Job description

Mission and objectives

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN's five regional commissions, ECA's mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development.

The ECA Office for North Africa is located in Rabat, Morocco, and serves seven member states: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. The main objective is to contribute to achieving structural transformation and balanced development through implementation of an environment conducive to the creation of employment for women and young people in North Africa.

Context

Many African Governments are facing challenges in implementing effective public debt management practices and fiscal policies aligned with national development priorities, and macro-fiscal sustainability remains a concern. African countries are facing rising debt and debt service burdens, exacerbated by protracted crises and global macroeconomic uncertainty. Public budgets struggle to cover essential expenditure on social services and to meet commitments to climate action.

In this context, UNECA SRO NA is implementing a project titled “Enhancing Fiscal Resilience and Sustainable Finance in Africa”. The initiative aims to help African governments address the growing debt burden and unlock new opportunities for sustainable, low-carbon economic development. The project will build the capacity of national debt management offices (DMOs), develop sustainable finance mechanisms, and help ensure macroeconomic stability in line with SDG and climate objectives.

To achieve these objectives, the project will: i) organize a series of national/regional meetings and training workshops to generate/share knowledge and identify data gaps and challenges in sustaining and enhancing the effectiveness of debt management and (ii) develop a set of scenarios and guidelines to assist countries to better manage their debt and enable policy-makers to adopt appropriate policies to attract sustainable finance

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), through the Subregional Office for North Africa (SRO-NA), is therefore seeking a qualified Associate Researcher to support its debt management initiative. This UNV assignment is a part of the UNECA SRO NA debt management initiative, and the primary focus of this role will be to support project activities through research, logistical coordination, documentation, and effective communication. This position aims to support UNECA SRO-NA in helping its Member States improve public debt management and enhance fiscal space to finance national development priorities in climate action and the SDGs. The Research Associate will work in close cooperation with the Project Coordinator and the project team at UNECA.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the project manager or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Expert on Debt sustainability will:

A. Research and Analytical Support

• Conduct literature reviews, data collection, and analysis related to debt sustainability, public finance, and sustainable financing strategies.

• Review reports on debt management, debt sustainability and debt distress.

• Prepare research summaries, policy briefs and technical reports.

• Identify trends and noteworthy issues for review and discussion by project management.

B. Support logistics arrangement and project Implementation

• Support for project management and implementation throughout all phases of the project cycle.

• Research, compile, analyze, and summarize basic project data; highlight issues and trends for the supervisor's consideration.

• Assist in the drafting of project budgets and forecasts in alignment with the programme of work.

• Work with the manager on financing arrangements, obtaining necessary clearances, and ensuring effective monitoring systems through regular reporting, review meetings, and missions.

• Ensure compliance with project guidelines and objectives, identify issues, seek clarifications, assess replies, and prepare summaries with actionable suggestions.

C. Coordination and Administrative Tasks

• Provide secretariat support to technical/steering committees and ad hoc task forces: circulate agendas, meeting invitees, prepare background documents, draft meeting minutes, and monitor follow-up actions.

• Support the coordination and scheduling of internal and external meetings.

• Prepare official documents and briefing materials for project coordination purposes.

• Maintain and update internal databases for tracking project correspondence, deliverables, and contacts.

• Manage storage and updating data, reports, and other project-related information to ensure easy access and version control.

D. Logistical and Operational Support

• Organize and execute logistics for workshops, field missions, and stakeholder consultations.

• Coordinate travel and accommodation arrangements for project staff and participants.

• Prepare and distribute workshop and mission materials (e.g., participant packs, presentations, name tags).

• Coordinate onsite logistics including venue setup, catering, interpretation, and technical support.

• Monitor project activity timelines and delivery schedules to ensure timely execution and reporting.

E. Communication and Reporting

• Assist in drafting mission reports, formal letters, and stakeholder communications.

• Support the development of clear and structured communication material for external dissemination.

F. Other Duties

• Perform any other duties as required for the successful implementation of the project.

Expected Deliverables

• Timely and high-quality research contributions aligned with project goals.

• Efficient logistical arrangements for project activities.

• Together with the project coordinator, provide well-prepared mission reports

• Positive feedback from stakeholders on effective communication

• Completion of official communication documents.

• A well-maintained database of project documents that supports project continuity and knowledge sharing.

Entitlements related to the volunteering position:

1. Pre-assignment

Entry lump sum: USD 350

Relocation costs: $175 at beginning and

end of assignment if duty station is outside of

commuting distance (as determined by UNV)

2. During Assignment

Volunteer living allowance: MAD 18450.83

Learning and training: Access to UNV's

learning and career development resources

Annual leave: 2.5 days per month

Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for

health, life and malicious acts for the UN

Volunteer and health insurance coverage for

up to 3 eligible dependents. See the Conditions

of Service for more details on eligibility

criteria.

3. End of assignment

Exit lump sum (paid on successful

completion of assignment): $120 for each

month served, paid on completion of contract

Application deadline is on 05 July 2026

Skills

Relevant experience

5 years

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required

French, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Arabic, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level

Doctoral degree in Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, or a related field is required;

Competencies and values

• Professionalism

• Planning & Organizing

• Accountability

• Teamwork

• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;

• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;

• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;

• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

• Sound security awareness;

Skills and experience

• At least 7 years of professional work experience, at the national and/or international level, in economic research and project management. Experience working with the UN or international or regional development institutions is an advantage.

• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;

• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;

• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.

• Ability to coordinate tasks efficiently, work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel and deliver high-quality results under demanding deadlines.

• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and statistical analysis tools (such as Stata, EViews, and R), email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;

• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

• Have affinity with or interest in debt sustainability, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System