Application Closing Date: 09-12-2018, 11:59:00 PM

Housing affordability is currently one of the most complex policy challenges across OECD countries. The unrelenting rise in house prices and rents in many cities is pushing people and families out of their homes, threatening to break cities apart and undermine the chances of children to enjoy better life outcomes than their parents. No magic bullet can solve this problem, which requires all hands on deck: urgent action is needed in all policy areas, ranging from financial market regulation to social housing and local planning policies. In response to the magnitude of the challenge and its multi-dimensional nature, the OECD is developing an innovative large-scale project on housing affordability that will draw on the expertise of different parts of the organisation, including the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE).

CFE is looking for a dynamic and motivated Junior Housing Economist/Policy Analyst, who will work on housing affordability in the context of urban policy.

• )he will work closely with policy makers at local, regional and national levels to develop concrete recommendations on how to improve housing affordability in cities. Furthermore, (s)he will conduct empirical analysis on the determinants of house prices and rents, in particular concerning the effects of local planning policies. The successful candidate will travel frequently to meet and discuss with policy makers and experts from all over the world, and will quickly acquire more responsibilities.

Main Responsibilities

Policy Research and Analysis

• Collect data and construct indicators on housing and planning regulations at the local level. Conduct econometric analysis using the collected data as well as a wide range of other data sources to identify the effects of public policies on housing supply and housing prices
• Conduct research and analysis on housing affordability in cities, by mapping and assessing the content and outcomes of various policies/programmes/projects carried out by different levels of government to improve housing affordability in cities. Take into account housing policies and other policies (e.g. taxation, economic development, land use, mobility and transport, climate change and environment, digitalisation, public service delivery, urban and metropolitan governance and finance, etc.)
• Contribute to developing policy recommendations for policymakers on effective and innovative solutions to improve housing affordability in cities
• Draft review chapters and papers deriving from expert discussions, workshop proceedings, mission reports, webpages, briefings and background materials, PowerPoint presentations, etc. on housing affordability in cities
• Keep abreast of analytical and political developments relating to housing challenges and solutions in cities across OECD countries and beyond.

Liaison and Representation

• Organise field trips and events on housing affordability in cities, by preparing agendas and background documents, liaising with city governments and national governments, selecting people to interview and speakers, providing logistics support, etc.
• Engage with officials in charge of housing policy in cities and national administrations, other international organisations, member country delegations, relevant networks, academia as well as key stakeholder organisations in housing policy (including the private sector, the financial sector, property developers, architects, etc.)
• Promote the work of CFE on housing affordability in international and national events as necessary
• Contribute to horizontal collaboration on housing policy within the OECD. Comment on the work of the latter when required.

Other Tasks

• Support the activities of the Cities, Urban Policies and Sustainable Development Division and the Economic Analysis, Statistics and Multi-level Governance Section as required.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background

• Advanced university degree in housing/real estate/land/environmental economics, urban economics/policy/planning, or other relevant discipline.

Professional Background

• Proven experience in using advanced econometric methods as well as an excellent understanding of the qualitative dimensions of policies are essential for this position
• Professional experience in research and analytical activities in a policy-oriented context would be an advantage.

Tools

• Very good knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and statistical software packages (e.g. Stata, R)
• Knowledge of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and related applications would be an advantage.

Languages

• An excellent written and oral command of one of the two official languages of the OECD (English and French) and good working knowledge of the other. An excellent command of both languages would be an asset.

Core Competencies

For this role, the following competencies would be particularly important: Achievement focus, Analytical thinking, Diplomatic sensitivity, Drafting skills, Flexible Thinking, Strategic Networking, Strategic thinking, Teamwork.

Please refer to the level 3 indicators of the OECD Core Competencies.

Contract Duration

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

Starting Date: September 2019

What the OECD Offers

• Depending on level of experience, monthly base salary starts at 4,561 EUR, exempt of French income tax, plus allowances based on eligibility.

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.