Details

Salary and Benefits

Salary not specified

Job Description

Title/Position:                     Fiscal Policy Expert (Maldivians Only)

Level of Effort:                   1 year with option of extension subject to the agreement of the Ministry of Finance and concurrence by USAID (On-site in the Ministry of Finance of the Maldives)

Period of Performance: On/a June 30, 2021 – On/a June 29, 2022

Place of Performance:    Male’, Maldives

 

 

BACKGROUND

The PFM Maldives Activity is 5-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Activity seeks to develop the capacity of the Government of Maldives such that it can achieve the following objectives: 1) Establishing and implementing a transparent and accountable budgetary system that leads to improved national budget allocations and management; 2) Identifying and implementing efficient public investments in services and facilities; and 3) Mobilizing sufficient public revenue, commensurate with public investments and services. PFM will work with the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (MNPHI), and other agencies as needed through strategic technical assistance and targeted project interventions aimed at improving their ability to make appropriate and cost-effective budget decisions.

OBJECTIVE

The Fiscal Policy Expert will work closely with the Project’s International Expert leading Objective 3, and the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) of MoF, to advance agreed reform objectives to: build Fiscal Affairs Department capacity for fiscal policy analysis and reform; strengthening fiscal and macroeconomic research capacity and evidence-based policy making in the MoF; mainstream gender and inclusion concerns into tax policy analysis; support the conduct of a taxpayer perception survey; and increase public engagement around tax revenue.

The expert will also assist where required with essential project activities related to developing the agreed annual work plan, providing inputs into the Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP), and evaluation and monitoring framework. 

TASKS

The Fiscal Policy Expert will work closely with the Objective 3 Lead and the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) of the Ministry of Finance of the Maldives to contribute to, and undertake the following planned tasks:

1. Develop and deliver capacity building and training to strengthen FAD’s capacity for fiscal policy analysis and reform. This will integrate a variety of capacity building methodologies, including technical assistance, advisory, mentorship, workshops, visiting research opportunities, and study tours, as well as longer-term training, with a focus on analytical research.
2. Identify areas for fiscal research and conduct fiscal research. Conduct socio-economic research from a fiscal policy perspective; exploring macro fiscal behavior with a long-term focus, understanding the linkages between fiscal policy and growth, the impact on poverty, decentralization, and the equalization of transfers that are associated with different revenue and expenditure measures.
3. Support the streamlining of publications and internal policy notes: quarterly fiscal bulletins, monthly updates, working paper series, and policy briefs to support evidence-based policymaking; collaborate in their development. Assist in improving the publications and fiscal transparency efforts of the Ministry. Assist in the improvement of fiscal and economic data maintenance
4. Review of revenue and expenditure policies and analyze data on major expenditure items (such as wages, pensions and subsidies) and forecasting the long-term expenditure patterns of these items, to identify the key drivers of these expenditures.
5. Assist in improving the medium- term fiscal framework and set up the framework for fiscal sustainability analysis and conduct fiscal sustainability analysis.
6. Assist in budget preparation and development of budget processes and assist in the monitoring of budget programs and projects.
7. Assist in the forecast of economic and fiscal variables and assist in enhancing the existing fiscal and macroeconomic forecasting tools. Develop key models used in macro-fiscal and tax policy analysis, such as Medium-term frameworks/revenue forecasts, short-term early warning, macro-fiscal (annual) trends, input-output, tax gap, fiscal risk, and international comparative analysis; solidify research formality, develop user manuals for the models; use the models to run simulations testing actual and potential policy scenarios, supporting evidence-based policymaking
8. Assist in monitoring and compilation the public sector investment programs and assist in the strengthening of the public investment management processes.
9. Contribute to establishment of a macro-fiscal database in collaboration with selected ministries and governmental agencies (data providers), develop processes for revenue data to feed into the database, assess data quality and recommendations to address gaps, and develop data for visualization and statistical analysis programs to monitor variables over time.
10. Design and contribute to an “Economic response monitoring” system and monitor international tourism (by country) and collect data and undertake analytical work.
11. Contribute to development and support public engagement mechanisms to solidify public confidence in the tax system, and design and carrying out of a tax perception survey that will assess public confidence and guide strategies for increasing public trust in the system.
12. Assist in mainstreaming gender and inclusion concerns into tax policy analysis.
13. Other requests for collaboration:

• Undertake and support as appropriate, in coordination with the FAD and IFIs, a comprehensive tax expenditure study;
• GST reform
• Tax incidence
• Expenditures
  • Social sector
  • Education
  • Public sector investment monitoring.

14. Any other tasks assigned by the Chief of Party (COP) in relation to the implementation of the PFM Maldives project.

DELIVERABLES

• Completion of the tasks set out above.
• Reports as required detailing tasks that were completed and the extent to which other tasks set out above have progressed.
• Input into essential project activities as require to implement the agreed annual work plan, Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP), and evaluation and monitoring framework.
• Any other tasks assigned by the COP (Chief of Party) in relation to the implementation of the PFM Maldives project.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum completion of Masters’ Degree in Economics, Business Administration, Public Administration, Accounting, Finance, Financial Management, or suitable equivalency from a recognized university.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience
• Proven advanced economic and statistical analysis skills, including proficiency in using statistical software applications.
• Possess strong analytical, administrative and computer skills including proficiency in using software applications such as MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint
• Evidence of preparation of reports/studies/research demonstrating application of analytical and survey skills in economics, macroeconomics and statistics, to economic phenomena.
• Strong management and communication skills in presenting, discussing and resolving difficult technical issues and possess the ability to work efficiently and effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent English and Dhivehi language skills.
• Proven high-level written and oral communication skills.

REPORTING

The Fiscal Policy Expert will report to the PFM Maldives COP in completing tasks and in close coordination with the Fiscal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Finance of the Maldives, and Objective 3 Lead. 

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates please email CV to [email protected] on or before 21^st June 2021.

Requirements and Qualifications

Minimum Experience

Not Specified

Minimum Qualification

Master’s Degree

Documents to Submit

Documents

• CV

Other Information

Occupations

• Consultant, Auditing
• Consultant, business
• Consultant, Financial
• Consultant, management

Employment Type

• Full-Time