Senior Innovation Platform Officer, at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/17/050/2
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50091920

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 pool of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions;
  • Develop new financing instruments;
  • The Vice President will act as the spoke person 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

• The Human and Social Development Department spearheads the Bank wide Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy implementation coordination as well as the achievement of the High 5s on “Improving the Quality of Life of People in Africa” and contributes to the other High 5s.
• The Department supports scaling-up of Bank’s support to strengthening Jobs for Youth Flagship coordination, education, skills, employment, health systems and nutrition, for industrialization and economic transformation.
• The Department leads the Bank’s support to Africa’s economic transformation by:
  • Developing and promoting the adoption of relevant policies and strategies;
  • Providing deep multi-sector expertise to the regional hubs by gathering pool of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide technical advice on complex transactions (Communities of Practice);
  • Developing new financing instruments; and, 
  • Fostering strategic partnerships to leverage resources into the human and social development sectors.

The Position

• The African Development Bank adopted in May 2016, the “Jobs for Youth in Africa” Strategy for the period of 2016 – 2025. This Strategy responds to the priorities in Bank’s Ten Year Strategy and the New Corporate Priorities (High 5).
• Creating productive jobs for the youth would improve their living conditions and enhance their engagement in Africa’s growth and economic transformation.
• The Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy was launched during the Bank’s annual meetings in May, 2016, in Lusaka to commence its operationalization.
• Under the Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy, it is envisaged to create a Knowledge and Innovation Lab to address constraints relating to lack of information by existing enterprises, job seekers and potential young entrepreneurs by scaling promising interventions, incubating new solutions, and developing feedback mechanisms that enable continuous learning.
• The Innovation Platform Officer will be responsible of the establishment and/or the day to day management the Lab.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the general supervision of the Director in charge of the implementation of the Jobs strategy, the incumbent shall carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

• Design the Jobs for Youth in Africa Knowledge and Innovation platform.
• Coordinate the Jobs for Youth in Africa Knowledge and Innovation platform timely launch.
• Work with the Jobs for Youth in Africa coordinator and the team members to develop contents for the platform.
• Manage the day to day activities of the Knowledge and Innovation Lab.
• Continuously research, evaluate, and propose improvements to the Lab Platform.
• Direct involvement in building, refining, and polishing contents for the Lab.
• Evaluate and recommend new and emerging technologies to enhance the Lab platform.
• Liaise and network closely with the Bank’s Youth Employment Task Team in planning, reviewing, managing and supporting the implementation of activities through the Lab.
• Work closely with young entrepreneurs, incubators, private sector, donors and other relevant stakeholders for the Lab.
• Monitor and track the number of Small and Medium-Size Enterprises and jobs created with the support of the Lab.
• Carry out other technical tasks and coordination as required by the Jobs for Youth in Africa coordinator or the Director of the Department.

Selection Criteria
Including Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Hold at least a Master's Degree Business Administration, Social Sciences, Education, Development, Public Policy or a relevant Information and Communication Technology Development area.
• Have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience working in web platform management.
• Have at least five (5) years previous experience/exposure to managing IT platforms related to youth sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurship, employment creation.
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Excellent knowledge of web design standards.
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills.
• Strong software product lifecycle management experience.
• Strong Information Technology skills combined with a good head for business.
• Ability to explain complex systems in simple terms.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and within constraints.
• Ability to communicate and write effectively in English or French with a working knowledge of the other.
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).