Seeking a Senior Development Statistics Adviser

Recruitment of a Senior Development Statistics Adviser to the PARIS21 Secretariat and the Development Data Group (DECDG) of the World Bank

The World Bank and the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21^st Century (PARIS21) wish to recruit an experienced statistical manager who has direct experience of strategic statistical development planning in developing countries. The Adviser will work with the World Bank and the PARIS21 Secretariat to help develop better international advocacy for statistics, to help align and integrate statistics into the evolving development agenda; and to provide support to countries to secure both funding and technical support for national strategies for the development of statistics.

The successful candidate should have substantial working experience in funding development projects and in the management of statistical activities and statistical agencies in developing countries, preferably in more than one region of the world. He or she should have direct management experience and should have been involved in the management of strategic change. He or she will need to demonstrate good communication and interpersonal skills and have experience of working in different environments and cultures. Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of French or Spanish would be an advantage.

This will be a joint post between the Development Data Group (DECDG) of the World Bank and the PARIS21 Secretariat and will be for a period of two years in the first instance. This will be a consulting assignment with the World Bank but the post will be based in the PARIS21 Secretariat at the offices of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France. The post holder will be required to spend an initial period, to be agreed, at the headquarters of the World Bank in Washington DC and make frequent visits to the Bank during the assignment.

Applicants should send a copy of their C.V. together with a covering letter setting out why they are interested in this assignment to: Misha Belkindas, Manager, DECDG, MSN-2-207, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433, USA, by facsimile to +1 202 522 3669, or by e-mail to: Mbelkindas@worldbank.org.

The closing date for applications is October 26, 2004.

Terms of Reference

This will be a joint post between the Development Data Group (DECDG) of the World Bank and the PARIS21 Secretariat. It is proposed that the post will be based in the PARIS21 Secretariat at the offices of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France but the post holder will spend an initial period, to be agreed, at the headquarters of the World Bank in Washington DC and make frequent visits to the Bank during the assignment.

The Adviser will help to develop better international advocacy for statistics with the aim to strengthen and make more coherent (national and donor) support for statistical capacity building; to align and integrate statistics into the evolving development agenda (managing for results, poverty reduction strategies, MDGs, etc); and to help countries to secure both funding and technical support for national strategies for the development of statistics.

The Adviser will work in the following areas:

·         Strengthen donor support for Statistical Capacity Building (including for PARIS21 and TFSCB) including promoting greater coherence and proposing mechanisms to strengthen partnerships between development agencies involved in supporting strategic planning activities, developing supporting advocacy material and orchestrating  representation and advocacy opportunities

·         Provide international leadership and strategic advice on issues related to aligning and integrating statistics into the evolving development agenda (managing for results, poverty reduction strategies, MDGs, etc) and   the evolution of the role of PARIS21 and Trust Funds

·         Provide advice to PARIS21 regional advisers and directly to countries and regional organizations on how to access financial and technical support for strategic planning  and implementation, in particular, advising on accessing the TFSCB and ensuring that Trust Fund projects reflect best practice principles

·         Support the mainstreaming of NSDS and PARIS21 principles and activities within the regular programs of international, regional and bilateral agencies.

Skills and expertise

The Adviser will be an experienced statistical manager who has direct experience of strategic statistical development planning in developing countries, with the following key skills and competencies:

1.       Working experience in funding development projects

2.       Working experience in the management of statistical activities and statistical agencies in developing countries, preferably in more than one region.

3.       Direct management experience and involvement in the management of strategic change

4.       Good communication and interpersonal skills

5.       Experience of working in different environments and cultures

6.       Fluency in English. Knowledge of French or Spanish would be an asset.

Reporting and Accountability

For administrative purposes, the Adviser will report to the Leader of the Statistical Capacity Building Cluster in DECDG while he or she is based in Washington and to the Manager of the PARIS21 Secretariat, while in Paris. He or she will prepare an annual work program to be agreed in advance jointly with DECDG and PARIS21. Progress will be monitored through quarterly progress reports to be submitted to DECDG, PARIS21 and DFID.

PARIS21 Secretariat and Development Data Group of the World Bank

September 24, 2004