Fragility and Resilience Assistant (RDTS) at African Development Bank - AfDB

Position Number: 50071227 / 50069267
Position Grade: GS5 / GS7

The Complex

• Within the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex (RDVP), the Bank has five (5) Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery (RDIBD) Directorates, one in each region of Africa: North, South, East, West, and Central. Each Regional Directorate is headed by a Director General (DG) and is staffed with the relevant sectoral functions and administrative capabilities for rapid delivery of services to client countries.
• The Regional Directorates provide overall strategic direction to country offices within the regions and are responsible for the Bank’s operations, business development, project management and overall effective delivery of the Bank’s High 5s of ‘Light up and Power Africa,’ ‘Feed Africa,’ ‘Industrialize Africa,’ ‘Integrate Africa,’ ‘Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.

The Hiring Department / Division

• The Transition States Coordination Office (RDTS) is responsible for leading and implementing the African Development Bank Group (the Bank) Strategy for Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in its Regional Member Countries. It coordinates the Bank’s work on addressing fragility and building resilience, including activities of all fragility and resilience professionals stationed in the various Regional Hubs or Country Offices.
• Over the past decade, Africa has seen enormous growth and transformation that has expanded opportunities and improved living conditions for millions of people. More than two-thirds of African countries have strengthened their quality of governance, improved basic services, and expanded economic opportunities.
• Yet, there are significant risks that this momentum could be undermined by important pressures—continuing patterns of exclusion and poverty, unemployment, high migration, rapid urbanization, climate change, and poor management of natural resources—that threaten to overwhelm existing institutional capacities for managing political, economic, social, and environmental challenges.
• These pressures are making every single African country more vulnerable. RDTS aims to place the Bank at the center of Africa’s efforts to address fragility and pave the way for a more resilient and inclusive development trajectory.
• A major part of RDTS’ activities involves the identification of the main drivers of fragility, including economic, social, political, and environmental dimensions, and how the Bank’s programs and projects can contribute to equity and inclusive development. Central to RDTS engagement is the systematic application of a fragility lens to identify, respond to, and prevent fragility and to build resilience and focus the Bank’s engagement in the areas where it can have the biggest impact.

The Position
The Fragility and Resilience Assistant is required to work with a high degree of tact and sensitivity for confidential and strategic issues. The incumbent will be required to support the Department in its work related to fragility and resilience. Specific tasks would include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provide a wide range of assistance to the Fragility and Resilience Team in implementing its work program.
• Act as the focal point for the Department and follow up on matters relating to the dissemination of the Bank’s work on Fragility and Resilience.
• Support the programming and monitoring of resources under the Transition Support Facility, particularly Pillar III.
• Maintain records of the Department’s activities.
• Perform any other duties reasonably requested by management.

Key Functions

• Support the analytical work undertaken by the Fragility and Resilience Team.
• Support the programming and portfolio monitoring of the Transition Support Facility.
• Support the experts in discussions and negotiations with potential partners to foster business relationships with the Bank.
• Provide support in the management of the Transition States Coordination Office webpage and share drive and contribute to the dissemination of reports related to the Bank’s activities in addressing fragility and building resilience.
• Participate in the preparation of multiple events involving RDTS and support in the organization and coordination of meetings with other departments and complexes and with external clients and partners.
• Assist with the procurement of services and supplies for events through requests for quotations and their assessment.
• Perform any other reasonably justified task requested by management.

Competencies (Skills, Experience, and Knowledge)

• Have at least a Bachelor's Degree in Administration, Project Management, or other related disciplines. 
• Have a minimum of four (4) to five (5) years of experience in a relevant area such as Administration, Logistics, Archiving, Procurement, and Communications.
• Ability to understand and follow instructions from management and provide support to Management and Task Managers.
• Good planning skills, with excellent levels of initiative, organization, and leadership.
• Good communication skills and a proven ability to have intercultural sensitivity,
• Proven ability to work in teams and on multiple tasks in parallel with tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to listen to clients - providing effective services and solutions to staff and effectively managing various clients' situations.
• Ability to pay attention to detail with proven organizational skills.
• Ability to handle tasks with tact and understanding.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) and knowledge of SAP.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, with a working knowledge of the other language.