(1234) Lead Economic Statistician - ESD at South African Reserve Bank

Job Description

Brief description

• The main purpose of this position is to oversee and manage the development and implementation of the Integrated Economic Accounts (IEA), Integrated Macroeconomic Analysis Framework and drive the delivery of high-quality integrated macroeconomic analysis for South Africa’s IEA and conduct in-depth research and analysis in this specialized field.

Detailed description

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following key performance areas:

• Lead the development and implementation of integrated macroeconomic statistical analysis frameworks by ensuring full vertical and horizontal institutional sector analysis (households, government, corporations and rest of the world), in line with the analytical premise of the System of National Accounts (SNA) and related international guidelines.
• Drive the statistical and analytical integration of sectoral macroeconomic developments, transforming complex stock and flow statistics into coherent, policy-relevant insights through reconciliation, consistency assessment and interpretive narratives that support monetary policy, financial stability and national accounts and related statistical domain alignment.
• Design and apply advanced econometric, statistical and financial models to support the analysis, forecasting, benchmarking, back-testing and validation of integrated macroeconomic statistics − drawing on methods such as time-series analysis, scenario testing and structural modelling.
• Co-lead the adoption and application of open-source tools for analytical application, specifically Python and R, generating deep analysis and reproducible research and actively contribute to developing and modernising analytical frameworks and workflows with efficient, code-based solutions.
• Drive analytical statistical research and methodological innovation, enhancing the quality, accuracy and international comparability of IEA statistical analysis. 
• Provide feedback loops between statistical analysis and methodological frameworks, supporting continuous improvement and the integration of cutting-edge techniques.
• Coordinate with internal and external data stakeholders (e.g. government, national statistical agencies, regulatory bodies, and SARB departments) to improve the granularity, consistency and analytical richness of IEA statistical research, and to ensure that relevant statistical output enable integrated and timely macroeconomic analysis.
• Ensure compliance with analytical frameworks, quality standards and international best practices, including the implementation of internal quality assurance processes, transparent metadata documentation and adherence to the requirements of global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Central Bank (ECB) and United Nations (UN).
• Oversee the production and dissemination of high-quality analytical content, coordinating and leading analytical outputs for the Quarterly Bulletin, research notes, policy documents and thematic publications which are statistically sound, analytically rigorous and well-communicated through appropriate written commentary and visualisation.
• Provide strategic thought leadership in integrated macroeconomic analysis, presenting findings to the Monetary Policy Committee, Financial Stability Committee, SARB executive leadership and external stakeholders, including participation in high-level forums, international workshops and academic conferences.
• Lead or contribute to the development of national analytical standards and classification frameworks, helping establish consistent, interpretable and policy-aligned statistical analysis frameworks for macroeconomic integration across statistical domains and related frameworks.
• Mentor junior team members and build institutional analytical capabilities, providing training and technical guidance in macroeconomic modelling, statistical programming and inferential interpretation, while contributing to performance reviews and professional development.
• Support statistical governance, model documentation and risk management protocols, drawing on best practices in model governance, reproducibility and version control to ensure transparency, auditability and institutional memory in the production and maintenance of macroeconomic statistics

Qualifications

To be considered for this position, candidates must have:

• a Masters (NQF 9) in Economics, Econometrics, Financial Engineering, Statistics or a related equivalent quantitative field;
• strong academic and professional foundation in macroeconomics and quantitative methods;
• 10–12 years’ experience in economic statistics, macroeconomic modelling or financial/economic analysis, including senior-level roles in financial and non-financial institutions and/or government; 
• demonstrate expertise in econometric and statistical modelling, including use of time-series forecasting, benchmarking and scenario analysis;
• proficiency in Python and R for statistical computing, analysis and automation of analytical modelling workflows;
• proven experience in leading or contributing to complex analysis and inferential thinking – with specific focus on financial instruments such as equity and debt securities;
• strong record of leading cross-functional teams and managing multi-stakeholder environments, including interaction with senior leadership, regulators and national and international institutions;
• experience in model documentation, governance and validation processes across financial or macroeconomic statistical domains; and
• prior engagement in high-level committees, technical working groups or national and international forums (e.g. South African government, IMF, World Bank, OECD, ECB and UN) is highly desirable.

The following would be an added advantage:

• a Doctorate (D.Com or PhD) in Economics, Econometrics, Financial Engineering, Statistics or a related equivalent quantitative field.;

Preferred attributes include:

• ability to bridge economic theory with statistical application and explain complex analyses to technical and non-technical audiences.
• deep understanding of both financial and non-financial sector interactions within the economy.
• ability to mentor and develop mid-level and junior economic statisticians in a collaborative team setting.
• familiarity with central banking and other national policy frameworks (monetary, fiscal, and financial stability).

Additional requirements include:

• knowledge and skills in industry, business and organisational practices;
• knowledge of statistical validation and quality control;
• continuous improvement knowledge and skill;
• proficiency in economic and financial market analysis, including principles, theories and methodologies;
• economic and/or financial market statistics and review knowledge and skill;
• economic and/or financial markets reporting knowledge and skill;
• drive for results;
• strategic thinking;
• managing complexity and ambiguity;
• leading change;
• planning and organising skills;
• developing and growing others;
• judgement and decision-making skills;
• resilience; and
• conceptual thinking.

Apply Before 09/19/2025