Career Opportunities at African Development Bank Group 

Job Title: Director, FIST

Position: 50092447
Location: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Position Grade: EL5

The Complex

• The Vice President, Finance, oversees the Bank Group’s financial management.
• This responsibility encompasses the Bank Group’s treasury operations, including raising funds from capital markets and investment operations; control functions, including financial reporting and loan administration; strategic resource mobilisation and enhancement of non-statutory financial resources and instruments; and overall Bank Group asset/liability management.

The Hiring Department

• The Syndications, Co-Financing and Client Solutions Department mobilises and leverages resources in Africa and outside Africa for the financing of investment projects and programmes; promotes the investment of public and private capital in Africa in projects or programmes designed to contribute to the economic development or social progress of the Bank’s Regional Member Countries; designing innovative structured finance products and solutions for the Bank’s clients; structuring significant risk transfer instruments for balance sheet optimisation or capital management; and implementing and administering co-financing facilities, local currency financing solutions and blended financing mechanisms.

The Position

• The position of Director of Syndications, Co-Financing and Client Solutions Department, reporting to the Vice President, Finance, provides centralised syndications, co-financing, and financial technical services (client services) for the entire Bank Group in the public and private sectors for lending operations.
• The Director is also responsible for the design of innovative financing solutions and products for various initiatives, the design and implementation of capital management, and balance sheet optimisation strategies.
• As a member of the Senior Management Team within the Vice Presidency, Finance, the Director will also help make strategic contributions to the successful management of the Syndications, Co-Financing and Client Solutions Department and its broader relationships with the rest of the organisation.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the general supervision of the Vice President, the duties and responsibilities of the Director include:

• Lead the syndication process for transactions where the Bank is appointed lead or co-lead arranger and execute A/B loan co-financing and development finance institution syndications, sharing responsibilities, as appropriate, with co-arrangers.
• Assist in formulating the design and implementation of a syndication and co-financing strategy and associated guidelines to ensure a fully integrated function with the Bank’s operations while aligning with market best practices.
• Provide solutions to fund-raising and resource mobilisation issues for operations and develop new mobilisation approaches/products and partners.
• Proactively engage and provide structuring guidance to Investment Officers and Project Officers, and actively participate in the presentation of co-financing options and proposals, and mandate letters to clients, emphasising the benefits of syndication and co-financing.
• Collaborate, among others, with the Operations (Public and Private)/Financial Control/Financial Treasury, Financial Management, Legal and other departments of the Bank to build capacity to act as an agent for all B-loans, syndications of development finance institutions and other co-financing.
• Establish and implement a blended financing strategy to mobilise concessional financing in accordance with the MDB Working Group’s blended financing principles.
• Establish, operationalise and implement co-financing agreements and build working relationships with the broadest range of public and commercial co-financiers.
• Lead the development and adaptation of financial policies, strategies and programmes applicable to the department’s activities in order to catalyse the use of concessional and non-concessional financing in Bank projects.
• Provide market intelligence and financial market analysis within the organisation with respect to pricing, practices and trends, and develop and leverage relationships with co-lenders (commercial banks, IFIs/DFIs, institutional investors). This includes working closely with and providing data to the Credit Risk Committee for review.
• Develop internal operational processes and procedures for the department, as well as financial instruments and performance indicators to encourage, integrate, and scale up co-financing, syndication, and mobilisation activities.
• Provide overall guidance and leadership in the management and development of the Bank Group’s current and future financial products.  This includes innovating and staying current with the various financial products available in the multilateral landscape and maintaining leading edge skills and capacities through continuous engagement with the market.
• Provide technical services, including derivative transactions and local currency financing solutions, for sovereign and non-sovereign transactions across project teams.
• Manage the unit’s resources to maximise its effectiveness in supporting investment officers and project managers, marketing to investors and executing transactions.
• Design and develop instruments to improve the Bank’s capital management and lead the efficient and effective deployment of Bank Group risk instruments.
• Lead the design and structuring of significant risk transfer instruments and transactions to optimise the Bank’s balance sheet.
• Establish and implement an insurance system to enhance the credit-worthiness of Bank operations at origin or for current assets.
• Identify existing assets for possible secondary sale, identify insurance, obtain market feedback on the likely cost of the sale, and, if applicable, obtain all necessary approvals.
• Lead the design and implementation of innovative structured finance solutions for the Bank’s flagship projects and borrowers.
• Lead the development and implementation of key flagship initiatives which will complement and strengthen Bank Group resources.
• Provide guidance on special initiatives (share best practices, recommend structures and processes, assist in coordination across functions) and provide consolidated reports on fund-raising and mobilisation.
• Create and maintain sustainable partnerships with a wide range of investors, including interfacing with DFIs, institutional investors, commercial and investment banks.
• Provide leadership in the development of the Syndications, Co-Financing and Client Solutions Department’s business and work closely with the Divisional Managers to raise the profile of the Department’s activities, both externally and internally, to a managerial level within the organisation.
• Assume the duties of Acting Vice President of the Finance Complex, as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President.

Competencies (Skills, Experience, and Knowledge):

• Have at least a Master’s Degree in Economics, Finance and/or Business Administration or a related field.
• Have at least ten (10) years of relevant experience in reputable financial institutions. At least five (5) years of this experience must have been acquired at the managerial level.
• Have sound knowledge of market instruments and sources of market financing (sovereign bond financing, municipal/sub-sovereign financing, syndicated loans/infrastructure financing), other financing sources and risk management/hedging products.
• Have good knowledge of fundraising and on-lending activities in capital market development, especially in Africa.
• Excellent knowledge of financial issues faced by sovereign and non-sovereign clients in developing countries and policies related to the Bank’s mandate.
• Broad knowledge of capital markets and proven knowledge of project finance and the use of risk mitigation instruments to catalyse private capital.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the major risk transfer instruments including, but not limited to, insurance, on-lending, funded and unfunded risk participation, credit default swaps and synthetic securitization and their impact on balance sheets.
• In-depth knowledge of structured finance, with the ability to provide innovative financing solutions to various stakeholders.
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of integrity and decisiveness, including taking responsibility and holding others accountable for results.
• Ability to set strategic direction and ensure its implementation.
• Proven experience leading large and complex teams.
• Be highly customer-focused, with the ability to build strong relationships and interact effectively with customers and business contacts at a management and team level.
• Possess strong experience in investment and development banking and have worked on projects for the private sector, public entities, utilities/infrastructure authorities and governments.
• Have strong, proven written communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience in leading large and complex teams, and in supporting and mentoring departmental staff and developing teams.
• Have good business acumen and decision-making skills.
• Have good problem-solving skills
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Proficiency in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); proficiency in SAP is highly desirable.

Application Closing Date
21st January, 2023.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: This position is classified international status and attracts international terms and conditions of employment.

Job Title: Advisor to the Chief Economist / Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management

Position: 50064874
Location: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Position Grade: PL2

The Complex

• The core mandate of the Vice Presidency (ECVP) is to lead the Bank Group on prioritizing the generation, analysis, dissemination, brokering and implementation of relevant knowledge solutions in all High-5 operational priorities and the cross-cutting themes of its Ten-Year Strategy. Such solutions must be a clear response to priority development challenges facing regional member countries (RMCs), individually or collectively and need to involve RMCs in both the planning and implementation of the solutions.
• The solutions include:
  • Research on major development issues facing Africa and their relation to global economic governance and other major global public goods;
  • Country diagnostics and future perspectives;
  • Policy dialogue and advisory services;
  • Economic, sector, and thematic knowledge work;
  • Improving national and sub-regional statistical systems;
  • Preparation, design and support to implementation of public financial management and Governance operations;
  • Capacity development for policy formulation and implementation;
  • Technical assistance and advice related to RMCs’ management of natural resources; and
  • Knowledge dissemination and development of national, regional, and inter-regional knowledge networks.

The Hiring Department

• The Office of the Chief Economist and Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management has the main responsibility of providing advice and analysis to the President, Senior Management and Board of Directors on key development issues facing Africa and the Bank in the following areas: research programs, economic issues, financial and non-financial products, knowledge dissemination and communication.
• The Office coordinates the Bank’s efforts to achieving this strategic mandate of being a knowledge institution.

The Position

• The Advisor to Chief Economist/Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management will be responsible for leading the effort to strengthen the link between the research work of the Bank and its economic and sector work, and help ensure that the Bank’s Country Strategy Papers are based on solid research and Economic and Sector Work. More generally, the Advisor will provide support to the Chief Economist and Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management to deliver on the Complex mandate.

Key Functions
Under the supervision and guidance of the Chief Economist/Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management, the Advisor will:
Technical Advisory Role:

• Provide leadership to the expanded research program of the Bank.
• Launch major research initiatives to respond to the new development policy challenges and constraints facing the Bank, e.g. the role of the Bank in the evolving global aid architecture.
• Lead the network of the Bank’s economists engaged in research-related work, in order to make the Bank the major reference institution on key African economic data.
• Provide critical analysis of corporate management policies, directives and advises on procedures and approaches for the Chief Economist mandate.
• Advise the Chief Economist on various reports/documents submitted by the President’s Office, other Complexes as well as departments and units of the Chief Economist and Vice-President complex.
• Prepare briefs on operational policy issues of concern to the Chief Economist and Vice-President complex and monitor as necessary the preparation of papers by the Departments and Units.
• Draft and review speeches for the Chief Economist.
• Facilitate stronger linkages and synergy between the knowledge-generating departments of the Bank.

Office Activities Coordination:

• Manage the budget and the activities of the Chief Economist’s Office.
• Coordinate and review policies, directives, initiatives and elaborates from Departments and Units in collaboration with relevant departments and Units of the Chief Economist and Vice-President complex.
• Advises the Chief Economist on operational issues of the Office in close consultation with the management of its departments and units.
• Monitor the decisions the implementation of the decisions made by the Board, the President and the Chief Economist in respect of Departments and units under the Chief Economist and Vice-President complex.
• Coordinate and harmonize the preparation of the work programme of the respective Departments and Units in order to ensure consistency with the Chief Economist and Vice-President’s complex strategic plan, and follow up on their implementation.
• Monitor progress on the implementation of audit recommendations, the work program relating to the Chief Economist and Vice-President complex and report periodically on the status of the implementation to the Chief Economist and subsequently to the President and the Board if requested.
• Participate in intra and inter Complex meetings as requested by the Chief Economist.
• Liaise with external and sister organizations and attend meetings as requested by the Chief Economist to share views and best practice examples on key corporate management issues and policies in order to build synergy in development assistance strategies and initiatives of common interest.
• Undertake ad hoc assignments as requested by the Chief Economist.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold at least Master’s Degree in Economics, Public Policy, Governance or International development, with relevant experience.
• Have a minimum of eight (8) years of relevant work experience, at least three (3) of which should be in a managerial role in comparable organizations.
• Good understanding of the Institution, and willingness to learn and to listen.
• Strong knowledge of African economic and development issues; capacity for conceptual and strategic analysis, good command of recent cutting-edge economic issues.
• Strong versatility, and capacity to deal with diverse issues and problems related to Economic Governance and Knowledge Management.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently under pressure and tight deadlines, and to perform various tasks simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills, and ability to deliver results on time.
• Strong negotiation skills, and capacity to interact with various stakeholders at all levels, and especially Operational Directors and Managers, as well as Directors and Managers in the Chief Economist and Vice-President complex.
• Strong ability to analyse data, synthetize issues and ideas, and to prepare powerful messages to stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Competence in the use of standard Bank software, namely MS Office applications (MS Word, Excel, Power-Point etc), SAP.

Application Closing Date
21st January, 2023.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: This position is classified international status and attracts international terms and conditions of employment.