Senior Editor/Writer - PCER1 at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/18/197
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50050576

The Complex

• The President, plans, supervises and manages the business of the Bank Group. Under the direction of the Boards of Directors, the President conducts the business of the Bank and the African Development Fund and
• manages operations and activities in accordance with the Agreements establishing the African Development
• Bank and the African Development Fund. The President supervises several Departments and Units including
• Office of the President; Independent Development Evaluation Department; Integrity and Anti-Corruption Department; Compliance Review and Mediation Unit; Secretariat to the Sanctions Appeals Board; Administrative Tribunal; Office of the Auditor General; Group Risk Management Directorate; General Counsel and Legal Services Department; Communication and External Relations Department; Staff Integrity and Ethics Office and Office of the Secretary General and General Secretariat.

The Hiring Department/Divison

• The purpose of the Communication and External Department is to plan, prepare and implement public relations and institutional communication programs designed to make the Bank better known by its various audiences so as to promote social and economic development in Africa, and to establish and maintain the Bank’s credibility and good reputation as Africa’s leading development finance institution. The Department is also responsible for enabling the Bank to understand better, how the institution is perceived both internally and externally.

The Position

• Under the general guidance and supervision of the Division Manager, Communication and External Relations - PCER.1, the incumbent will implement editing guidelines within PCER.1, as well as define an editorial policy for the Bank.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Division Manager, Communication and External Relations - PCER.1, the Senior Editor/Writer has the following responsibilities:

• Researching, writing, and editing content for online and external publications that reflects current African Development Bank practice and is of the quality and scope that meets the objectives of the bank’s external and internal stakeholders.
• Editing  and substantively re-editing copy from Bank departments,  rewriting materials, including web copy for grammatical accuracy, adherence to Bank style and policy, purposeful structure, clarity of ideas and logical, persuasive presentation of content according to subject matter, product plan, and target audience.
• Coordinating multiple contributions by teams/units on major initiatives, obtain clearances, and make other changes, particularly on sensitive issues.
• Interviewing experts and conducting research as well as writing and analyzing a diverse and broad range of material
• Assigning editorial and writing tasks and projects as required  to meet deadlines
• Reading and approving all content - notices, reports, PR’s etc  to be published on behalf of the Bank in a timely manner
• Ensuring all information is accurate before publishing, whether it’s written or visual content, so as to prevent copyright infringements (e.g. plagiarism and ghostwritten content) and discard any misrepresentation or defamation:
• Cross-checking quotes and examining references.
• Assisting with training and supervising new staff members.
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues in relation to writing and maintaining content and answering questions from stakeholders including through sub-editing.
• Keeping up-to-date with all relevant African Development Bank developments so that all content for which you are responsible reflects and takes account of current practice.
• Developing relationships with external sources as required with a view to obtaining contributions for stories and other content or improving content through third party insights

The staff will equally undertake the following duties:

• Ensure that the quality and accessibility of information on the Bank’s sites is consistent with the image of the Bank as the leading development institution in Africa and its global role as a development organization. In this regard, the incumbent would ensure that the information posted and published is timely, accurate and conforms to the Bank’s information disclosure policy and editorial policy.
• Ensure that all information from organizational units is reviewed, edited and posted onto the Internet web platform and other designated channels.
• Proactively seek content creation and information organization in various formats.
• Ensure that French versions of texts are a faithful representation of English original texts and vice-versa.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Hold at least a Master’s degree or equivalent in Journalism, Communications, International Relations, Public Affairs, Marketing, Political Science or other related disciplines.
• Have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant and progressive experience at an international level or multi-developmental institution, two (2) of which should be in an editorial role.
• Outstanding written and verbal skills, particularly the ability to synthesize complex messages and tailor them into simple, clear and non-academic language for different audiences.
• Excellent command of English; ability to write strong copy and produce well-written press releases, feature articles, and publications.
• Experience writing in both non-technical styles and highly technical.
• Experience working with or in developing countries.
• Excellent collaboration skills with an ability to lead without authority.
• Mindset for learning, innovation and high standards of quality.
• Experience working with corporate, multilateral development institutions or non-profits is preferred.
• Detail oriented and excellent follow-through skills.
• Complete assigned tasks in a timely manner with little supervision.
• Ability to effectively work under pressure on multiple projects simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines.
• Communication - provides clear and concise oral and written communications; presents oral information with clarity and appropriate style and adapts language and style to suit the requirement 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, anticipates client needs, and ensures that the client receives the best possible service from the Bank.
• Team work and relationship - Works with others to maximize the effectiveness of the team as a whole, shares knowledge and workload. Develops strong working relationships with colleagues and contributes to the creation of a positive team environment.
• Ability to motivate a multicultural team of communications experts (staff or consultants).
• Ability to coordinate the work of several communications experts working on various and sometimes conflictual agendas.
• Proven ability to help find solutions to issues raised by communications experts.
• Strong decision-making skills.
• Excellent project and time management skills.
• Ability to coordinate multiple workflows between in-house communications experts and external service providers, consultants.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, with a working knowledge of the other. Proficiency in both languages is an asset.
• Understanding of and experience with various media software tools.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft software (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint).