Principal Civil Society Engagement Advocacy Officer at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/18/123
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL4
Position N°: 50076661

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 (i) to develop, policy and strategy; (ii) provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by gathering pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions; (iii) develop new financing instruments; (iv) the VP will act as the spokesperson 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/Division

• The role of the Gender, Women and Civil Society Department is to operationalize the High 5 priority of “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa” with focus on Gender, Women and Civil Society.
• The Gender, Women and Civil Society Department is designed to improve coherence and coordination across Complexes on Gender and Civil Society Organization issues. The department will ensure strategic priorities which are reflected in resources allocation, enhanced monitoring and management of performance, and strengthening the focus on results.
• The Civil Society and Community Engagement Division (AHGC 2) is responsible for Bank-wide cooperation and Engagement with Civil Society. The role of the Division is to coordinate and mainstream Civil Society Engagement (CSE) in AfDB policies and operations. The Division mandate is to coordinate, monitor and report on Bank-wide engagement with Civil Society to ensure that Civil Society engagement is an integral part of the Bank’s procedures and policies; and to build the institutional capacity for CSE in the Bank. 

The Position

• The Principal Civil Society Engagement Advocacy Officer is responsible for ensuring the development, implementation, and monitoring of the Civil Society Engagement Strategy and Action Plan.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Principal Civil Society Engagement Advocacy Officer under the supervisory of the Division Manager, Civil Society and Community Engagement performs the following:

• Ensure the development of the Civil Society Engagement policies and Action Plans.
• Conduct regular reviews of existing policies on the promotion of cooperation with Civil Society;
• Responsible for M&E, knowledge management and reporting issues on CSE;
• Monitor progress achieved on adopting participatory approaches and the extent of participation by stakeholders in Bank financed projects;
• Coordinate the development and revision of approaches, procedures mechanisms and, guidelines for the AfDB Engagement with Civil Society (CS) in delivering the Bank’s strategic priorities;
• Provide information and advice on CSE-related issues in both public and private sector operations;
• Prepare and present relevant documents for senior management’s approval;
• Review and customize good practices from other MDBs; develop tools that support participatory approach in Bank operations including ensuring participatory enhancement at quality at entry of operations;
• Ensure regular update and management of CSO database;
• Coordinates the Civil Society Focal Points;
• Supports the Civil Society Experts in Regional Offices;
• Mobilize resources to strengthen CSO/AfDB relations for institutional support and capacity building for NGOs and CBOs;
• Organize the AfDB-Civil Society Committee meetings; and
• Take responsibility in planning and organization of the Civil Society Forums.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Hold at least a Master's degree or its equivalent in Social Sciences, Economics, Business administration, or related areas.
• Have a minimum of six (6) years of professional experience in participation and civil society engagement, advocacy and policy dialogue skills.
• Demonstrate understanding of regional social issues, analysis and policy formulation; Knowledge of the practices of major bilateral and multilateral partner development agencies in African countries is an added advantage.
• Experience, expertise and capacity for civil society engagement.
• Ability for conceptual and strategic analysis to elaborate and review the Bank CSE Policy and Action Plan.
• Capacity to work across departments and institutional boundaries to coordinate a bank-wide process to mainstream CSE and inclusion into policies, operations and monitor  result to improve the implementation of the Bank CSE Policy and Action Plan; and engages, supports and motivates staff in HQ and Regional Offices to implement efficient ways of civil society engagement.
• Ability to have a corporate communication for external stakeholders.
• Aptitude to develop diagnose and resolve multiple, concurrent problems.
• Ability to handle stress due to multiple and simultaneous and shifting demands, priorities and deadlines.
• Innovation & Creativity: Develop new approaches, procedures and techniques to improve the quality of execution of projects and initiatives and proposes or implements initiatives which improve the organization.
• Communication: Synthesizes multiple/complex messages and identifies appropriate key points for different audiences and extracts key points and ensures that these are communicated directly and efficiently.
• Problem Solving: Identifies high level problems and utilizes business knowledge to resolve these and readily identifies alternative actions or approaches to a problem.
• Client Orientation: Works proactively with clients to achieve superior results and provide leading edge advice and guidance; creates opportunities for expanding and developing new client relationships.
• Team Working & Relationship Management: Solicits input and expertise.  Displays willingness to learn from others including peers and collaborates across the Bank to make things happen.
• Communicate and write effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Competences in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.