Team Assistant, FIRM2 at African Development Bank - AfDB

Position Number: 50001116
Position Grade: GS5

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 / Division

• As part of the Finance Complex, the Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Department (FIRM) has fiduciary responsibility for strategic concessionary resource mobilization, as well as donor relationship management and reporting, with the aim to complement and leverage the financial resources and instruments of the African Development Bank Group.
• FIRM is comprised of two Divisions – FIRM.1 and FIRM.2 with primary accountability to increase the pool and types of funding available to the Bank's regional member countries (RMCs). The Department sits under the Finance Vice Presidency (FIVP). FIRM.1 is responsible for resource mobilization initiatives and partnerships with sovereign entities.
• It is mandated to mobilize, allocate and monitor resources for the Bank’s statutory capital, including the African Development Fund (ADF) the concessional window. FIRM.1 leads the partnership with sovereign entities such as bilateral aid agencies and manages most bilateral trust funds of traditional partners. FIRM.2 is responsible for managing relationships with new partners, emerging economies and non-sovereign partnerships.
• The Division is responsible for the Trust Fund (TF) Policy, promotes co-financing with multilateral development banks and bilateral agencies and finds ways to partner with non-traditional donors. It also provides guidance and oversight for the implementation of trust funds and special funds.
• As the global financial architecture evolves, the Bank Group strives to be a leader in best practices and emerging developments in relation to resource mobilization and partnership approaches. A new Trust Fund Policy was approved in 2021 to ensure that the Bank Group’s trust funds are fit-for-purpose and to respond to both current and evolving requirements.
• The 2021 Trust Fund Policy proposed, among others, the following two key changes: 1) in addition to grants, trust funds can now receive and provide reimbursable grants, loans, equity, guarantees, and any other financial instrument available to the Bank; 2) the creation of the Project Specific Vehicle (PSV).

FIRM.2 Division Fulfils the Following Functions:

• Leads the institution’s partnership with emerging shareholder countries (e.g., China, Korea, India, Brazil) and their bilateral aid agencies; multilateral bodies including the European Union, the United Nations, and African Union; and non-sovereign partnerships such as corporates and philanthropic foundation.
• Leads the strategic negotiations for the setting up of financial vehicles and institutional frameworks, necessary for the institution to accept external resources, including all co-financing facilities and trust funds financed by external partners.
• Oversees fiduciary management of the institution’s bilateral, thematic trust funds and special funds; that is, mobilize, allocate, monitor, and support the management of non-statutory capital ensuring compliance with the African Development Bank Group’s rules and the commitments taken upon the replenishment negotiations, as applicable.
• Monitors and manages relationships with existing and new partners, serving as the secretariat for the review committee for new partnerships (i.e., Standing Committee on Partnerships).
• Identifies innovative ways to partner with non-traditional donors and leverage new resource mobilization tools and approaches (e.g., Project Specific Vehicle, crowdsourcing, blockchain) to evaluate their potential applicability and viability for the institution.
• Researches and positions the institution to respond to emerging thematic resource mobilization trends Assists other organizational units of the Bank Group to identify resources for their initiatives (i.e., Jobs for Youth Program, Climate Action Window), including through the coordination of the resource mobilization experts sitting within other Bank Group business units.
• Houses innovative financial products and risk mitigation instruments which catalyze private capital to finance development in Africa (e.g., Private Sector Credit Enhancement Facility) under a blended finance approach.
• Reports globally on the use of resources placed in trust at the African Development Bank Group to management and to outside parties, as required.
• Develops and disseminates to internal and external audiences’ trainings, capacity building, guidance papers and policy documents on resource mobilization at the African Development Bank (e.g., member to MDB Roundtable on Trust Funds and Co-Financing, Business Opportunity Seminars).

The Position

• Under the supervision of the FIRM.2 Manager, the Team Assistant will work closely with the Division Manager and the Team to provide administrative support.
• The incumbent of the position will help the Division Manager and the team to make the best use of their time by dealing with secretarial and administrative tasks.

Key Functions
Under the supervision of the FIRM.2 Manager, the Team Assistant will carry out the following duties:

• Ascertain the quality of documents requiring the approval and / or signature of staff members;
• Ensure that documents are handled in a timely manner and transmitted to the Division Manager for signature and thereafter sending signed documents electronically to the concerned colleagues in the ecosystem for further appropriate action;
• Prepare and finalize draft correspondence (mails, letters, internal memos, etc.) concerning various aspects, on behalf of staff members, and ensure its follow-up;
• Participate in division staff meetings, take notes and produce reports; prepare minutes of staff members’ meetings;
• Ensuring timely submission to the Division Manager of requested deliverables by following-up with staff members in the Division and consolidating inputs as needed;
• Process staff members’ back-to-office reports;
• Maintain an appropriate filing system; Maintain the architecture for electronic archiving of the resource mobilization and partnership function (partnerships, trust funds, etc.) to ensure compliance with audit rules and regulations.
• Liaise on a regular basis with the Administrative Assistant of FIRM Department for administrative issues including budget related issues;
• Make travels arrangements for mission of the Division Manager and staff members in the Division;
• Organize Division meetings by making timely reservation for meeting rooms, ensuring adequate connection of video/audio conference equipment and display of PowerPoint presentations during such meetings;
• Assist with the organization of donors/partners visit to the Bank HQ as well as internal and external outreach activities, such as Business Opportunities Seminars and Brown Bag Seminars.
• Support events logistics including communication, participants management, room booking, catering, travel, etc.
• Coordinate with the Bank's Information Technology Services Department, if necessary, for needs relating to SAP/BPPS/ATRS/SRAS and IT issues.
• Support the hiring and contractual management of consultants of the Division. Organize the selection process, communicate with the candidates and the evaluation panelists, consolidate the scoring sheets, draft the selection memos and contracts. Facilitate the payment of consultants.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold a minimum of Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent in Business Administration, Commerce, Administration or a related field, supplemented by training in secretarial functions/ administration / office management;
• Have a minimum of four (4) years of relevant experience in progressive positions, attached to an executive’s office, preferably in an international organization;
• Be able to work under pressure and to prioritize in the dynamic setting of an international and multicultural setting;
• Ability to handle speedily and efficiently internal and external requests;
• Ability to manage simultaneous and shifting demands, priorities and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of standard equipment (computer, scanner, photocopies, etc.);
• Demonstrable commitment to delivering excellent customer service focused reception and administration services;
• Be able to multitask, excellent problem solving skill and attention to detail;
• Effective communication; highly client oriented, good team working and relations;
• Ability to work and cooperate with others from diverse background and therefore operate effectively in a multicultural organization;
• Good innovative and creative approaches to activities in order to enhance performance and create added benefits for the clients and the organization;
• Integrity and confidentiality ;
• Proficiency in written and verbal communication in English or French, with a good working knowledge of the other
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint); Knowledge of SAP or other ERP systems would be an asset.