Apply: AfDB Country Manager

By Development Diaries
May 24, 2021

Deadline: 18 June, 2021

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is seeking to fill the role of Sector Manager, Agriculture Operations.

AfDB’s mission is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries (RMCs).

Responsibilities

Initiate and lead dialogue with government and the private sector on systemic issues relating to portfolio management, to improve the performance and quality of bank operations based on agreed result framework
Identify and address cross-cutting and country specific portfolio issues, and advise the country team with regard to the design, implementation and supervision arrangements for the portfolio as well as new business development
Oversee all aspects of portfolio management, sovereign and non-sovereign, to ensure quality at entry and during implementation, including performance monitoring in line with the bank’s corporate policies, strategies, guidelines and directives
Continuously review country portfolio, country operations and work programmes to ensure they are in line with the implementation of the new business development and delivery model
Initiate and support resource mobilisation in the country and follow up on related works, including counterpart contributions, co-financing opportunities, as well as country policy and institutional assessments
Manage and develop relationships with key clients (governments, central and local authorities and private actors) at the highest level of seniority, and position the AfDB as the partner of choice to support high development impact operations in the country
Build relationships with key stakeholders (including relevant regulators, businesses, NGOs and institutional and private investors)
Develop and maintain strong relationships with sector departments to originate, process and manage an expanding pipeline of high-quality investments, and support proactive and strategic economic and sector work as well as portfolio development and management
Ensure diplomatic tact and respect for due protocol, especially when it comes to dealing with the host country’s authorities and protecting the bank’s reputation and image in the country
Develop and implement, in consultation with the director general, an integrated investment and advisory support strategy for the AfDB’s activities, including country priorities and business targets for key industry groups, and key engagements, with a particular focus on high impact projects aligned with the bank’s strategy to support the country’s development efforts
Lead/coordinate capacity building, to enable the country to engage with key actors involved in the country’s sustainable, inclusive and green development
Assess and provide advice to the bank and to the country with a special focus on addressing fragility situation and supporting climate resilient development in the country
Support the alignment of the country strategy to the bank’s high five priorities
Conduct fragility assessments as per business requirement
Ensure the fragility lens is applied in the design and implementation of the bank group operations in the country
Identify areas where the bank can catalyse sustainable, inclusive and green development through innovation based on a thorough understanding of local markets and leading practices from the bank’s international experience, as well as draw on the expertise of similar development partners especially in terms of conducting dialogue with authorities, resource mobilisation, and co-financing opportunities
Develop knowledge to ensure the AfDB is effectively working closely and coordinating with appropriate stakeholders within the country
Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders and identify business opportunities, taking into account AfDB’s strategy, comparative advantage and operational policies, instruments, procedures and products
Identify and initiate opportunities directly linked to the bank’s high five areas
Lead, manage, develop and mentor performance of country office by ensuring the team is high performing, well-motivated, innovative, well-trained
Supervise staff in the country office and undertake staff development and performance evaluation
Prepare, supervise and manage implementation of the country office budget and submit periodic reports in accordance with the bank’s budget management regulations
Plan and supervise the administrative, financial and personnel support services required
Prepare budget and financial reports
Authorise expenditures, personnel actions, acquisitions and other administrative actions, and monitor the best possible contribution of the action time recording system to the cost accounting system of the bank
Liaise and work closely with other department staff on issues such as audits of the country office, human resources, pipeline development, portfolio management and asset management and I.T. issues
Champion the complex/regional mandate and purpose – providing a direct and indirect operational support that will contribute to the regional output and mandate in assigned country
Develop locally the AfDB’s ‘brand’, building on the brand and the overall communications strategy, including engaging with civil society, non-government organisations as well as the local media
Represent and provide visibility for and including through organising/participating in high profile events
Focus on ensuring quality and performance of the country portfolio, ensuring all reports and submissions are timely and of high quality
Work jointly with relevant country teams and managers to meet key performance indicator (KPI) assigned targets
Play a key role and advise the country team on economic, political, social and other developments relevant to the bank’s operations in the country

Requirements

Master’s degree in Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Economics, or a related discipline
Eight years, minimum, of extensive and progressive experience in country programme operations in an international organisation, with three years at a managerial or supervisory level
Senior level experience in macroeconomic management, especially in public finance and debt
Portfolio management experience and expertise as an economist will be an asset
Track record in business development and delivery will be a plus
Solid knowledge and good grasp of the political economy, as well as the socio-economic and development issues in Africa specifically in the region of assignment
Excellent analytical skills, strong capacity to analyse actions from the perspectives of stakeholders and translate strategic thinking into compelling plan of action
High degree of personal commitment, interpersonal skills with proven communication, leadership, management, people management and supervisory skills
Ability to work effectively with individuals of different views, culture, nationality, gender and age
Strong ability to cope with multiple demands and competing priorities under pressure
Demonstrated leadership in conducting country dialogue with other development partners, especially on the core areas of the delivery and business development model where the bank has comparative advantage
Fluency in French or English
Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications