Principal Co-Financing Officer at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/18/019
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL4
Position N°: 50093715

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, Co-Financing and Financial Technical Services Department (FIST) is to:

• Provide centralized syndications and financial technical services 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 mobilization targets and KPIs; and
• Serve 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

• Reporting to the Syndications and Co-financing Division Manager, the Principal Co-Financing Officer develops and maintains close relationships with the donor and development finance community with a view to facilitating and maximizing co-financing of sovereign and non-sovereign projects utilizing both existing and new co-financing arrangements and facilities.
• Existing arrangements presently include the Nigerian Trust Fund, the Accelerated Co-Financing Facility for Africa (Japan), the Africa Growing Together Fund (China), Agence Française de Développement (France), KOAFEC Co-Financing Facility (Korea), PAGODA (European Commission), the Islamic Development Bank and other ad hoc arrangements based on general cooperation agreements (MOUs).

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Syndications and Co-financing Division Manager, the Principal Co-Financing Officer will perform the following:

• Creatively and proactively strive to ensure the effective utilization, implementation and management of the Bank’s existing and future co-financing facilities and partnership arrangements.
• Facilitate communication and the flow of information within the Bank and with external stakeholders;
• Coordinate with key internal counterparts (Office of the Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery; Regional and Country Program Officers; Sector Departments and project Task Managers among others) to identify co-financing opportunities in the Bank’s pipeline for the attention of relevant co-financing facilities coordinators.
• Manage/Coordinate one or more co-financing facilities or partnership arrangements as may be assigned.
• Acquire and apply expert knowledge of Bank’s co-financing facilities and Bank’s project cycle to support and ensure Bank’s overall achievement and compliance with co-financing and partnership agreements as well as Bank’s applicable policies and procedures.
• Track, acquire, consolidate, verify and analyse relevant information from many sources, both internal and external, including information on project evaluation and development results.
• Prepare regular/required reports on co-financing activities etc., support and contribute to the preparation of other internal and external reports as needed.
• Promote knowledge and awareness of Bank’s co-financing arrangements; prepare a variety of other documents and materials as may be required from time to time, e.g., for promotion and public relations, training, explaining the achievements and development results attained through co-financing, etc.
• Contribute constructively to the design and development of new facilities/arrangements.
• Contribute constructively to the formulation and review of relevant Bank policies, rules and procedures.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• At least a Master’s Degree (or its equivalent) in Development Economics, Business Administration or related disciplines.
• At least six (06) years of relevant experience acquired in, e.g., a reputable development finance institution or bilateral aid agency.
• The ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other language.
• Additional useful languages, e.g., Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, other Romance languages
• Strong writing skills are essential; plus analytical and quantitative skills.
• Understanding of global aid architecture and familiarity with current development issues and events in the development arena.
• Knowledge of Bank or other MDB/DFI project cycle activities and applicable rules, policies, procedures and standard practices, including procurement and disbursement.
• Experience with Bank or comparable large Public/International Organization administrative rules and procedures, e.g., budget, work program, recruitment and management of consultants, etc.
• Ability to fully utilize systems, policies and procedures to solve problems and deliver required results.
• Demonstrated strategic, creative and logical thinking, initiative, problem-solving, common sense, sound reasoning and judgement.
• Ability to plan and organize, achieve desired results on a timely basis.
• Professional demeanor – diplomatic, punctual, well-organized, respectful, ethical, reliable, confident, decisive.
• Teamwork – collaboration, networking, relationship management.
• Demonstrated competence in the use of standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Experience with SAP work environment.