Chief Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer / Rural Infrastructure Development at African Development Bank - AfDB

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 pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions;
  • Develop new financing instruments;
  • 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 Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department (AHFR) provides support for the delivery of Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016-2025. The strategy aims to end hunger and rural poverty in the next decade through self-sufficiency in 15 priority commodity value chains specific to the continent’s agro-ecological zones.
• Realizing the objectives set forth in the strategy requires increased productivity; value addition; investment in infrastructure; an enabling agribusiness environment; capital flows; and inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition.
• The Department leads the effort to mobilize the required finance to implement Feed Africa and provides support for the implementation of all rural development activities in Regional Member Countries (RMCs). The AHFR Department is structured into two Divisions:
  • Agriculture and Rural Finance Division; and
  • Rural Infrastructure Development Division.
• The Rural Infrastructure Development Division will support the Directorate General Hubs in the design and executions of the programs to develop hard & soft Infrastructure that would boost productivity, agro-processing, storage, transportation and trade of agricultural produce, as well as enabling distribution and improved use of quality agricultural inputs.

The Position
The job of the Chief Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer in the Rural Infrastructure Development Division is:

• Designing and implementing of quality hard and soft rural infrastructure, in particular, for the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs), critical for the agricultural transformation in Africa;
• Supporting Regional Directorates/Business Development Units with innovative business models, specifically public private partnership, private sector-led management and operation to implement the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs);
• Partnering with financial institutions and commercial banks to find solutions for financing tenant companies in the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) along the key priority agricultural value chains;
• Developing knowledge and share lessons of special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) that have successfully provided value chain related employment opportunities to women and youth;
• Carrying out policy dialogue for a business enabling environment for special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs), which includes the legal, regulatory and institutional framework;
• Mobilizing resources for special agro-industrial processing zones from other Development Partners, Development Financial institutions and Non-Traditional sources including climate financing, sovereign wealth funds and pension funds
• Providing implementation support and supervise the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) to ensure effective contribution to the goals of the Feed Africa Strategy, impact poverty, enhance competitiveness and transform agriculture.

Key Functions
Reporting to the Division Manager, the Chief Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer will be responsible for:

Technical oversight:

• Innovation and Technical Advice in Design and Implementation of Public Private Partnerships
• Developing innovative rural infrastructure approaches with specific focus on developing special agro-industrial zones through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) and a private sector lens;
• Understanding the specifications required in project design and feasibility study for specific special agro-industrial processing zones to be commercially viable and attractive to tenant companies;
• Capacity building of regional and country staff and implementing partners to apply and adapt private sector led infrastructure models for Bank designs, tailored to the local conditions, environment and country priorities;
• Providing deep sector expertise for design, implementation and supervision of projects by gathering experts for projects and work with a network of consultants, transaction advisors, service providers, implementing partners and private sector developers;

Knowledge Sharing on Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones:

• Monitoring implementation around a set of impact indicators around development impact and job creation for women and youth and share best practices, and share lessons learnt;
• Developing guidelines, toolkits and other knowledge products based on best practice emanating from empirical evidence during project implementation;

Policy and Partnerships with Public and Private Stakeholders:

• Carrying out stakeholder engagement and increased private sector participation in special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) and associated rural infrastructure;
• Developing and carry out an alliance strategy with financial institutions at the country level to support small medium size enterprises;

Teamwork:

• Being a collaborative member of the department Management Team, contribute and share expertise and input and foster a collegial environment;
• Building strong relationship management and understand the business needs to assist in developing practical and effective solutions;

Leadership:

• Managing the efficient use of the financial and human resources of the Division, including the career development of staff.  On the technical front the work requires analytical and strategic skills, as well as personal knowledge and practical experience in the main areas of Bank intervention;
• Supervising complex project identification, preparation and appraisal for Bank Group financing and verify quality of the projects;

Staff engagement:

• Leading People: Serve as a role model, leading by example, builds alignment and commitment. Is courageous in challenging others to move the Bank forward;
• Promoting collaboration and facilitate teamwork across teams and across organizational units;
• Maintaining a high standard of professional integrity, treat individuals fairly and respectively and be sensitive to differences across culture, nationalities and gender;

Corporate communication:

• Ensuring effective communication between the Management and staff of the Bank, the authorities of member countries, officials from other organizations;
• Monitoring best practice in the industry and, as appropriate, liaise with counterparts in other organization.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Agronomy, Economics, Finance or Engineering, or related field of study with strong rural development and engineering experience;
• Have a minimum of seven (07) years of relevant professional experience in the area of rural infrastructure development and 3 years working on Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones in a managerial capacity in an international multilateral institution;
• Sound Experience with International Development Financing Institutions in developing countries including a satisfactory knowledge of their operational policies and procedures;
• Proven leadership in matters relating to rural development such as policy dialogue, technical review of reports and consultation with other financiers, among others;
• Knowledge of Africa and the rural development needs, opportunities, development challenges and possible solutions;
• Deep understanding of rural infrastructure development;
• Having Private Sector Experience is advantageous;
• Operational Effectiveness;
• Problem Solving;
• Client Orientation
• Team working and relationships;
• Communication;
• Ability to communicate and write effectively in French or English languages, preferably with a working knowledge of the other language;
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.