Principal Land Officer at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/17/154
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL4
Position N°: 50091792

The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for ‘Agriculture, Human, and Social Development’ is a Sector Complex focusing on the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy High 5s priority of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.
• The complex objectives are:
  • To develop, policy and strategy;
  • Provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by gathering pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions;
  • Develop new financing instruments;
  • The VP will act as the spokesperson to represent the Bank with external stakeholders on aspects of “Feed Africa” and Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.

The Hiring Department/Division

• The Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department provides support for the delivery of “Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa (2016-2025)”.
• The strategy aims to end hunger and rural poverty in the next decade through self-sufficiency in 18 (eighteen) priority commodity value chains specific to the continent’s agro-ecological zones.
• Realizing the objectives set forth in the strategy requires increased productivity, value addition, investment in infrastructure, an enabling agribusiness environment; capital flows and inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition.
• The Department leads the effort to transform African agricultural systems for greater competitiveness, inclusivity and sustainability, and for enhanced job creation and poverty reduction.

The Position

• The main purpose of the Principal Land Officer will be to assist in the implementation of “Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa 2016 – 2025” by addressing land issues in all aspects of Bank operations, and specifically in the implementation of Feed Africa and contribute to the fulfillment of the Bank’s vision of being the leading development financial institution in Africa dedicated to providing quality assistance to Regional Member Countries in their poverty alleviation efforts. 
• The Strategy seeks to transform African agriculture through eighteen (18) priority value chains and five (5) agro-ecological zones.
• The transformation will require a set of seven (7) enablers:
  • increase productivity by ensuring land tenure and land management;
  • realize the value of increased production by facilitating increased investment in land improvement;
  • increase investment into enabling infrastructure through effective land policies;
  • create an enabling agribusiness environment with effective land policies;
  • catalyze capital flows (especially commercial lending and private investment) to scale agribusinesses;
  • ensure inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition beyond what the market may deliver otherwise;
  • coordinate activities to kick start transformation, align activities and investments of different actors, and guide initial activities to the point where private sector actors can be crowded in.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the direct supervision of the Manager of the Agriculture Research, Production and Sustainability Division, and in close collaboration with the Director of the Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department, Division Managers and Task Managers, the Principal Land Officer provide to the two departments, technical leadership and knowledge generation pertaining to land issues in Africa.

The duties include the following:

• Work with the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission  Land Policy Initiative to further appropriate a conducive land policies in the continent;
• provide technical support related to land issues for all flagships (Enable Youth, Technologies for African Agriculture Transformation; Climate Smart Agriculture;  Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa)  and initiatives under the Feed Africa Strategy;
• Providing leadership in providing land issues in all country strategy papers, country dialogue missions, investment operations and knowledge products where necessary;
• Facilitate advocacy actions on land issues on the continent with key stakeholders at national and regional levels
• Lead and organize land sector teams at the directorate general’s offices,
• Participate in missions and play a key role in developing innovative practical approaches to land policy matters at regional, country and sector levels;
• Support Governments in collaboration with the Agropoles, Agro-industry and Agronomist specialists to harmonize their policies on land use and ethics.

Selection Criteria
Including Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• A minimum of a Master's Degree or its equivalent in Agriculture Economics, Agriculture Management/Development, Rural Development, Public Policy, Land Resource Economics or  Management, Land Law, or closely related disciplines.
• Have a minimum of six (6) years of relevant experience, three (3) of which should be in multilateral development institutions in the design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of lands programs;
• Ability to undertake land research, analysis, policy and advocacy
• Understand land issues (land tenure systems, ownership and user rights) in the agriculture sector
• Good command of project management
• Demonstrable understanding of regional social issues, analysis and policy formulation
• Strong ability in designing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of lands programs
• Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous and shifting demands/priorities under tight deadlines
• Ability to collaborate within teams and across boundaries
• Ability to work independently and apply innovative approaches, with demonstrated attention to detail.
• Communicate and write 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); knowledge of SAP is desirable.