Lead Economist (Economic Modeling)

Full Job Description

The Company

Stears is an intelligence startup of 40+ people using data to answer questions about Africa. Our mission is to become the world's most trusted provider of African data & insight to global businesses, finance, and policy professionals. We make this possible by integrating all our intelligence (economic and industry analysis, proprietary data, aggregated public data, licensed data, forecasts, and reports) into a searchable platform, complemented by a rich mobile experience.

Our customers currently pay for access to Stears’ intelligence through a web platform , that includes daily insight and data. Our experts are always ready to answer client data questions about any sector, market or African country.  

The Role

We are looking for a seasoned expert in applied econometrics to lead our analytical solutions on the Stears Insights platform. As the Lead economist (economic modeling), you will guide our team in the conceptualisation and deployment of high-quality analytics solutions that encompass a range of economic and sector-specific models. The ideal candidate will not only be deeply rooted in applied econometrics theory and statistical modeling, but will also ensure the highest standards in our model-building processes.

Key responsibilities:

• Model development and execution: Spearhead the development of econometric models (e.g. VAR, CGE, OLS, DSGE) to forecast macroeconomic and sector-specific indicators (e.g. inflation, FX, GDP)
• Team leadership: Supervise and mentor a team of 2 econometricians/data scientists, ensuring deliverables meet Stears’ rigorous standards
• Collaboration: Work closely with the domain-specific analysts to ensure contextual relevance and accuracy of models
• Quality assurance: Oversee the model validation process, ensuring they align with best practices and industry gold standards
• Stakeholder engagement: Interact with Stears Insights customers to understand their requirements and ensure our analytics solutions meet their needs
• Continuous learning: Stay updated on the latest econometric tools, technqiues, and trends, and ensure they are incorporated into Stears Insights’ methodologies

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Applied Econometrics, Economics, Statistics, or a related field
• Minimum of 5 years of professional work experience, with a focus on applied econometrics
• Proven experience in leading teams and mentoring junior staff
• Proficient in econometrics tools and software such as R, Python, Stata, or EViews
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal

Preferred qualifications:

• Previous experience in a data-driven analytics platform or consultancy
• Experience in working in a collaborative, cross-functional environment

Perks:

• Unlimited access to Stears Premium
• Hybrid working
• Stears branded merchandise and swag
• Annual off-site team bonding
• Special emphasis on learning and development
• Comprehensive health insurance
• Compassionate leave
• Competitive salaries at junior, intermediate and senior levels
• Paid time off - 25 days excluding public holidays and sick days
• Access to an expert Intelligence team - Stears Intelligence team includes some of the brightest knowledge experts in Nigeria covering a wide range of sectors, all with a passion for delivering the highest quality of intelligence on the African continent.

The Stears Experience :

These are the top reasons our team members report having the best experience of their careers at Stears:

• Develop strong writing skills that can be leveraged in other stages of their careers
• Gain a high level of autonomy and responsibility by taking on responsibility for an entire industry
• Do something meaningful by being part of a team making African data more widely available

Diversity

Stears is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants regardless of color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender identity or expression, veteran status, actual or presumed belonging to an ethnic group, or any other legally protected status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.