Latest Jobs at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

Reference: ADB/20/131
Locations: Yaounde - Cameroon, Abidjan - Cote d'Ivoire
Grade: PL3
Position N°: 50069781/ 50064955/ 50000991

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.
• The 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 to formulate and implement transport sector policies and strategies, sector reforms to ensure best practices are mainstreamed in policy, planning, programming, institutional governance, and maintenance and operation.
• The Department fosters 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 Position
The Chief Transport Engineer will support the implementation of the Bank Group's vision for transport infrastructure and related services, and its future prospective areas of intervention in the sector.

The main work objectives of the position are the following:

• Leading or contributing to the development of transport infrastructure and the sector as a whole, including strengthening and maintaining the Bank Group's understanding of the sector’s role in national development;
• Lead the preparation, supervision and implementation transport sector projects;
• Lead donor coordination and dialogue through Country Transport Sector Working Group of development partners active in the transport sector;
• Mobilizing resources, particularly through co-financing and other opportunities, for targeted activities in the Bank Group’s work in the transport sector;
• Working with the relevant national authorities and other stakeholders to advise on future investments in the transport sector by the Bank Group; and,
• Working with other transport sector specialists in the region as well as the economists in the regional office to contribute to efforts in knowledge management so as to ensure best practices and lessons learned related to transport development, and institutional/governance approaches are mainstreamed in project design.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the relevant Regional Sector Manager in the regions or Sector Manager at HQ, the incumbent will be required to:

Play a key role in the development of policies and strategies for the transport sector within the Bank and in RMCs in consultation with relevant government agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders:

• Advise Governments on issues pertaining to policy and institutional reforms in the transport sector, especially in the areas of Planning and Programming, transport network development, asset management/maintenance, and Private Sector Participation.
• Coordinate the Participation of Transport sector specialists to country and regional programming activities (CSP and RISP) and ensure that key sector issues and proposed solutions are adequately reflected in the resultant country/regional programming documents.
• Conduct analytical and sector work to inform and underpin the downstream intervention of the Bank in project and program design in the transport sector.

Lead the development of pipeline and lending program for transport projects and programs:

• Provide technical advice with particular regard to transport sector projects (roads/highways, ports, airports, inland waterways and railways), as well as other infrastructure projects;
• Identify suitable projects for inclusion in the Bank Group lending program in the transport sector and be responsible for the formulation of the project concept note identifying key development issues, project/program objectives, risks assessments, budget and timetables for management decisions;
• Advise member countries on the preparation, organization and execution of feasibility studies and assist in drafting Terms of Reference; review the progress reports of studies; select the components to comprise the eventual project; review and supervise the work of consultants engaged by the Borrowers to the assigned projects/studies;
• Lead the preparation and appraisal of transport projects and programs involving broad planning of resources and techno-judgment of alternative ways of shaping projects towards optimal contribution to development objectives; prepare and process the appraisal report involving detailed assessments of technical aspects, economic and financial feasibility, environmental and social safeguards, fiduciary issues, institutional arrangements, etc.

Lead or Coordinate the monitoring of implementation progress of on-going transport projects, programs and technical assistance funded by the Bank:

• Supervise projects; play a key role in following up the progress of projects; supervise and monitor procurement activities for goods, works and services in accordance with Bank Group’s rules; review the submissions from the Borrowers, including tender lists, bidding documents, bid evaluation reports, award recommendation and contracts documents; study and analyze data submitted by Borrower; verify and approve contracts for disbursement of funds;
• Lead or participate in project midterm review missions, sector portfolio review missions and country portfolio review missions and prepare the related reports;
• Lead project completion report mission and collect adequate data for the preparation of the Bank Group’s project completion-report; advise the Bank Group on lessons derived from the project which will guide future intervention in the sector and in the relevant countries; and
• Manage fiduciary responsibilities including procurement and ensuring compliance with the Bank guidelines and the provisions of loan/grant agreements.

Participate in sector dialogue and donor coordination activities:

• Advise regional member countries on Bank Group’s financing requirements; act as a key person to liaise with government officials and spokesman of the Bank Group in the transport sector; negotiate sensitive and delicate policy and sector reforms issues with borrowers and other parties
• Coordinate with other development partners and RMCs for consistency of approach, exchange of experiences, and continuous improvement of practices and integration of transport sector policy commitments to the management of projects.
• Collaborate with other development partners in the transport sector for consistency and harmonization of approach, exchange of experience, partnership and co-financing where appropriate.

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

• Play a leadership role in developing and maintaining a knowledge base in the transport sector, 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 transport sector issues and priorities, technical aspects of projects and Bank rules of procedure, particularly relating to the procurement of goods and services and disbursement; and,
• Lead outreach and advocacy activities, dissemination and knowledge building around transport sector issues.

Selection Criteria

• Hold at least a Master's degree or its equivalent in Civil or Transportation Engineering or related fields.
• A minimum of five (7) years’ experience in the transport sector with proven ability to work on policy, institutional and financing aspects of transport projects, construction and maintenance, contract management and procurement, planning and programming of capital and maintenance works, knowledge of private sector participation, and the connection to economic development and poverty reduction.
• Demonstrated and strong track record in identification, preparation, appraisal, and supervision of public sector Transport & Logistics projects in development finance institutions;
• Thorough Knowledge and Experience in Development and understanding of policymaking process; project and program design, execution, monitoring and evaluation;
• Ability to identify and assess critical policy issues and actively dialogue with governments and/or other stakeholders to develop solutions;
• Strong ability to lead analytical and advisory activities including economic and sector work, technical assistance and training and dissemination of best practice with client countries;
• Ability to lead a team of specialists and to take forward projects, often in collaboration with other partners;
• Effective consultation and advisory skills;
• Communicate and write effectively in either French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); Knowledge of SAP.

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Reference: ADB/20/134
Location: Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Grade: PL4
Position N°: 50001015

The Complex

• The Agriculture, Human and Social Development (AHVP) Complex supports in implementing two of the five goals, namely “Feed Africa” and “Improve the Quality of Life for Africans”. The complex comprises four departments: (i) Agriculture and Agro-Industry Development (AHAI); (ii) Agriculture Finance and Rural Development (AHFR); (iii) Gender, Women and Civil Society; and (iv) Water, Human and Social Development.

The Hiring Department  / Division:

• The Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department 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 18 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/processing; investment in infrastructure; an enabling agribusiness environment; capital flows; and inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition.
• The Department Supports the effort to transform African agricultural systems for greater competitiveness, inclusivity and sustainability, and for enhanced job creation and poverty reduction.

The Position

• The Principal Agricultural Economist will provide technical support to the development and implementation of projects within the flagship programs under the Feed Africa High Fives’ such as Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), ENABLE Youth, Agroprocessing Zones and Corridors program, Postharvest Loss and Agro-Processing (PHAP), etc. Incumbent will also work with the Flagship Coordinators in both AHAI and AHFR.
• He/she will work across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries to support the delivery of development solutions for a diverse set of clients in the rural (and urban) space and in the public and private sectors in line with the Agricultural development, Agribusiness and Agro-Industry agenda of the AfDB Group.
• Using a value-chain approach, the incumbent supports the implementation of this agenda in Regional Member Countries (RMCs), with specific focus on providing technical input for the design, and supervision of projects which (i) promote value chain development, value addition, primary and secondary processing of crops, fisheries and livestock; (ii) catalyze private sector entry and growth in African agribusiness; (iii) promotes agri-SME growth and the commercialization of agriculture, particularly addressing access to finance needs (iv) creates farm to fork market linkages; (v) facilitates the development of agro-poles and agro-processing hubs; (vi) supports the development of an agribusiness enabling environment, and; (vii) invests in hard infrastructure (including roads, markets and irrigation), soft infrastructure (human capital, i.e., trained potential employees, ICT, etc.), and enabling policies and reforms, for transformation of African agriculture into viable, profitable businesses.
• The principal Agribusiness development Officer will need to work closely with private sector experts at the Bank to scale up investments in agribusiness and will design and coordinate the delivery of client solutions and all project management aspects of the deployment of such solutions.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Manager, Agribusiness Development Division (AHAI.1) of the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department and working closely with other Managers in the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department, in the Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department, with the Directors General and other Directors, Country Managers and with external stakeholders, the Principal Agricultural Economist’s roles include but is not limited to:

• Develop coherent programmatic approaches in line with the Bank’s agenda, based on identified needs, priorities and requests of Regional Member Countries
• Formulate public and private investment proposals in agriculture value chain development and promote an enabling environment by the public sector for private sector investment and involvement in agriculture (Agro-industrial parks).
• Carry out technical, economic and sector analysis that will guide and support both public and private sector investments in agriculture (agricultural policy).
• Design technical pathways, estimate funding requirements and propose governance models that will strengthen the performance of agricultural value chains from input supply, agricultural production, harvesting, transportation, storage, marketing and distribution (including export) for greater value addition, improved quality, reduced post-harvest losses and reliability of product supply to consumers (Agro-Industry/Value addition);
• Design and recommend technical services to increase the quality and sustainability of agricultural infrastructure projects intended to scale up production, processing and postharvest handling of agricultural commodities (Agro-industrial parks and corridors development)
• Assess the requirements for hard infrastructure (energy, water, transport, logistics, information, communication technology (ICT) and soft infrastructure (knowledge basis, quality management systems, organizational systems) in projects within the overall Bank infrastructure pipeline as well as with outside partners;
• Carry out technical and economic feasibility studies on initiatives proposed for the strengthening and expansion of agricultural value chains, including market centers, warehouses, cold and dry storage facilities, feeder roads, etc. (agro industry and agribusiness);
• Contribute to the establishment of an Africa-wide policy matrix detailing the five groups of key policy changes required to enable the transformation sought by the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA); key policy areas would be (i) land tenure, (ii) input subsidies, (iii) incentives for local production and processing, (iv) financial sector deepening, and (v) regional integration and trade (Enabling Policy Environment in Agriculture);
• Participate in initiatives and programmes to increase women and youth employment and enhance skills in agribusiness and agripreneurship by providing appropriate technical content;
• Provide technical expertise in agriculture and agro-industrial development programs in the area of vocational/agricultural training and farmer extension activities, including institutional capacity building for farmer organizations such as cooperatives (with Rural Development program);
• Assist the agro-industry flagship coordinator in the development of off-grid rural energy investments for increased agricultural processing opportunities (rural development);
• Assess financing needs and a technical assistance requirement of producers and retailers, and design postharvest loss prevention programs for agricultural cooperatives and SMEs (with agro-industry clusters);
• Prepare and review reports and papers in agribusiness subject matter as requested by senior management;

Selection Criteria

• A minimum of a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness / Agriculture, Agro-Industry or related field.  Possession of a Doctorate degree (Ph.D.) will be an added advantage;
• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant and broad professional experience in agro-industry development, post-harvest losses reduction, linkage with the private sector, project formulation, preparation, appraisal and management, with broad interest in agriculture and water management issues; experience in the Bank/multi-lateral development institutions will be an added advantage;
• Good knowledge of industrial good manufacturing practices (GMP) and key quality issues in an industrial set-up;
• Demonstrable experience of working well in teams within professional and organizational matters;
• Broad knowledge of agricultural commodity value chains, especially in target commodities/operations promoted in the Feed Africa Strategy;
• Hands-on experience in transforming commodities from ‘farm to fork’;
• Operational experience in most regional members countries across Africa, including states in transition;
• Proficiency in the use of COSTABLE in financial analysis;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French; with a working
• knowledge of the other language.
• Competence in the use of standard MS Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project). Knowledge of SAP would be an advantage.