Provide leadership, direction, and management of activities of the Statistics and Data Solution Division. Manage the day-to-day operational decisions ensuring the Division achieves its results and that it fully contributes to the delivery of the Group Chief Economist’s goals and objective. Lead and guide the team to provide statistical services to the IsDB Group; develop and maintain databases and interactive dashboards; and strengthen the statistical capacities of member countries. Key Accountabilities:
Strategic & Operational Planning:
Provide inputs in establishing strategic objectives and formulating the work plans, and program of the Group Chief Economist, with specific focus on statistical programs and activities.
Manage the financial and human resources of the Division.
Manage the annual resource planning and annual budget planning exercise for the Division and ensure achieving the objectives within the allocated resources and budget.
Identify data gaps and lead the identification of new databases and other sources of data to recommend new credible and reliable data sources, innovative tools, and improved techniques and methodologies to make data easily accessible.
Contribute to the development and effective implementation of the relevant frameworks and tools for Statistical Work of the Group Chief Economist.
Data Management, Analysis and Reporting:
Supervise the compilation of IsDB Group operations data, Member Countries data, relevant third-party databases, and other official sources to produce relevant datasets, key indicators, and aggregates published and disseminated in various platforms for use by management and different departments across the IsDB Group.
Supervise data validation and ensure the credibility of the data compiled from the various official sources to ensure their accuracy, consistency, and comparability.
Spearhead the transformation of raw data into interactive dashboards and easy-to-understand graphical representations utilizing advanced visualization tools and programming languages (e.g., Python, R, Tableau, Power BI) along with the application and deployment of AI and Machine Learning technique in data management, analysis, and quality control.
Lead the development and improvement of aggregation techniques and methods to meet international standards and best practices.
Manage the development of appropriate tools and techniques for compiling and organizing relevant data with special emphasis on the areas of macroeconomic analysis for sustainable development to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Guide and supervise the development, maintenance and monitoring of databases and dashboards to ensure their accuracy and accessibility to minimize risks and interruptions in operations.
Coordinate the preparation of the data for the Bank’s Annual Report, Research Papers, and other publications.
Provide statistical advisory to support the operations and research activities of the IsDB Group.
Coordinate the timely response to the increasing demand for new and additional data sets to ensure efficient and effective decision-making for the IsDB Group
Coordinate the reporting of IsDB operational data on the relevant global platforms.
Manage the provision of institutional support through statistical capacity building (STATCAP) especially for the less developed countries to ensure capacity building for those countries.
Partner with relevant organizations and institutions to strengthen statistical capacity activities in common member countries.
Performs other duties as may be assigned.
Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination:
Serve as a focal point and ‘resource person’ for all data and statistical related issues.
Lead in the effective and strategic dissemination of the Division’s outputs.
Contribute and coordinate the annual and periodic events conducted by the IsDB Group/Divisions, such as Seminars, Regional workshops, and capacity-building trainings.
Develop, participate in, and contribute to relevant internal and external training, conferences, and other activities for advocacy, dissemination, and knowledge building in member countries in collaboration with other regional and international organizations.
Manage the organization of Statistical events and statistical capacity development initiatives.
Leadership Responsibilities:
Lead the provision of advisory services and technical guidance in matters related to statistical activities and data solutions to all IsDB Group.
Provide motivational and inspirational leadership for the Statistics and Data Solution Division and communicate to direct reports clear performance expectations.
Foster a collaborative and innovative learning and working environment in promoting excellence among members of the division
Manage the performance and resources of Statistics and Data Solution Division through proper delegation of responsibilities, setting appropriate objectives, clearly communicating expectations, and providing regular feedback on results at the division level, promptly addressing areas of underperformance.
Plan, manage, and review individual performances and provide regular feedback to the staff and take prompt action or staff development where necessary to increase the division’s effectiveness and efficiency in delivering results.
Build a strong team of Data Scientists/ statisticians who keep abreast of the latest advancements in their field and utilize this expertise to deliver timely data solutions for the IsDB Group.
Coach, mentor and develop the direct reports and the top talents and high potential staff.
Ensure the Division complies with IsDB's policies, processes, practices, and systems.
Act as a role-model of IsDB's values and competencies and provide direction and support in times of change to division’s staff.
Deliver the agreed upon work program through cost effective use of resources and ensure timely delivery of high-quality outputs.
Academic and professional qualifications:
Academics:
Master’s degree in Statistics, Data Science, or related fields.
Minimum 10 years of experience in advanced economic analysis focusing on economic and developmental issues, of which 3 years in an international development institution or national statistical office.
Minimum 5 years of managerial experience.
Experience:
Experience in an international/regional development institution.
Advanced knowledge of concepts, methodologies and approaches relevant to statistics and data management in international development settings.
In-depth understanding of development policy issues and the socio-economic context of developing countries.
Has the ability to liaise and coordinate with multiple entities for information gathering and research purposes.
Skills & Necessary Knowledge:
Advanced knowledge in descriptive, inferential, and advanced statistical applications.
Ability to interpret and present statistical information in a user-friendly manner.
Data Collection and Management
Strong understanding of the national accounts, balance of payments and government fiscal accounts.
Good macroeconomic understanding of the relationships between variables, both within and across accounting systems
Excellent knowledge of the principal sources and retrieval systems of economic and social development data.
Proficient in appropriate statistical software packages such as STATA, R, PYTHON, Power BI, Tableau, etc.
Advanced skills in collecting data, synthesizing data, and maintaining databases.
