Economics Professional

Job Description

Overview

Economics Professional

Job Code

Economics Manager

Direct Reports

None

Economics Department

Department

Strategy & Economic Development Office

NEOM Authority

Job Family

NEOM aims to create a prosperous economy while achieving exceptional livability, building thriving businesses, and reinventing conservation, in line with Saudi Arabia Vision 2030. NEOM aspires to be an accelerator of human progress, where society and economy enable new avenues and dimensions of prosperity.

NEOM will rethink the way people approach development and will provide an answer for solving the world’s most pressing challenges. Zero-carbon, 100% renewable energy, NEOM will offer an opportunity for the world to reimagine a future that marries nature and sustainability with cutting-edge technology.

The Economic Development Office, or EDO, maximizes economic competitiveness across economic sectors and ecosystems, in support of NEOM’s vision and goals. It operates to enable NEOM’s competitive economy by coordinating with private, public and institutional stakeholders to achieve socio-economic objectives laid out by NEOM’s leadership. Four core pillars describe the EDO: Business Attraction and Support; Ecosystem Enablement; Talent Attraction; Economic Foresight and Planning.

Within this context, the EDO is in the process of building a state-of-the-art Office of the Chief Economist to support NEOM’s strategy, while contributing to the public good of new thinking in the area of socio-economic development. In particular, the Office of the Chief Economist is responsible for providing thought leadership and high-quality analyses to support economic planning and enable economic performance monitoring, reporting and tracking within NEOM. The Office of the Chief Economist also advises on the integration of economic plans and pushes for supportive private sector policies.

Currently, the EDO is looking for an Economics Professional. The successful candidate will report to an EDO Manager. The candidate should display all-round capabilities in economic research and analysis, including macroeconomics, scenario planning, econometrics and impact assessment, and possess relevant quantitative analysis skills. The assignment and rotation plan within the pillars of the EDO will be developed as needed, based on the candidate’s skill sets, qualifications and preference.

Key Accountabilities & Activities

Overarching responsibilities of an Economics Professional include supporting the execution of economic development plans and activities by conducting cutting-edge research and analysis, and developing innovative solutions and insights:

• Conducting analysis, independently or in teams, on global, regional and domestic socio-economic trends, emerging policy developments, and risks that may impinge on NEOM’s growth and development.
• Assisting in developing appropriate diagnostic and analytical methodologies for the conduct of economic analysis and monitoring, including impact assessment of policies, projects and programs on NEOM’s business environment and investment climate.
• Preparing timely data, statistics, and market information to support the analytical work and digital initiatives at the EDO.
• Conducting research and contributing to developing forecasts to aid decision making for NEOM’s economic development.
• Contributing to research work and support preparation and dissemination of EDO publications, both internally and externally.
• Collaborating with NEOM’s sectors, regions, units and internal stakeholders on relevant matters.
• Assisting in organizing workshops and roundtables (including work with external consultants) to build up staff capacity.
• Providing guidance to the work, and supporting professional growth of junior analysts.
• Working closely with EDO leadership on other important tasks to contribute to the achievement of long-term goals and annual objectives for the EDO and, ultimately, NEOM.

Qualifications

BACKGROUND, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in economics, econometrics, development, or equivalent, and at least 3-5 years of relevant professional experience.
• Exposure to academia, international development agencies, banking and finance, and/or private sector is critical. Experience in start-ups is advantageous.
• Experience in economic activities related to translation of research into policy, risk & scenario analysis and development economics or behavioral economics. Familiarity with emerging markets economies is an advantage.
• Top notch analytical and quantitative skills. Proficiency in common econometrics techniques and statistical software, data analysis, and data visualization.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to write quickly and concisely on a variety of topics in a well-structured manner.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Interpersonal, diplomatic and partnership skills for building and maintaining collaborative relationships with stakeholders.
• A proven ability to work flexibly on a range of assignments, adjust to changes in schedule and priorities, and juggle concurrent tasks effectively and efficiently. A creative, innovative attitude towards problem solving.
• International experience is a plus.

COMMUNICATION – MAIN STAKEHOLDERS

Internal

External

• Head of EDO
• Chief Economist
• CFO
• Chief of Staff
• Sector Heads/Executive Directors
• Region Heads
• NEOM Authority
• CLO and Founding Law team
• Peers and team
• External partners and consultants
• Governmental and inter-governmental stakeholders
• Leaders of think-tanks and academics