Senior Statistician/Analyst

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.  Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The Statistics and Data Directorate (SDD) is the focal point for the OECD’s cutting-edge work on statistics and data, providing evidence on a comparable basis and from a variety of sources to analysts, policy makers, and members of civil society and ensuring the quality of all OECD data. SDD develops new metrics and innovative digital tools to address emerging policy issues, leads the development of international statistical standards, advances statistical methodology, and co-ordinates statistical and data-related activities within the Organisation and with other international organisations. The Directorate currently employs more than 80 staff members who support statistical work across a broad range of policy areas.  

SDD is looking for a Senior Statistician/Analyst to lead the statistical and conceptual work of the International Trade Statistics Section of the Trade and Productivity Statistics Division (SDD/TPS). The successful candidate will oversee the Section’s work programme, manage research projects on conceptual and measurement issues, and develop new innovative products that respond to, and provide policy relevant insights on, the trade agenda. The selected candidate will report directly to the Head of the Trade and Productivity Statistics Division.

Main Responsibilities

Management and Team Leadership

• Manage the work in the Section to ensure the efficient collection, processing and storage of all trade-related statistics databases and continuous improvement of sources, methodologies and analytical tools used to estimate the OECD’s analytic databases on balanced merchandise trade, balanced services trade, international transport and insurance margins, and trade price indices.
• Supervise, motivate and contribute to the professional development of staff in the Section.

Analytical Leadership and Research

• Lead and supervise research on measurement issues in the field of international trade (e.g. digital trade, trade in services, trade asymmetries, nowcasting) and draft working papers.
• Actively contribute to the methodological discussions with other OECD teams around the construction of ICIOs and Trade in value added estimates and nowcasts.
• Contribute to the research activities and statistical developments undertaken in other parts of the Statistics and Data Directorate and other OECD Directorates. Keep abreast of and contribute to horizontal and inter-directorate projects, as appropriate.’
• Manage the development, take-up and dissemination of the OECD’s ADIMA database, and develop policy relevant indicators that provide insights on the trade and investment nexus.
• Prepare reports, notes, presentations, and briefing material that are clear, concise and relevant for policy makers
• Provide guidance to internal and external users on the interpretability of data and concepts within the work area of the Section.

Collaboration, outreach and representation

• Manage and oversee the organisation of the annual Working Party on Trade in International Goods and Services.
• Supervise the management of the Expert Group on extended supply used tables and the regional Tiva initiatives.
• Participate actively in the OECD Community of Practice on trade statistics, with the view to improve the use and the dissimination of trade statistics within the Organisation.
• Initiate, coordinate and participate in international research and Task Forces in global and regional fora and draft guidance notes, manuals and handbooks on conceptual and practical issues in the areas of trade statistics, in particular with respect to digitalisation
• Ensure effective communication and co-operation with national Delegations, national statistical offices, central banks and other data providers, senior government policy makers and other international organisations to develop co-ordination on statistical methodology, data collection and exchange, the management of data and metadata, and data dissemination.
• Manage cooperation with key partners, such as the WTO.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background

• An advanced university degree or equivalent qualification in statistics, econometrics or economics.

Professional Background

• At least eight years’ experience of which several spent working on international trade statistics in a national administration or international organisation, preferably a statistical agency.
• Deep knowledge of accounting frameworks, relative to Balance of Payments, trade in goods and trade in services statistics. Familiarity with with FDI and FATS statistics will be an asset.
• Very good econometrics skills and strong ability to use quantitative tools in analysis are necessary, together with a good capacity to link statistical concepts to economic theory. Familiarity data science and data analytics, would be a distinct advantage.
• Excellent drafting skills are pre-requisite. Experience in drafting statistical guidance notes and trade manuals would be an asset
• Experience in managing teams and the delivery of team-based projects

Tools

• Very good knowledge of a statistical and analytical software (such as R, Matlab, and SAS). Experience in web-scraping or machine learning will be a distinct advantage.

Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of the other, with a commitment to reach a good working level.

Core Competencies

• For this role, the following competencies would be particularly important\: Achievement focus, Analytical thinking, Drafting skills, Teamwork and Team leadership, Diplomatic sensitivity, Negotiating, Organisational knowledge, Strategic networking, Strategic thinking.
• Please refer to the level 4 indicators of the OECD Core Competencies.

Contract Duration

• Three-year fixed term appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

What the OECD offers

• Monthly base salary starting from EUR 8 886 plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.
• Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.
• Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life.

Please note that the appointment may be made at a lower grade based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.

Selection Process

For retained candidates, video-recorded interviews and written tests are foreseen in January 2022 and panel interviews are planned for February 2022.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates who are nationals of OECD member countries, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.