Young Professional Program (YPP) at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/19/193
Location: Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire
Grade: PL6

Objectives
The Young Professionals Program (YPP) targets high potential, best-in-class young professionals with a strong passion for Africa’s development. This program is not an internship arrangement; rather it offers exceptional career opportunities to talented young professionals with leadership potential, an established record of outstanding academic and professional achievement to make a difference to the development of the African continent. The YPP includes a rigorous program of activities including a learning Academy that prepares participants to be technical and professional leaders with notable impact:

• The Program is for a period of three years; the first two years will be spent on mandatory rotational placements across the Bank’s various functions. The third-year rotation year will be spent in the Home Complex where the YP will graduate into a staff position.Only YPs who have completed the YP Academy and have exhibited high performance and high potential will be integrated into the Bank’s workforce.
• The Professional and Personal Development Program is structured under the Young Professionals Learning Academy with specific learning interventions delivered in phases of 6 months each. These learning interventions serve to deepen technical knowledge and build leadership skills required for effective delivery of task functions andfuture roles in the Bank.The Learning academy also includes on- the job training that requires immersion into various functional areas of the Bank for hands-on experience in projects and various work assignments.
• On-boarding and orientation programs ensure faster integration into the Bank’s culture and offers a robust support mechanism from mentors, coaches and buddy groups.
• Individual performance and potential will be reviewed periodically, and the necessary personal development plans customized to individual needs.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Young Professional Program (YPP) Strategic Focus Areas For 2019 Intake:

The Bank seeks to recruit Young Professionals in specific disciplines and specialist professional areas that are aligned to the Ten-Year Strategy (TYS); the five priority areas of the Bank (High 5s) and People strategy. The Hi-5s are captured below:

• Light Up and Power Africa:
  • Power Systems Development (grid base power system, power utilities), Climate Change and Green Growth (climate finance, climate adaptation), Energy Statistics, Policy and Regulation (energy statistics), Renewable Energy (off grid energy access), Energy Partnerships (energy partnerships and stake-holders engagement, energy markets).
• Feed Africa:
  • Agriculture & Agro-industry (agribusiness development, agriculture research, production and sustainability), Agricultural finance & Rural development (agricultural and rural finance, rural infrastructure development).
• Integrate Africa:
  • Development Research (macroeconomic policy, debt sustainability and forecasting, microeconomic, institutional and development impact), Governance and public financial management (program development, policy management), Statistics (economic and social statistics, statistical capacity building).
• Industrialize Africa:
  • Private Sector Development (strategy and new product, portfolio asset management, special operations), Financial sector development (financial institutions, financial inclusion), Infrastructure, cities & urban development (transport and logistics, ICT), Industrial and trade development.
• Improve the lives of the people of Africa:
  • Water, Human and Social development (education, human capital and employment, sanitation and public health.
  • The Young Professionals Program (YPP) targets High Potential, best-in-class young professionals with a strong passion for Africa’s development. The Program offers exceptional career opportunities to talented young professionals with leadership potential, an established record of outstanding academic and professional achievement to make a difference to the development of the African continent. It is a three-year leadership opportunity for the development of Bank’s future workforce and leaders. The Bank aims attract highly qualified and motivated professionals from our member countries for a productive and rewarding career path in development. Through the YPP, the Bank ensures continuity and excellence in both the management of its work programs and the provision of policy advice to its RMCs.
  • The Bank aims to offer this opportunity to 30 candidates for the 2020 cohort. The Bank is an equal opportunity employer. To this end, we are committed to achieving and maintaining a diverse workforce that reflects our diversity.

Selection Criteria
The Young Professional Program targets motivated and high-potential individuals from our member countries. Applicants must meet the following conditions:

• Be a citizen of a member country of the Bank.
• Be 32 years of age or younger by 1st May 2020.
• Possess a Master’s degree or equivalent in any discipline that is relevant to the business of the Bank, with outstanding academic credentials.
• Have at least 3 years post graduate work experience in the areas related to the high priority areas (Hi-5s) as mentioned above.
• Interested candidates with coding, e-development, animation and platforms designs and maintenance are required this year.
• Demonstrable hands-on experience on the African continent and/or in other continent’s developing countries is a necessary requirement.
• Have a passion for Africa’s development
• Able to leverage knowledge, share and coach others. Work effectively in teams with displayed high adaptability to a diverse environment.
• Strong analytical skills, an entrepreneurial drive, results-orientation and problem-solving capability.
• High business acumen and innovative mindset.
• Be proficient in the Bank’s working languages, either English and/or French.
• Have skills that enable you work in a digital environment and embrace technology as it evolves.
• Be willing to live in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire the Bank’s Headquarters, and any other country in Africa where the Bank may require your services.
• Ability to travel continentally (20% of your time).