as the G20, G24, COP32, the IMF and the World Bank.
• Backstop HLWG documents, knowledge products and the Ministerial Summit documentation, including concept notes, agendas, background papers, talking points and communiqués.
• Plan, coordinate and oversee the logistics, substantive and procedural arrangements for the Ministerial Summit, including the run-of-show, participant invitations and confirmations, and lead post-Summit debriefings.
• Coordinate the technical review of reports and knowledge products on climate and nature finance solutions (carbon pricing, carbon markets, debt-for-nature swaps, green bonds, nature-based credits).
• Prepare progress reports, donor reporting inputs, summaries of achievements and communication materials such as press releases and social media posts.
• Support the integration of climate-related macroeconomic risks and green financing strategies into ECA's economic analysis and policy recommendations.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in Economics, Finance, Environmental Economics or a related field, or a first-level degree plus at least two years of relevant professional experience.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in macroeconomic policy, economic research and analysis, forecasting and development programmes.
• Relevant experience in developing countries and in organizing and coordinating high-level conferences or ministerial meetings.
• Fluency in English; working knowledge of French is desirable.

Required skills

• Strong economic analytical skills and experience producing policy-relevant reports on economic and climate finance.
• Strong understanding of innovative climate and nature finance solutions for Africa.
• Experience with Bretton Woods institutions or development finance institutions and in policy advisory roles for inter-governmental organizations is desirable.