New Job Openings at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), 11th August, 2018

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African Development Bank Group (AfDB) - Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth. We are recruiting to fill the position below:     Job Title: Principal Agriculture Officer - RDGE2 Reference: ADB/18/150 Location: Kenya Grade: PL4 Position N°: 50001122 The Complex

• The Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex (RDVP) is responsible for operational relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the Bank Group’s operational programs, and activities. This will ensure that the Bank operates successfully across its Regional Member Countries and oversee the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank’s Regional Directorates.

The Hiring Department

• Within the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex (RDVP), the Bank has five (5) Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery (RDIBD) Directorates, one in each region of Africa: North, South, East, West, and Central. Each Regional Directorate is headed by a Director General (DG) and is staffed with the relevant sectoral functions and administrative capabilities for rapid delivery of services to client countries.
• The Eastern Africa Regional Directorates provides overall strategic direction to country offices within the regions and are responsible for the Bank’s operations, business development, project management and overall effective delivery of the Bank’s High 5s of ‘Light up and Power Africa,’ ‘Feed Africa,’ ‘Industrialize Africa,’ ‘Integrate Africa,’ ‘Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.’
• The position is situated within one of the Divisions in the Eastern Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office.

The Position

• The Principal Agriculture Officer is responsible for the origination, processing, supervision and general portfolio management of agriculture, livestock and natural resource management sector projects.
• He/She is expected to provide specialist advice and inputs to the Bank Group’s operational activities through review of technical design and institutional arrangements for agricultural projects/programmes proposed for Bank’s funding and assessing their feasibility from the perspective of present and future impact
• In this role, the incumbent interacts closely with other staff members in the following complexes; the Agriculture, Human and Social Development (AHVP), Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization (PIVP); and Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth (PEVP).
• In particular, the incumbent will be required to engage closely with the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department (AHAI) and Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department (AHFR), which provide strategic guidance for the implementation of the Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy and flagship programs, namely: The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Program, the ENABLE Youth Flagship, the Post-Harvest Loss and Agro-Processing (PHAP) Flagship, the Transformation of African Savannah Initiative (TASI), the Special Crop Processing Zones, the Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Flagship, the Blue Economy Flagship, Leadership 4 Agriculture (L4Ag) initiative and/or other Flagships.
• The Principal Officer will be directly involved in the project development cycle from identification of opportunities in line with the Feed Africa High 5 to approval by the Bank’s Boards of Directors.

Duties and Responsibilities Business Development and Project Origination:

• In line with the Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy, Country Strategy Papers and Regional Integration Strategy Papers, the incumbent will:
  • Provide support to the Regional Member Countries (RMC), and lead/support Bank teams to identify, prepare, appraise and implement agriculture and livestock, agribusiness, agro-industry sub-sector operations projects.
  • Identify, develop and support the financing of agriculture projects, which meet the objectives of the Feed Africa Strategy.
  • Review the various proposals and communication sent to the Bank by its partners, clients and take appropriate action, including issuing technical opinion on government submissions to the Bank, drafting of responses and/or reports / presentations and internal or external follow-up;
  • Provide the required technical skills to design national and multinational projects that respond to the needs of the RMCs and regional economic communities based on their priorities and selectivity;
  • Promote regional integration and donor coordination to promote complementarity in interventions in agriculture and rural development based on comparative advantages of different partners;
  • Liaise with other development partners in order to identify opportunities for co-financing and other partnerships;

Technical Analysis, Project Design and Implementation:

• The Principal Agriculture Officer works across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries to support the delivery of development solutions for a diverse set of clients in the rural and urban space and in the public and private sectors in line with the Agricultural development, Agribusiness and Agro-Industry agenda of the African Development Bank Group. Using a value-chain approach, he/she will support:
• The implementation of this agenda in Regional Member Countries in the East Africa region, with specific focus on providing technical input for the design, and supervision of projects which:
  • Promote value chain development, value addition and primary and secondary processing of crops and livestock;
  • Catalyze private sector entry and growth in African agribusiness;
  • Promote agri-Small and Medium Enterprise growth and the commercialization of agriculture, particularly addressing access to finance needs, and create farm to fork market linkages; Facilitate the development of agro-poles and agro-processing hubs;
  • Support the development of an agribusiness enabling environment, and;
  • Facilitate investments in hard infrastructure (including roads, markets and irrigation), soft infrastructure (human capital, i.e., trained potential employees, information and communication technology, etc.); enable policies and reforms, for transformation of African agriculture into viable, profitable businesses.
• Contribute to solving issues related to the agriculture sector development including advice to RMCs for promoting policies conducive to strong growth/development of the agriculture sector , including creation of an enabling environment for private sector investments in agribusiness;
• Work closely with agricultural sector experts in the headquarters (AHAI/AHFR) and private sector experts at the Bank to scale up investments in agribusiness and will design and coordinate the delivery of client solutions and all project management aspects of the deployment of such solutions.
• Contribute to the delivery of flagships as required to ensure delivery of the Feed Africa objectives;
• Support in collaboration with AHAI/AHFR, the development of projects for increased agricultural opportunities and agro-industrial development of the east Africa region;
• Carry out technical, economic and sector analysis that will guide and support both public and private sector investments in agriculture;
• Support wide-scale deployment of innovative farmer extension models; support effective private sector-led approaches to the provision of farmer extension services (farmer e-registration and input supplies).
• Design projects that are able to utilize public sector resources to leverage private sector capital for increased private investment in the agriculture sector, including creating off-take arrangements between smallholder farmers and private sector agribusiness;
• Support the structuring of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agribusiness projects, to catalyze private sector investment;
• In relation to the Bank’s country and regional strategies, identify, prepare, appraise and supervise related agriculture and agro-industry sub-sector operations.
• Assist Regional Member Countries to radically boost their agro industries as a platform for job creation, improved livelihood and broad-based economic growth and development;
• Undertake analysis and sector studies to orient the Bank’s strategy of intervention in the area of agriculture and agro industry development for Africa;
• Contribute with technical inputs to Bank Group’s operational activities relating agriculture and agro-industrial development, through the review of the technical design and institutional arrangements for agricultural programmes proposed for Bank’s funding;
• Set up and maintain strategic collaboration with relevant partners in the area of agriculture, livestock and agribusiness/agro-industry;
• Mentor new staff (junior) in the areas mentioned above;
• Undertake any other assignments as may be assigned by the Division Manager and/or senior management.

Portfolio Management:

• Manage an array of projects within the portfolio of the Bank’s investments in the assigned area of responsibility.
• Provide effective periodic reports to Management on the disposition of the portfolio under management.
• Identify synergies and propose interventions that promote the sustained feasibility of the projects under management.
• Ensure the follow-up of recommendations emanating from supervision, mid-term reviews, portfolio reviews and accounts audit missions on projects/programmes, paying the necessary attention to project monitoring and evaluation
• Review bidding documents, bid evaluation reports, quarterly progress reports, request for extension of contracts or LDD (Last Disbursement Date);
• Collaborate with other Banks’ Units in reviewing the operations performance, preparing completion reports, etc., so as to ensure that the lessons drawn from the implementation of past operations are taken into account in new projects.
• Provide technical, and policy advice to management and professional staff of the Bank's member countries during the implementation of the project, particularly in the area of procurement, and general management of  projects;

Selection Criteria (Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience) The complexity of this position demands that the incumbent possess the following: Education and Computer Proficiency:

• At least a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics, Agronomy, Rural Development, Agriculture, Natural Resources Management, Agricultural Finance, Development Finance, or related Social Sciences disciplines;

Personnel Specifications:

• A minimum of six (6) years of extensive progressive experience in an internationally recognized Financial or development Institution or a private agribusiness company.
• Knowledge of agriculture and agribusiness concepts and challenges facing the African continent;
• Capacity to analyze trends, constraints, policies, institutions and provide technical support to related agribusiness and agro-industries sectors;
• Ability to design appropriated agriculture, livestock related and natural resource management programs for solving issues in the sector;
• Ability to identify the appropriate methods and techniques to conduct economic studies and present the results;
• Extended and relevant experience in project formulation and technical backstopping;
• Ability to work in a team and work in a multicultural environment;
• Ability to work effectively in partnership with client contacts and seek feedback to improve work processes;
• Communicate and write effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language;
• Competences in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.
• Ability to work effectively with other technical and management professionals of diverse occupational and ability to work under pressure, prioritize work, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously and coordination of work programs and resources and lead teams.

Strategic vision:

• Ability to undertake sound analysis (skills and methods), in order to conceptualize future work or organizational changes and develop strategies for change which includes strategic mindset and capacity to translate strategic thinking into a compelling plan of action of a large international institution.
• Proven exposure to the Bank’s operations and mission with a sound understanding of the Bank’s overall strategy.

Client orientation:

• Ability to work in partnership with a broad range of client contacts and demonstrate commitment to results that are in the client’s best interest;
• Ability to build partnerships with a broad range of clients and deliver results that meet the needs and long term interests of clients within and outside the institution.

Team leadership:

• Ability to build and lead a motivated and committed team and utilize talent and expertise of team members in a productive way as well as evidence of ability to build and lead motivated and committed teams across functional boundaries.
• Demonstrated ability to ensure the timely accomplishment of tasks in the Department by giving valuable advices and providing constructive feedback
• Ability to develop a successful leadership style to establish and achieve exceptional organization performance and the ability to handle multiple responsibilities in a fast paced environment; Strong managerial skills, including interpersonal communication and client-orientation.

Communication and interpersonal skills:

• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Capacity to influence and inspire confidence;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French with a good working knowledge of the other language;
• Ability to speak with confidence and conviction, build and present a rational case to win support for ideas;
• Ability to develop effective relationships inside and outside the institution, promote collaboration and deal constructively with conflict and disagreement.

    Job Title: Chief Power Engineer - RDGW1 Reference: ADB/18/151 Location: Côte d’Ivoire Grade: PL3 Position N°: 50064959 The Complex

• The Vice Presidency in charge of Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery is responsible for ensuring the operational relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the Bank Group's operational activities and programmes.
• The Vice Presidency in charge of Regional Development will ensure that the Bank conducts its activities effectively in all its Regional Member Countries (RMCs) and will oversee the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank's Regional Directorates.

The Hiring Department/Division

• In the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex, the Bank has five (5) Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery (RDIBD) Directorates, that is, one in each region, namely: North Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa, West Africa and Central Africa.
• Each Regional Directorate is headed by a Director General (DG) and has sectoral functions and relevant administrative capacity to ensure rapid service delivery to client countries.
• The Regional Directorates provide country offices in their regions with strategic direction and are responsible for operations, business development, project management and overall effective implementation of the Bank's High 5s, namely: "Light up and Power Africa", "Feed Africa", "Industrialize Africa", "Integrate Africa" and "Improve the quality of life of African people".

The Position

• The Chief Power Engineer will ensure the technical soundness of the Bank's activities in supporting transactions related to investments in the power sector.
• He / she will provide in-depth sectoral expertise related to the planning, development, structuring, financing and implementation of national and regional power systems, including power generation, transmission and distribution.
• He/she will contribute to the definition of reforms required to improve and facilitate the benchmarking of the performance of power utilities / knowledge sharing and the provision of quality advisory services required to ensure the successful reform and restructuring of public power utilities.
• The work accomplished will also contribute, as required, to the implementation of High 5 flagship programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities Under the general supervision of the Division Manager, Regional Power Operations, the incumbent shall assume the following duties:

• Coordinate the implementation of relevant flagship projects to achieve the objectives of the New Partnership for Energy in Africa;
• Provide advisory support to Regional Member Countries and project leaders in the preparation and implementation of national and multi-national projects aimed at reforming power utilities and improving / assessing management performance by rehabilitating and expanding transmission / distribution networks, as well as reducing loss and optimizing efficiency;
• Provide leadership, along with regional platform staff, in the process of identifying, preparing, and executing power utility transformation operations, including loss reduction and electricity access programmes;
•  Coordinate / lead, together with other teams, the operations (investment plan support, technical assistance) aimed at supporting transformation;
• Work in coordination with regional platforms and governance units in the conduct of strategy-related operations and the implementation of technical assistance to support power utility reforms and private sector participation;
• Provide in-depth sector expertise to ensure quality assurance in the preparation of terms of reference, analysis and validation of feasibility studies as well as  performance analysis of power utilities;
• Ensure timely review and quality assurance of project preparation, appraisal and supervision documents against technical, financial and economic requirements;
• Work with other sector divisions on relevant policy and regulatory issues, as well as on the structuring and financial analysis of complex / innovative projects, particularly those requiring private sector participation;
• Provide support for economic and sector studies related to the benchmarking of the performance of power utilities, in collaboration with other Bank entities; and
• Perform any other duties the Director or Division Manager may assign to him/her.

Selection Criteria Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• At least a Master's degree or its equivalent in Electrical Engineering or related disciplines;
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience in power utilities or the energy sector, including the reform and restructuring of power utilities;
• Ability to innovate and create new approaches to improve performance;
• Ability to communicate effectively and mobilize key actors to achieve set objectives (private sector, public sector and civil society);
• Proven ability to build and lead a successful team to achieve visionary and challenging goals;
• Proven interpersonal skills, demonstrated through the ability to work in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity, as well as the ability to build trust and coach each individual member team;
• Strong negotiation skills, demonstrated by achieving positive results with peers, both internal and external;
• Sound understanding of success factors and barriers to the success of power utilities in complex regulatory and policy environments;
• In-depth knowledge of the processes and tools for the development of low-cost integrated national power networks / systems used in Africa, and familiarity with the working methods of multilateral development finance institutions;
• In-depth knowledge of service quality standards for power utilities and related performance management systems;
• Excellent project management skills;
• Ability to draft terms of reference and requests for proposals for the procurement  of consulting services;
• Sound knowledge of the national regulation of the power sector, procurement models, contract management and standards as well as network code, operating rules, thresholds and reserves ( including the import, export, transmission and trading of power);
• Sound understanding of the requirements of the Bank's environmental and social policy;
• Sound knowledge of the governance, regulation, operations, maintenance and administration of power utilities, customer relations, billing, financial management of these services;
• Highly developed strategic thinking skills, coupled with the ability to translate concepts and strategic directions into the implementation of viable and sustainable policies and regulations;
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French with a good working knowledge of the other language;
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications such as SAP; and
• Ability / willingness to quickly become familiar with the use of various tools available and applied by the Bank, such as SAP.

    Job Title: Division Manager - Loan Accounting (FIFC4) Reference: ADB/18/152 Location: Côte d’Ivoire Grade: PL2 Position N°: 50092464 The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for Finance (FIVP) oversees the financial management of the Bank Group.
• This encompasses the Bank Group’s treasury activities including borrowings from the capital markets and investment activities; controllership functions including financial reporting and loan administration; strategic resource mobilization and the strengthening of the non-statutory financial resources and instruments; the overall asset/liability management for the Bank Group.

The Hiring Department/Division

• The primary objective of the Loan Accounting Division is to administer the loan, grant and guarantee portfolios of the Bank Group as well as the portfolios of Funds under management by the Bank.

The Position

• Lead the planning, implementation and supervision of the division's vision, goals, strategies and work plan in support of overall AfDB goals.
• Formulate financial policies and practices relating to loan accounting, billing and recovery and advise the Director on loan administration matters.

Duties and Responsibilities Under the general supervision of the Director, Financial Control Department, the Duties and Responsibilities are as follows:

• Oversee the quality of work and ensure the achievement of objectives of the division with regard to loan accounting and the management of loan information. Support external and internal relations, coordination and consultation initiatives for the department. Provide guidance on day-to-day operational issues and compliance with AfDB policies.
• Provide leadership in planning, implementation and supervision of work plans as well as monitor the quality of output and the achievement of long term goals and annual objectives for the division.
• Provide leadership in professional and operational matters, taking the lead in contributing new or innovative approaches to policy and operational issues.
• Lead the review and subsequent implementation of improvements to loan administration systems, policies and procedures to promote accuracy of information and efficiency in processing while maintaining appropriate internal controls.
• Promote coordination and liaise with other multilateral development banks (MDBs) in harmonizing loan administration operations.
• Supervise and control the recording of loan/grant transactions by exercising financial controls in accordance with the financial regulations and generally accepted accounting standards.
• Supervise timely preparation of the bi-monthly, monthly, quarterly and annual loan-related documents, statistics and financial reports for Management and the Boards.
• Liaise with the Financial Controller and Internal/External Auditors of the Bank Group and providing responses to their queries.
• Participate in various Bank committees and represent the Department at meetings concerning financial, accounting and information technology matters.
• Undertake the performance management of the division, including motivation of division staff.
• Manage budget and resource allocation for the division, ensuring efficient allocation and utilization of resources, including staffing and training requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Selection Criteria Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Hold at least a Master's degree in Finance, Business administration, Economics, Statistics or related quantitative discipline;
• At least eight (8) years of broad-based professional experience in accounting, financial control, project administration, or financial management.
• Knowledge of financial products;
• Knowledge of financial modelling;
• Hands-on experience in the development, configuration and management of complex Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems;
• Proficient in the use of SAP CML and FI;
• Knowledge of key concepts around the accounting treatment of lending instruments;
• Analytical and systematic with strong numerical skills and attention to detail and ability to plan and coordinate schedules to meet deadlines;
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French with a good working knowledge of the other language.

    Job Title: Senior Research Economist - ECMR2 Reference: ADB/18/153 Location: Côte d’Ivoire Grade: PL5 Position N°: 50065752 The Complex

• The Chief Economist/Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management is the Bank’s spokesperson on economic matters and the Vice President for the ‘Economics Governance and Knowledge Management Complex’.
• The Chief Economist/Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management is responsible for:
  • Providing leadership and visibility for the Bank on economic, finance, financial governance and socio economic development issues; and coordinating the generation of analytical work to inform operational engagement and policy formulation; and
  • Systematically emphasize the critical role of knowledge, experience, lessons learnt and their tangible impact on sustainable, inclusive transformation of African economies.
• The Chief Economist/Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management inspire, generate and provide direct support to the President and Senior Management of the Bank on a broad range of technical and management issues within the broad remit of economic, finance, public financial governance, management and social economics.

The Hiring Department/Division

• The Macroeconomics, Policy, Forecasting and Research Department is dedicated to the generation of high quality knowledge in the area of development in Africa. It:
  • Provides technical support to operations and regional member countries through rigorous analytical work;
  • Engages in impactful policy dialogue with decision-making bodies within and outside of the Bank; and
  • Most importantly enhances the operational effectiveness of the Bank in achieving the High 5s.
• The activities of the department are structured around the Macroeconomic Policy, Debt Sustainability and Forecasting on one side, and the Microeconomics, Institutional and Development Impact on the other.
• The Microeconomic, Institutional and Development Impact division focuses on microeconomic issues related to development finance, infrastructure development, private sector development, industrial organizations, governance, competitiveness & investment climate, agriculture, institutions, and regional integration to support the High 5s.
• In addition, the Microeconomic, Institutional and Development Impact division is the institutional anchor of the ex-ante Additionality and Development Outcome Assessment and Outcome Assessments  (ADOA) of the Bank’s Non-Sovereign and Regional operations, as such it is a key element of the Bank’s Results Framework and Quality at Entry control system.

The Position

• The Senior Research Economist is part of the ECMR.2 team and is expected to perform both ADOA assessments of the Bank’s lending operations as well as research activities related to the Bank’s High5 agenda.
• The candidate is expected to particularly handle lending operations involving financial intermediaries.

Duties and Responsibilities Under the supervision of the Microeconomic, Institutional and Development Impact Division Manager,  the  Senior Research Economist will:

• Perform Ex-ante Additionality and Development Outcome Assessments of the Bank’s lending operations:
  • Lead and provide inputs for the delivery of ex-ante Additionality and Development Outcome Assessments of the African Development Bank’s Non-sovereign and Regional lending Operations and any other type of operations as required by AfDB management.
  • Contribute to any revisions to the Additionality and Development Outcome Assessment framework on the basis of lessons learnt from implementation experience and other Development Finance Institutions as well as Industry best standards.
• Lead and participate in the division’s research activities supporting the Bank’s High 5s:
  •  (High  priority areas: Light Up and Power Africa (Energy), Feed Africa (Agriculture and Nutrition), Industrialize Africa (Industrialization), Integrate Africa (Regional Integration) and Improve quality of live for Africans (Sustainable socio-economic development)). This includes also strengthening knowledge generation in the area of inclusive and green growth.
  • The candidate is expected to play a leading role in research activities covering financial sector development and inclusion issues.
• Provide inputs into the production of the Bank’s flagship publications:
  • Lead and contribute to the preparation of flagship reports or assigned chapters, write assigned sections and follow up (peer reviews) until final publication;
  • Assist and lead on the dissemination of the findings of these flagships.
• Provide technical and analytical input into the work of Operations Complexes:
  • Provide input into Country Strategy Papers;
  • Lead or participate in Economic Sector Work produced by sector complexes particularly financial sector development and inclusion issues;
  • Participate in the peer review process of project documents, policy documents, including documents submitted to the Operations Committee and the Board of Directors.
• Contribute to the Bank’s “Working Papers Series " and the Bank’s "African Development Review":
  • Publish research papers and review submitted articles to the African Development Review and Working Paper Series.
• Provide inputs in collaborative research and knowledge management activities carried out jointly with regional and international organizations, research and capacity building institutions in Africa, development research centers and universities.
• Participate in review meetings, internal Task forces and Working Groups and represent the Bank in external ones.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by Management.

Selection Criteria Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Have at least a Master's degree in Finance or relevant field; A PhD would be an added advantage.
• Have a minimum of Five (5) years of professional experience combining research and strong operational involvement in the design and Evaluation of operations relevant to the High 5s areas including the following: infrastructure including energy, agriculture, private sector development, industrial organizations and social sectors, project analysis and/or monitoring and evaluation. A minimum of 3 years of professional experience covering financial intermediaries and financial sector development/inclusion issues is necessary.
• Proven ability in Leading and producing development policy research and analysis of economic conditions that are of relevance for the High 5s (Bank priority areas) with a proven publication record in international peer review journals, working papers, book chapters, reports
• Good knowledge and background in the use of statistical and econometric methods and packages in project evaluation, finance and development economics research;
• Ability to understand and identify development outcomes expected from real sector projects.
• Proven skills in drafting and preparation of policy memoranda, speeches and notes for use in decision making processes.
• Communicate and write effectively in English or French, with a good working knowledge of the other language;
• Good communication skills and a proven ability to work in teams and on multiple projects in parallel until tight deadlines.

    How To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply   Application Deadline 9th September, 2018   Note: This position is classified international status and attracts international terms and conditions of employment

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