Division Manager - Power Utilities at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

Reference: ADB/19/173
Location: Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire
Position N°: 50092423
Grade: PL2

The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for ‘Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth’ is a Sector Complex focusing on the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy High 5s priority of “Light up and Power Africa”
• The complex’s objectives are:
  • To develop policy and strategy
  • Provide deep sector technical expertise to the Regions by gathering pool of experienced individuals who can be consulted for their expertise on complicated transactions
  • Develop new financing instruments
  • Act as spokesperson and represent the Bank with external stakeholders on all aspects of “Light Up and Power Africa”
• The Complex will focus on areas of Power systems, policy and regulation, renewable energy; and, Climate and Green Growth.

The Hiring Department/Division

• Within the Bank’s Power, Energy Climate and Green Growth Vice Presidency, the Power Systems Development, the “Power Utilities” Division supports the Bank’s Regional Member Countries, Regional Economic Communities, Power Pools, Regulators and other stakeholders, to develop and improve their own Power Systems
• The “Power Utilities” Division has the overall mandate to build knowledge and provide leadership in utilities management and transformation

The Position

• The Manager leads a team of experts that collectively have overall responsibility for providing deep sectoral expertise in reforming utilities, enhancing operational performance through loss reduction and increased efficiency, and promoting on-grid transmission, distribution and access programmes, including regional projects and support to the power pools.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Director Power Systems development, the incumbent will perform the following:

• Coordinate the delivery of flagships as relevant to ensure delivery of the New Deal on Energy objectives;
• Ensure the Division provides advisory support to Regional Member Countries and Task Managers, primarily in the Central Region, in the preparation and implementation of Country / Regional Strategy Papers, complex and innovative projects aiming at reforming utilities and enhancing / benchmarking management performance through transmission / distribution network rehabilitation and expansion, and loss reductions and increased efficiency;
• Ensure that the Division takes a leadership role, along with Hub-based staff, in the process of identification, preparation and execution of operations related to the transformation of utilities, including last mile access programmes;
• Lead, in conjunction with other teams, all operations (investment plan support, technical assistance) to support transformation;
• Coordinate with the Hubs and governance units in conducting policy / result based operations and technical assistance to support utility reforms and private sector participation;
• Ensure the Division provides deep sector expertise for quality assurance: preparation of terms of reference, review and validation process of feasibility studies and utility performance diagnostic;
• Ensure timely review and quality assurance of project preparation, appraisal and supervision documents vis-à-vis technical, financial and economic requirements;
• with other Departments in the Complex (i.e. Energy Financial Solutions, Renewable Energy and Climate & Green Growth) on relevant policy and regulatory matters and the technical (and financial) structuring and  analysis of complex / innovative projects, including those involving private sector participation (e.g. streamlining / standardization of project and transaction documentation, and financing instruments);
• Ensure delivery of economic and sector work related to utility performance benchmarking in collaboration with other directorates of the complex;
• Undertake any other tasks the Vice President or Director may assign

Selection Criteria

• Hold at least a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering or related disciplines.
• Have a minimum of 8 years of experience (including 3 years management experience) in utilities or in the power sector including utility turn around exposure, power interconnections and/or power trade;
• Having Private sector experience will be an added advantage;
• Experience working across multiple institutions and ensuring collaboration across public, private, and civil society sectors is essential.
• Experience in a combination of the following areas will be essential: Regional integration, infrastructure development and policy; public-private sector partnerships; and/or regulatory specialization along with experience of working on Management Contracts, Concession Agreements;
• Ability to innovate and create approaches to activities in order to enhance performance;
• Ability to communicate effectively and mobilize key actors to delivery (private sector, public sector and civil society);
• Proven ability to build multi-organization partnerships to manage complex objectives and achieve sustainable policy and regulatory environment across Africa;
• Proven ability to build and direct a high performing team to achieve visionary and challenging goals;
• Proven interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity and the ability to build trust and provide leadership to different team members;
• Highly developed negotiation skills proven to yield positive outcomes with counterparts, both internal and external;
• Ability to listen and communicate effectively with oversight bodies such as multi-national
• Boards of Executive Directors and Governors and other senior officials;
• Clear understanding of the drivers and barriers to success of power utilities in complex regulatory, political environments;
• Deep knowledge of integrated least-cost regional / national / utility power system planning and network development process and tools utilized in Africa; and familiarity with the work of multilateral Development Finance Institutions;
• Deep knowledge of utility Quality of Supply and Service Standards; and related performance management systems; project management and contract administration skills;
• Ability to draft Terms of reference (TORs), Requests for Quotation (RFQs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to procure services from consultants;
• Deep knowledge of national power / utility regulation, procurement and contracting models and standards; and grid code / operating rules / limits / reserves (including power import, export, wheeling and trading);
• A good understanding of, and ability to lead / support negotiation of, power project agreements such as Power Purchase Agreements, Grid Connection Agreements, Fuel Supply Agreements, Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Contracts, Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Contracts, Long Term Service Agreements (LTSA) and familiarity with the work of Development Finance Institutions.
• A good understanding of SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) and asset management systems;
• A good understanding of the Bank’s Environmental & Social policy requirements;
• Deep knowledge of utility governance, regulation, operations, maintenance and management, client relationship, billing, financial management of utilities;
• Highly developed strategic thinking skills allied to an ability to translate strategic concepts and direction into the implementation of workable and sustainable policies and regulations;
• Experience of forging and managing strategic partnerships with local organizations, governments and financing institutions;
• Excellent spoken and written English or French, with a working knowledge of the other language;
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications;
• Ability/willingness to quickly become familiar with the use of various tools available and applied by the Bank such as SAP.