Senior Program Management Officer at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/17/238
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50000555
   
The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency, Human Resources and Corporate Services Complex ensures the delivery of efficient, people-centered, client-oriented, corporate services to ensure overall institutional effectiveness in all aspects of the Bank’s corporate services.
• The Complex leads efforts to ensure the competitiveness of the Bank as the employer of choice and is responsible for providing leadership in the formulation and implementation of Bank’s strategies on people, IT, general services and institutional procurements, language services, business continuity, and health and safety strategies.

The Hiring Department

• The Corporate Information Technology Services Department’s mission at the Bank is to align the IT delivery strategy along with the Bank’s business strategy to increase the organizational effectiveness through efficient use of the Information Systems.
• Under the leadership of the African Development Bank’s Information Systems Director, the Information Technology Systems Department is mandated by the Bank to deliver best possible IT services for Bank Staff, and help achieve the results that gets the Bank closer to accomplishing its poverty reduction goals in Africa.

The Position

• The Senior Program Management Officer will be responsible for initiating, managing and effectively governing the day-to-day delivery aspects of a selected business project.
• The role is to structure and deliver one or more major change projects in a controlled manner. The initiatives are wide-ranging through the operational cycle of the business, delivering a cohesive business/Information Technology solution which meets business requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision and guidance of the Department’s Director, the Senior Program Management Officer will:
Stakeholder Management:

• Engage with the business to determine the composition of the multiple projects, to form a comprehensive Program in response to changing business needs.
• Deliver the program to benefit expectations within agreed performance management thresholds laid by the Information Systems Steering Committee.
• Ensure appropriate Program management controls and gates are put in place and are adhered to
• Prepare robust business cases which gain Sponsor & Information Systems Steering Committee sign off.
• Prepare accurate, timely, complete program reporting to the Project Management Office, the Head of the Department and the Information Systems Steering Committee when requested.
• Gather performance feedback from customers as part of the normal course of business; actively participate in a formal “Voice of the Customer” survey at least annually.
• Partner with Sponsors to develop clear business cases which are easily understood by the Information Systems Steering Committee and approved with minimal re-work.
• Provide stakeholders with performance management reporting on all matters pertaining to the program.

People Management:

• Work with the Department Management Team to ensure that project resources are adequately provisioned and skilled on a global basis
• Develop, review, manage, set and measure objectives and motivate project team members to successfully accomplish project objectives

Program Management:

• Build and gain sign off to Business Cases via senior Sponsors and the Executive Committee and ensure projects are initiated properly
• Identify and obtain any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of valuable projects
• Plan, direct and co-ordinate activities to manage projects dependencies across the full project / software development life cycles and the entire Program
• Develop and deliver a demand / supply management model for the project as a whole, in conjunction with key stakeholders
• Maintain and manage the Program Plan. This plan should be updated no less frequently than monthly and registered with the Project Management Office for review; ensure the completeness of individual project plans
• Actively manage clear and effective communication between project or work-stream team members and stakeholders.
• Manage globally distributed teams, including Third Party Vendors and Outsourced Partners to guarantee deliverables to Time, Budget and Quality Objectives.
• Actively support the Project team, resolving or escalating risk & issues raised by them and pursuing these to conclusion (either by decision making or escalation).
• Manage the Project Budget as a whole, ensuring that any changes to scope &/or time scales are assessed for their impacts prior to approval or rejection.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in computer information systems, management information systems, computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field.
• A minimum of five (5) experience and expertise in project/program management, portfolio management methodologies and tools.
• Excellent Program Management skills of running complex business programs which include significant Information Technology components.
• Proven track record of software delivery including knowledge of the use of offshore development organizations in a complex, global organization and associated methodologies/processes
• Excellent knowledge of a range of Portfolio / Program / Project / Project Management Office  disciplines with particular emphasis on:
  • Project Management Institute – Project Management Professional (PMI – PMP).
  • Projects In Controlled Environments Version II (PRINCE II).
  • Managing Successfully Program (MSP).
  • Financial Management.
• Experience in managing and controlling a Project Portfolio (including communication, requirements management, dependency management, and quality management planning, testing, training, change control and risk management)
• Ability to adapt to the requirements of the customer, the needs of the sponsors, its environment and people working on it to ensure a successful outcome
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications; knowledge of SAP is an added advantage.