US Embassy Yaounde Economic Specialist Full Time

Duties

Under the supervision of the Political/Economic (P/E) Officer, incumbent serves as the economic specialist in the P/E Section.  He/She is responsible for economic analysis and reporting and assistance to USG funded projects. He/She performs factual and analytical reporting in the field of economics, more specifically on macroeconomic issues and fiscal transparency, as well as agriculture, social sector developments (education, health, poverty indicators etc.).  The incumbent will also support overall economic analysis, reporting and contact work for all other fields in the P/E section. He/She will assist in planning, implementing, and administering economic-related development assistance projects.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Requirements:
EXPERIENCE: Minimum of five (5) years of responsible professional-level experience in economic research, analysis and reporting in international affairs, economy or development.  Experience must include analysis and interpretation of data and the presentation of findings in written and oral form.

JOB KNOWLEDGE: The incumbent must have a thorough understanding of Cameroonian politics, history, society, economy, and institutions; Central African and international development issues; and economics.  He or she should know and understand USG and Mission priorities and policies, as well as U.S. government, politics, and history as relates to the execution of his or her job in the promotion/advocacy of USG foreign policy.

The Economic Specialist must be familiar with the MS Office Suite and use of the internet for research and should have good understanding of Embassy reporting needs and procedures, including Washington’s priorities.  The incumbent must be able to serve as the “institutional memory” for information related to his or her past or present projects.
Education Requirements:
University degree in Economics, Business, Sociology, International Development, or Environmental/health policy studies.
Evaluations:
LANGUAGE:  Fluency (Speaking/Reading/Writing) in English and French are required. This may be tested.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Must have excellent verbal skills and be able to tailor conversations to the level of the audience, taking conversation down to the lowest common denominator.  Must be able to influence and persuade stakeholders to meet U.S. foreign policy objectives. The incumbent must be able to diplomatically and effectively exchange with his interlocutors, as he will often be the sole representative from the USG in the dialogue. The incumbent must be able to effectively multi-task and manage a constantly changing number of projects.  He or she must be able to quickly understand and work within the realms of specific regulations that vary from project to project.  The incumbent must exercise considerable initiative and creativity when developing new project ideas or working within the confines of project regulations.  The incumbent must have strong writing skills to be able to write reports, cables, and memos in English. This may be tested.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO):  The U.S. Mission provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply.
Qualifications:
All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.