Senior Syndication Assistant at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/17/455
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: GS8
Position N°: 50093581

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency for Finance oversees the financial management of the Bank Group. This encompasses the Bank Group’s treasury activities including borrowings from the capital markets and investment activities; controllership functions including financial reporting and loan administration; strategic resource mobilization and the strengthening of the non-statutory financial resources and instruments; the overall asset/liability management for the Bank Group.

The Hiring Department

• The role of the Syndications and Financial Technical Services Department (FIST) is to mobilize and increase in Africa and outside Africa resources for the financing of investment projects and programmes; and promote investment in Africa of public and private capital in projects or programmes designed to contribute to the economic development or social progress of regional member countries.
• The Co-Financing and Syndication Division (FIST.1) executes the following functions:
  • Provide centralised syndications, co-financing and financial technical services (i.e. client solutions) to the entire Bank Group cutting across both public and private sectors lending activities and across products;
  • Establish and coordinate the achievement of bank-wide co-financing targets and KPIs; and
  • Serve, through syndication and co-financing as a platform to build institutional capacity for two related activities, namely balance sheet management (risk mitigation on the existing portfolio) and agency functions which are the back office activities needed to support a full service syndication function.

The Position

• The Senior Syndication Assistant will support a dynamic team of professionals in, inter alia, tracking market terms and conditions (e.g. margins and fees, tenors, etc.), maintaining a database of co-financiers (e.g. regional DFIs, MDBs, , loan approvals and disbursements by loan products, and developing and marketing the Bank’s co-financing and B loan programs. The Senior Syndication Assistant will also research and prepare various market reports for Management, as needed. The main duties of the job holder includes but not limited to:
  • Provide administrative support; ensure the efficient functioning of the Division on a daily basis;
  • Coordinate all office management activities and interface with organizational units and external parties;
  • Track market players, market “best practices” and “typical” terms and conditions; and
  • Maintain a database of co-financiers (e.g. regional DFIs, MDBs, commercial banks, etc.), loan approvals and disbursements by loan products.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of  the Division Manager - Co-financing and Syndications, the Senior Syndication Assistant will perform the following:

Workflow Management:

• Devise and maintain efficient office systems.
• Track and follow-up on documents, draft letters and memoranda, monitor incoming emails, deal with faxes and general correspondence and briefs.
• Ensure secure filing of sensitive and confidential information.
• Perform proof reading of translated documents to ensure comparability with the original texts.

Office Administration:

• Organize and attend to multiple meetings, appointments, luncheons and events to ensure that responsible management is well prepared.
• Arrange travel, visa and accommodation; travel occasionally with management to provide general assistance. Arrange logistics for visiting delegations, including FIST.1 experts and consultants.
• Handle internal and general public enquiries; screen telephone calls from within the bank and from external collaborators, and handle them as appropriate; welcome and look after visitors; organize and maintain electronic diaries and to make and follow-up on appointments.
• Provide assistance to staff members reporting directly to the supervisor and to the FIST.1 experts, in addition to providing assistance to their direct reports.
• Provide general administrative support for the Division by liaising with General Services Department (CHGS) in respect of office accommodation, allocation of office furniture, equipment and supplies as allocated to the Division. Request for repair and maintenance works and follow-up to ensure that such works have been satisfactorily carried out.
• Initiate and prepare various administrative documents and forms, such as staff lists, staff absences (annual leave, home leave, excuses absence, and maternity leave), as well as statistical data on staff, as required.

Resource Management:

• Manage systems and subscriptions (in particular DebtDomain, but also LoanRadar, etc.); create and process expense reports in SAP.
• Be conversant with DACON applications and procurement rules in regard to hiring of consultants.
• Assist the management in issues concerning resources such as administrative budget; monitor and review expenses and bring issues to the attention of management.
• Participate in the preparation of the annual budget and reporting by inputting data and monitoring thereof.
• Participate in the monitoring and update data on work schedule and Key Performance Indicators.

Analytical Work (General):

• Produce documents, briefing papers, reports, spreadsheets and presentations.
• Take notes at meetings, write letters, and prepare minutes as requested.
• Assist where applicable with the programming of operational activities by using the appropriate software.

Analytical Work (Specific):

• Operate and maintain a database of investors / co-financiers and terms and conditions offered by transaction / loan product :
• Keep track and follow up on transactions financed on the primary market through syndicated, parallel or A/B loans.
• Keep track and follow up on transactions on the secondary market.
• Identify terms and conditions (e.g. margins, fees, tenors, etc.) applicable to transactions or stated in loan agreements based on information available on the market or gathered through contacts with sponsors, other co-financiers, etc.
• Development and marketing of co-financing and syndication products:
• Support the research and the gathering of information on terms and conditions available for transactions on the market (primary and secondary).
• Assist in the preparation of information memoranda, pricing notes, market soundings notes, etc.
• Assist in developing training, communication and marketing materials as well as staff and borrowers’ information campaigns.
• Conduct product analysis and keep abreast of financial innovation, monitor economic and political trends in the international bank debt markets, and assess impact on the competiveness of the Bank’s products, pricing, etc.
• Research and provide all requisite background information on relevant bank debt markets, regulatory environment, etc., to assist in preparing relevant documents (including pitches, reports, and information memoranda).

Selection Criteria
Including Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Hold at least a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Commerce, Business Administration or related discipline.
• Training in secretarial science and / or administration and / or office management are added advantage. 
• Have a minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience working in a senior executive office, preferably in an international commercial bank.
• Background in investment and development banking with experience in working with private sector stakeholders will be an added advantage.
• Budgeting and planning skills.
• Finance - Working knowledge of a range of financing alternatives and financial instruments; can conduct a range of financial analyses.
• Analytical skills.
• Office administration and organization skills.
• Basic knowledge of Bank loan products, debt markets, financial instruments, syndication strategies, project contractual environment and risk management methodologies.
• Innovation and creativity.
• Communication.
• Client orientation.
• Problem solving
• Team working and relationships.
• Operational effectiveness.
• 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 MS office applications (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) and preferably SAP- Loan Administration.