Advisor to the Vice President, OIVP at African Development Bank - AfDB

Grade: PL-2
Position N°: 50066128
Reference: ADB/15/051
Publication date: 22/04/2015
Closing date: 13/05/2015

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is a leading development institution in the continent, focused on promoting economic development and poverty reduction. It engages with the full range and complexity of development challenges in Africa. The Bank has integrated operations, lending directly to the public and private sectors through a variety of instruments. It also provides advisory services. Core operational priorities include infrastructure, private sector development, governance, higher education, regional integration and engagement in fragile states. It has an increasing country presence through a growing network of 25 field offices. The Vice President for Infrastructure, Private Sector and Regional Integration (OIVP) is responsible for the development of reliable and sustainable infrastructure and also leads regional integration projects as well as public and private sector programme development. The incumbent is primarily responsible for providing strategic and operational advice on all OIVP operations, with special focus on public sector, public private partnerships (PPPs) and regional integration, assisting in aligning complex priorities and resources, coordinating and ensuring implementation of initiative and instruments under OIVP in coordination with other complexes and AfDB units.

The Lead Advisor is part of OIVP Front Office (FO) and reports to the Vice President OIVP. Core responsibilities include:

• Play a leading role in the day to day management of the OIVP front office, ensuring its smooth functioning
• Provide strategic and tactical advice to OIVP, in particular on PPPs, publice sector and regional integration issues and operational matters;
• Identify operational issues for the attention of VP and draft appropriate response to senior management and Board members;
• Draft and assess key strategic proposals requiring VP guidance and advise accordingly on course of action;
• Assist OIVP management in resources mobilization efforts, coordination with development partners, developing innovative approaches and instruments as well as monitoring the yearly work program and budget;
• Ensuring sound, ongoing communication between OIVP Departments, in particular OPSM and ONRI, and the FO;
• Attending internal meetings (as observers) to provide support to the VP; and
• Represent OIVP in diverse fora as required 

Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in business administration, finance, economics, management or other relevant fields preferably in engineering, finance or economics;
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant experience; solid credibility on development issues; understanding of both public and private sector perspectives would be an asset;
• Demonstrated superior leadership qualities, technical excellence and first-rate interpersonal skills;
• Strategic mindset with ability to balance long-term and short-term tradeoffs;
• Excellent technical, analytical skills and established operational track record of excellence in achieving results;
• Proven ability to identify and articulate policy issues, trade-offs and priorities to provide sound advice;
• Demonstrated ability to work across institutional boundaries with various teams, build and lead a team of professional staff, and utilise talent and expertise of team members in a productive way;
• Ability to build partnerships and deliver results that meet the needs and long-term interests of clients within and outside the institution;
• Demonstrated to produce high quality work on a variety of issues with very short deadlines, to take prudent risks and make effective and timely decisions;
• Superior written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French with a good working knowledge of the other language and a demonstrated ability to think strategically and synthesize complex issues (translated into effective oral and written briefs).
• High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels;
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).