Principal Board Quality Control Officer at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/17/459
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL4
Position N°: 50001410

The Complex

• The President, plans, supervises and manages the business of the Bank Group.
• Under the direction of the Boards of Directors, the President conducts the business of the Bank and the African Development Fund and manages operations and activities in accordance with the Agreements establishing the African Development Bank and the African Development Fund.
• The President supervises several Departments and Units including Office of the President (PRST0); Independent Development Evaluation Department (BDEV); Integrity and Anti-Corruption Department (PIAC); Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (BCRM); Secretariat to the Sanctions Appeals Board (BSAB); Administrative Tribunal (BATR); Office of the Auditor General (PAGL); Group Risk Management Directorate (PGRM);  General Counsel and Legal Services Department (PGCL); Communication and External Relations Department (PCER); Staff Integrity and Ethics Office (PETH) and Office of the Secretary General & General Secretariat (PSEG).

The Hiring Department/Division

• The role of the Banks' Office of the Secretary General and the General Secretariat (PSEG) is to facilitate the delivery of the objectives of the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy, High 5s, and Development and Business Delivery Model (DBDM) by enhancing the decision-making process of the governance organs and forging better working relationships with the shareholders and host countries of the Bank. PSEG is comprised of: (i) the Immediate Office of the Secretary General (PSEG0) which has the additional responsibility of managing the Records Management and Archives Section and the Corporate Governance Policy and Shareholder Relations Section; (ii) a Board Affairs and Proceedings Division (PSEG1); (iii) a Protocol, Privileges and Immunities Division (PSEG2); and (iv) a Conferences and Meetings Division (PSEG3).
• The main functions of the Board Affairs and Proceedings Division (PSEG1) under the oversight of the Secretary General are to: (i) Prepare the work programmes, agenda and schedules of meetings of the Boards and the Committees; (ii) Organize meetings of the Boards and their committees, as well as provide them with secretarial services; (iii) Provide secretariat services for the Boards of Governors and their subsidiary organs, and manage the relations between these Boards and Senior Management; (iv) Monitor the implementation of decisions of the Boards by the organizational units concerned; (v) Provide administrative, and support services to Elected Officers, and provide recruitment support for their offices; and (vi) Preserve and safeguard the Bank’s institutional memory.

The Position

• The overall responsibility of this position will be to provide secretariat services for the Boards of Governors and the Boards of Directors, to review and supervise the review of policy, projects and other operational documents to ensure adequate content and quality prior to Board consideration, to manage the work program of the Board and Board Committees and generally facilitate efficient decision-making and enhance communication between the Board Management and staff.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Chief Board Programme Coordinator, Principal Board Quality Officer will perform the following:

• Contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the Boards of Directors and Boards of Governors and Board Committees to enhance the decision-making process;
• Liaise with and assist Board Affairs Officers and Committee Secretary with regards to quality control;
• Supervise the review and editing of Board documents prior to distribution to the Boards of Governors, Boards of Directors, Board Committees, Board Seminars, Board Technical Sessions and other meetings.
• Supervise the coordination with client Complexes and Departments to ensure that documents submitted for distribution to the Boards meet the requisite standard and format and to ensure the proper processing of information in the documents to avoid wrong achieving and difficulty in document retrieval;
• Regularly consult the work programme of the Boards and liaise with Language Services and other client Departments to ensure that the distribution lead times for the various types of documents are respected and are in compliance with the Boards work programme;
• Follow up and coordinate with Relevant complexes and Departments on various issues regarding the preparation of Board meetings including timeliness of delivery of documents;
• Advise and assist client complexes and Departments on the procedure for the preparation and transmission of reports to the Boards (required format, submission lead times and the requisite prior approvals);
• Develop and propose relevant work processes and tools to enhance appropriate processing and codification of documents meant for the Boards;
• Contribute to the preparation and updating of the Boards Rolling agenda of Board Meetings (BRAG);
• Develop and maintain expertise on key issues and policies as well as awareness of EDs views and priorities, so as to be able to anticipate Board concerns, advise management accordingly, propose solutions or recommendations on handling and contribute to corporate-level dialogue;
• Advise PSEG / PSEG1 Management on approaches to complex substantive and procedural issues. Build bridges and work effectively with other areas of the Bank;
• Write briefs, speeches and notes at short notice on various matters concerning the Board, Management or the President’s office;
• Supervise the administration of the Board Dashboard and ensure its efficient operation.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Hold at least a Master's Degree or its equivalent in the Arts, Economics, Macro-economics, Development Studies, Finance, Social sciences and other related disciplines;
• Have a minimum of six years (6) years of relevant professional experience in similar organizations with sound analytical aptitudes;
• Knowledge of Boards of Directors activities and the functioning of the General Secretariat;
• Ability to meet clients’ needs, proven organizational skills, multi-tasking ability and paying attention to detail;
• Demonstrated ability to work flexibly on a range of assignments, adjust to changes in schedule and priorities, juggle concurrent yet disparate tasks effectively and efficiently, and work with very tight deadlines;
• Strong integration and excellent writing skills, capable of pulling together inputs from various sources to write clearly and concisely. Ability to influence across organizational boundaries and communicate persuasively;
• Have the capacity to identify and meet the clients' needs within the framework of the established rules on the processing of reports prepared, and to identify appropriate solutions as well as alternatives when necessary;
• Capacity to represent PSEG / PSEG1 with Executive Directors and Senior Management across the Bank Group. Tact, discretion and diplomatic skills to deal with sensitive issues;
• Have the ability to work quickly and under pressure; attention to details, resourcefulness;
• Ability to achieve results and identify mission-driven solutions for the clients;
• Ability to initiate collaboration across boundaries and broadly across the Bank Group, bringing differing ideas into the forefront.
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Experience in operations dealing with projects and / or policy;
• Have the capacity to provide intellectual and technical support to Bank’s staff and consultants;
• Operational effectiveness;
• Innovation and creativity;
• Problem-solving;
• Communication;
• Client orientation;
• Team working and relationship management;
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, with a working knowledge of the other;
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft software (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint). Knowledge of SAP is advantageous;
• Competence in the use of Board Papers and any IT tools that can support Board effectiveness and lead to a Paperless Board.