Senior Infrastructure Specialist at African Development Bank - AfDB

The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization is central to the Bank’s mission of developing the private sector, improving infrastructure and accelerating industrialization.
• complex main functions are to (i) strengthen the enabling environment for private sector [and financial sector] development conducive to inclusive growth and sustainable development, (ii) support the development of reliable and sustainable infrastructure, including cities and urban development, and (iii) place renewed emphasis on industrial and trade performance in support of structural transformation across Africa.
• The Complex leverages knowledge, co-financing, and partnerships to attract private capital and work with governments on delivering the Bank’s development agenda.

The Hiring Department

• The Infrastructure and Urban Development Department (PICU) provides assistance to the Bank Regional Member Countries (RMCs) in the form of loans and grants to finance transport projects and programs; and non-lending knowledge products and capacity building to formulate and implement transport sector policies and strategies, sector reforms and transport sector plans to ensure best practices are mainstreamed in policy, planning, programming, institutional governance, and maintenance and operation.
• The role of the Infrastructure and Urban Development is to foster advancement of infrastructure and cities in Africa by detailed development of appropriate interventions which the Bank might finance on a regional, national or a continent-wide basis.

The Hiring Division

• The Infrastructure Partnerships Division (PICU 3) is one of four Divisions within the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department (PICU) in the Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization vice presidency (PIVP) of the Bank. The Division is responsible for supporting the development of regional infrastructure in all the four main sectors of transport, energy, ICT and Water, to promote regional integration in Africa. In addition, the Division hosts the secretariat of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA), manages the NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF), and is leading development of the Bank’s Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) strategic framework and Transaction Advisory Services Support to Regional Member Countries (RMCs).

The Position

• The Senior Infrastructure Specialist will support the implementation of the Bank Group's vision for infrastructure development and related services, and its future prospective areas of intervention in the sector.

The main work objectives of the position are the following:

• Contributing to the development of infrastructure and the sector as a whole, including strengthening and maintaining the Bank Group's understanding of the sector’s role in national and regional development.
• Contribute to the Division’s mandate of preparing regional infrastructure projects in transport, energy, ICT and water sectors in all regions of the continent.
• Contributing to the other key functions and work streams of the division such as those relating to the hosting of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) Secretariat, Public Private Partnerships Transaction Advisory Services workstream.
• Actively participating in the donor engagement, and infrastructure partnerships dialogue internally within the Bank and externally as part of the Division’s work programmes.
• Supporting the mobilization of resources, particularly through co-financing and other opportunities, for targeted activities.
• Working with the relevant continental, regional, and national authorities and other stakeholders on planned and on-going infrastructure development initiatives, programmes, and projects engaged in by the Division; and,
• Working with other Bank sector specialists at Headquarters and in the regions to contribute to efforts in knowledge management and sharing so as to ensure best practices and lessons learned related to infrastructure development, and institutional/governance approaches are mainstreamed in project design.

Key Functions
Under the supervision of the Division Manager (PICU.3), the incumbent will be required to:

• Support Infrastructure project preparation and PPP Transaction Advisory Services activities in the different regions in consultation with relevant institutions, partners, and stakeholders.
• Manage project identification and pipeline development activities for projects submitted for NEPAD-IPPF assistance.
• Lead project screening and prioritization activities as part of annual work programme development for the NEPAD-IPPF and PPP workstream operations.
• Lead quality at entry in the preparation and processing of NEPAD-IPPF Grants for infrastructure projects, and PPP workstream operations, including taking part in operational missions, writing required project documents, contributing to consultations and process meetings until approval.
• Lead project portfolio management activities including tracking and monitoring implementation progress, supervision, reviewing and processing procurement and disbursement activities up to and including the preparation of Project Completion Reports, the review of clients’ audit reports, and other close out activities.
• Undertake as assigned and support NEPAD-IPPF global Fund management activities including overall portfolio monitoring and management, preparation of Fund periodic reports to its Governance structures and other audiences, resources mobilization activities and stakeholders and partners engagement activities.

Support Infrastructure Knowledge, data management and reporting activities:

• Lead infrastructure development data collection, analysis and reporting, covering the different sectors and regions of the continent as required for management reports, presentations, donor, partners, and stakeholder’s engagement purposes.
• Undertake and work with other Task Managers in recruitment and management of service providers and consultants engaged by the Division for specific work programme activities.
• Prepare as assigned and support the preparation of briefs, talking points and presentations for senior management and other members of the team.

Support the Division’s Infrastructure Partnership Activities, sector dialogue and donor coordination activities:

• Advise Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Specialized Infrastructure Institutions and Regional Member Countries on Bank Group’s financing requirements.
• Participate in engagements and collaboration with other development partners, private sector and stakeholders in infrastructure development for consistency and harmonization of approach, exchange of experience, partnership and co-financing where appropriate.

Contribute to dissemination of best practices in Transport integrating a broad spectrum of issues:

• Lead the development and maintenance of a knowledge base in infrastructure, keeping abreast of the latest developments and issues related to policy and planning, institutional development, design and construction, financing, operation and maintenance, and regulation.
• Provide support to heads of executing agencies, in terms of advice and expertise concerning different infrastructure development issues and priorities, technical aspects of projects and Bank rules of procedure, particularly relating to procurement of goods and services and disbursement; and,
• Support activities related to advocacy, dissemination and knowledge building around infrastructure development issues.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold at least a Master's Degree in Economics, Statistics, Engineering, International Development or related fields.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in infrastructure project preparation, infrastructure operations planning, and infrastructure project portfolio management; generation of infrastructure statistics and overall data collection, management, and analysis; procurement and contract management of initiatives and project studies within the following four sectors: Water, ICT, Energy, and Transport, adhering to the procedures of multilateral development banks.
• Experience in planning and supervising the implementation of regional and continental infrastructure projects, aimed at connecting countries and regions of Africa.
• Experience in applying project portfolio management and monitoring tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of project implementation. This includes ensuring timely communication of information to Donors, RECs, and RMCs.
• Good working knowledge of the information necessary for project cycle activities, portfolio management, planning, work programs, budget preparation, and financial management in multilaterals development banks.
• Be able to apply advanced technical knowledge, skills and expertise in infrastructure to advise and support Bank teams, Bank clients, and infrastructure development stakeholders in the implementation of Bank infrastructure strategy, policy, and implementation framework.
• Full understanding of the principles of the project cycle with good experience in result-based project management, logical framework, and theory of change.
• Be able to apply technical skills in a team role to resolve and manage complex issues in relation to infrastructure project/program design and implementation from a broad developmental goal of poverty reduction.
• Competence in decision-making, team working and self-motivation.
• Policy dialogue skills – Ability to identify and assess critical infrastructure policy issues and actively dialogue with government counterparts and/or other stakeholders to develop solutions.
• Excellent spoken and written English; a working knowledge of French will be advantageous.
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); Knowledge of SAP.