Join Our Mission to Foster Prosperity in Asia

Are you ready to make a lasting impact on the future of Asia and be a catalyst for positive change? We are thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to become an important part of the prestigious Asian Development Bank (ADB). At ADB, our mission is simple yet powerful: to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationship

The position of Senior Country Economist is assigned to the Cambodia Resident Mission (CARM) within the Southeast Asia Department (SERD). You will be based at our Resident Mission Office in Phnom Penh.

You will primarily report to the Country Director and will have a matrix reporting line to the Regional Lead Economist for Southeast Asia, Economic Research and Development Impact Department (ERDI) for economic analysis of country partnership strategies (CPS); country economic monitoring and preparation of Asian Development Outlook (ADO) country chapters; and economics-related analytical work. You will oversee National and Administrative Staff.

This is open to internal and external applicants.

If you are selected for the position, your assignment to CARM will be immediate unless it involves a change in staff category. If you are a selected external candidate or new IS, you will initially be based in ADB Headquarters in Manila for 1 year before moving to CARM.

Your Role

As a Senior Country Economist, you will lead CARM’s economic sector work, including dialogue with the government, coordination with development partners, and preparation of knowledge solutions sharing. This includes the conduct of regular economic analysis, monitoring, and diagnostics. As the Country Team Leader, you will help implement the Cambodia Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), which is aligned with Cambodia’s development plans and ADB’s Strategy 2030, and the development of the country program. You will also provide support to engagements between the government and several ADB divisions in the design and processing of loans and technical assistance; in non-lending products and services and knowledge solutions; and for regional cooperation programs. You will also support external relations activities, including coordination with development partners, civil society, and the press.

You will:

Strategy and Programming·

• Support the country partnership strategy (CPS) implementation and apprise Management of its progress. Establish and maintain cordial relations with senior government officials and serve as the communication link between Cambodia and ADB in resolving policy and CPS implementation issues.
• Lead the development of and facilitate and monitor the implementation of the country’s knowledge plan, and plans for climate change investment, private sector development, and gender action, and women’s empowerment.
• Support donor coordination, promote the donor and harmonization agenda, and help manage communications and external relations.
• Establish and maintain cordial relations with senior government officials and serve as the communication link between Cambodia and ADB in resolving policy and CPS implementation issues.
• Support the Country Operations Head in country programming including through the provision of secretariat support for the Cambodia Country Management Team (CMT).

Economics and Knowledge Operations·

• Lead, conduct, and ensure the quality of complex economic, country, sector, and thematic diagnostic studies (including the private sector, climate, gender, governance, and public finance) and provide advice to the Country Director and CMT on priority areas that create the greatest development impact. ·
• Lead the preparation of Cambodia chapters for the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) and ADO Update and other economic reports, such as the Asian Bond Monitor and economic monitoring documents. ·
• Prepare briefing papers for use by Management during visits to Cambodia.
• Provide strategic leadership in the preparation of policy dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and other sharing activities, including forums, seminars, workshops, press conferences, news releases, and social media. ·
• Lead the Country Performance Assessment and annual policy actions under the Sustainable Development Finance Policy for Cambodia. ·
• Serve as CARM’s focal point for the macroeconomic working group.
• Help collaborate with the government for developing regional cooperation activities, especially relating to ASEAN and the GMS.

Project and TA Processing and Implementation Support·

• Support ADB’s sovereign and non-sovereign operations and the design and processing of loan and TA projects, ensuring ADB’s cross-cutting concerns are addressed and providing the country context in project design. ·
• Lead in the processing and implementation of country-level technical assistance projects in areas related to strategic priority one on promoting sustainable public finance under the CPS 2024-2028. ·
• Be the focal point for CARM’s operations with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Planning, the National Bank of Cambodia, the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia, and local chambers of commerce.

People Management·

• Provide technical advice and mentor staff and long-term consultants in CARM’s economics, strategy, and program unit (ESPU).
• Manage reporting staff, including their performance and development. Ensure the ongoing learning and development of reporting staff. Take the role of a mentor to develop the capabilities and potential of reporting staff.
• Perform other responsibilities that may be assigned and as reflected in your workplan.

Qualifications

You will need:

• Master’s degree in economics, political science, public policy, public administration, or other fields relevant to the sector/area (PhD an advantage); or University degree and at least 5 years specialized experience relevant to the position can be considered.
• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in development planning, policy formulation, and operations.
• Evidence of high-quality knowledge outputs; publications in international peer-reviewed professional journals.
• Demonstrated expertise in economic research and development in developing countries.
• Analytical, and conceptual skills in economics.
• Broad-based exposure to country programming
• International experience working in development in several countries.
• Relevant experience in Southeast Asia and Cambodia.