Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50053852
Reference: ADB/19/184
Publication date: 08-Oct-2019
Closing date: 21-Oct-2019
Duty station: Yaounde, Cameroon
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 (High 5s), all of which will accelerate our delivery for Africa, have been identified, namely: energy, agro-business, industrialization, integration and improving the quality of life for the people of Africa.
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/DIVISION:
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:
Under the supervision of Lead Coordinator/Fragility Expert, the Senior Fragility and Resilience Officer facilitates the work of the Principal Fragility and Resilience Experts in drafting policy documents as well as designing the interventions to enhance client countries resilience and capacity.
The Senior Fragility and Resilience Officer assists the Principal Fragility and Resilience Experts background research and data gathering as inputs into drafting Economic and Sector Works and the development of sustainable project interventions in Transition Countries. This includes the assisting with origination, appraisal and approval of projects. It also includes promoting and showcasing the Bank’s development impact achievements in fragile countries in Africa and projecting the Bank’s image as a leader in fragile countries through representation in various fora, publications, and networking with key stakeholders.
Duties and responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Lead Coordinator/Fragility Expert and the Principal Fragility and Resilience Experts, the Senior Fragility and Resilience Officer will assist with performing the following duties:
1. Impact on the Business
- As needed, participate in project and economic sector work identification missions;
- Assist with background research and drafting of ESW and project proposals;
- Assist with coordination of project due diligence missions;
- Contribute to the preparation of project appraisal reports, including various risk analysis and financial/economic analysis, for presentation to the various review committees and the Board of Directors;
- As needed, participate in developing and promoting the Bank’s role in Transition Countries;
- Work with consultants as and when required for the delivery of business objectives.
2. Clients/Stakeholders
- Support the experts in discussions and negotiations with potential partners in order to foster business relationships with the Bank;
- Develop and nurture excellent professional working relationships with project appraisal team members, including colleagues in the regional centers;
- Initiate and nurture excellent relationships with other Multilateral Development Banks and other partners active in Transition Countries to share best practices and market knowledge;
- Contribute to the experts’ work in preparing for Bank seminars, workshops and conferences on Transition Countries;
- Ensure timely and efficient communication with all external partners;
- Deliver accurate and relevant management information to various stakeholders.
3. Teamwork
- Work closely with Principal Experts and other relevant team members;
- Contribute to the planning of various initiatives designed to facilitate interaction with other AfDB departments, regional centres and external partner institutions;
- Participate in the preparation of annual work program/budget of the team.
4. Operational Effectiveness & Control
- Keep abreast of market developments and share knowledge with colleagues;
- Work collaboratively with the ‘ecosystem’ both in the region and at headquarters to ensure timely and effective delivery on business objectives.
5. Management of Risk
- Ensure compliance of projects with Integrity Due Diligence requirements including anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing guidelines;
- Assist the experts to continually assess the operational risks inherent in the business and changing economic or market conditions, legal and regulatory requirements, operating procedures and practices and the impact of new technology.
Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:
- Hold at least a Master’s degree or its equivalent in administration, business, economics, law, procurement and supply chain management, or any related qualification.
- Have a minimum of five (5) years’ relevant experience in in economic research, peace and state building, social dialogue, management consulting and strong experience in the drafting and review of policy and strategy documents, particularly in multilateral institutions.
- Innovation and Creativity: The commitment to search for and produce innovative creative approaches to activities in order to enhance performance and create added benefits to the Bank and its clients.
- Communication: Provides clear and concise oral and written communication; presents oral information with clarity and appropriate style and adapts language and style to suit the requirements of a particular audience.
- Problem Solving: Applies business knowledge to the resolution of problems and identifies solutions to the benefit of the client (internal and external) and the organization.
- Client Orientation: Ensures that the client is considered to be of primary importance in all transactions and interactions. Strives to understand, and when appropriate, anticipate client needs, and ensures that the client receives the best possible service from the Bank.
- Team Working and Relationships: Works with others to maximize the effectiveness of the team as a whole. Sharing the knowledge and workload. Develops strong working relationships with colleagues and contributes to creation of a positive team environment.
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
- Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint,).
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.