Grade: GS8
Position N°: 50068818
Reference: ADB/19/191
Publication date: 09-Oct-2019
Closing date: 22-Oct-2019
Duty station: Abidjan, Cote D’ivoire
Objectives
THE BANK:
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. In order to sharply focus the objectives of the Ten Year Strategy (2013-2022) and ensure greater developmental impact, five major areas, all of which will accelerate our delivery for Africa, have been identified for scaling up, namely: energy, agro-business, industrialization, integration and improving the quality of life for the people of Africa. The Bank is seeking to build a management team that will lead the successful implementation of this vision.
THE COMPLEX:
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 Regional Directorates provide 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 HIRING DEPARTMENT:
The Transition States Coordination Office (RDTS) is responsible for leading and implementing African Development Bank Group (the Bank) Strategy for Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in its Regional Member Countries. It coordinates the Bank’s work on addressing fragility and building resilience, including activities of all fragility and resilience professionals stationed in the various Regional Hubs or Country Offices. Over the past decade, Africa has seen enormous growth and transformation that has expanded opportunities and improved living conditions for millions of people. More than two-thirds of African countries have strengthened their quality of governance, improved basic services, and expanded economic opportunities. Yet, there are significant risks that this momentum could be undermined by important pressures-continuing patterns of exclusion and poverty, unemployment, high migration, rapid urbanization, climate change and poor management of natural resources—that threaten to overwhelm existing institutional capacities for managing political, economic, social and environmental challenges. These pressures are making every single African country more vulnerable. RDTS aims to place the Bank at the center of Africa’s efforts to address fragility and pave the way for a more resilient and inclusive development trajectory. A major part of RDTS’ activities involves the identification of the main drivers of fragility, including economic, social, political and environmental dimensions, and how the Bank’s programs and projects can contribute to equity and inclusive development. Central to RDTS engagement is the systematic application of a fragility lens to identify, respond to and prevent fragility and to build resilience and focus the Bank’s engagement in the areas where it can have the biggest impact.
THE POSITION:
The Senior Fragility and Resilience Assistant is required to work with a high degree of tact and sensitivity for confidential and strategic issues. The incumbent will be required to assist the Department on communication issues related to fragility and resilience. Specific tasks would include, but are not limited to the following:
- Provide a wide range of assistance to Fragility and Resilience team in implementing its work program.
- Act as focal point for the Department and follow up on matters related to dissemination of the Bank’s work on Fragility and Resilience.
- Coordinate and conduct all communication related exchanges between institution, entities and the team to ensure that all requests are timeously taken into account.
- Maintaining records of the Department’s communication activities.
- Perform any other duties reasonably requested by management.
Duties and responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Director of the transition states coordination office, the Fragility and Resilience Assistant is expected to perform the following duties:
- Support the analytical work undertaken by the Fragility and Resilience team;
- Assist with background research to support drafting of ESW and project proposals;
- Support the experts in discussions and negotiations with potential partners in order to foster business relationships with the Bank;
- Assist in preparing communication and presentation documents through drafting of elaborate memos, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, etc…
- Manage the Transition States Coordination Office webpage and share drive and contribute to the dissemination of reports related to the Bank’s activities in addressing fragility and building resilience;
- Ensure the quality of exchanges (oral and written) within the department, communication with other departments of the AfDB, liaison with partner institutions.
- Participate in the preparation of multiple events involving the Transition States Coordination Office and propose the activities and derived budget related to communication, and also ensure that these activities are well covered by the media and adequate reports are made;
- Support in the organization and coordination of meetings with other Departments and Complexes and with external clients and partners;
- Assist with the procurement of services and supplies for events through requests for quotations and their assessment;
- Support in reviewing the quality of documentation for the Department and making recommendations for improvement and ensuring adherence to Bank formats and standards;
- Perform any other reasonably justified task requested by management.
Selection Criteria
- A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in administration, projects management, communication or other related disciplines;
- Have a minimum of five (5) years of experience in a relevant area, with a minimum of two years in a senior position;
- Good planning skills, with excellent levels of initiative, organization and leadership.
Ability Behavioral Competencies:
- Communication and Intercultural sensitivity;
- Excellent interpersonal skills;
- Client orientation;
- Team work;
Technical Competencies:
- Ability to understand and follow instructions from Management;
- Ability to provide support to Management and Task Managers;
- Organizational skills, ability to multitask, and attention to detail;
- Coaching skills;
- Knowledge of administrative processes;
- Ability to communicate and write effectively in English, with a good working knowledge of French;
- Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications (Word, Excel, Access and Power Point); knowledge of SAP;
Apply for this position
To apply for this position, you need to be national of one of AfDB member countries.
Applicants who fully meet the Bank’s requirements and are considered for interview will be contacted. Only online applications submitted with a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV) and copies of the required degrees will be considered. The President, AfDB, reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level. The African Development Bank is an equal opportunities employer. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) does not ask for payments of any kind from applicants throughout the recruitment process (job application, CV review, interview meeting, and final processing of applications). In addition, the Bank does not request information on applicants’ bank accounts. The African Development Bank Group declines all responsibility for the fraudulent publications of job offers in its name or, in general, for the fraudulent use of its name in any way whatsoever.