Country Programme Coordinator at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

African Development Bank (AfDB) – Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Country Programme Coordinator

Reference: ADB/17/370
Location: Côte d’Ivoire

Grade: PL5

Position N°: 50093571

The Complex

• The Bank has reorganized and is developing the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex whose major objective is to build regional capabilities and bring responsibility for client activities closer to the regions.
• Five Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Hubs have been created, each run by a Director General: Southern Africa, North Africa, West Africa; East Africa, and Central Africa.

The Hiring Department

• The Country Program Coordinator covers one or several Regional Directorates and coordinates work closely with the respective Director Generals, Deputy-Director Generals and Regional Program Officers.
• The incumbent monitors all the work programme implementation in the assigned region, using the Regional Dashboard and any other tracking information system that provides detailed statistics.
• The Country Program Coordinator prepares monthly senior management reports in coordination with Regional Program Officers and Country Program Officers.
• The incumbent assists Director Generals in their engagement and reporting to senior management.
• The Country Program Coordinator also provides support in ensuring quality assurance of all documentation and related correspondence while ensuring compliance with the Banks’ Operational Policies and Procedures that contribute towards executing strategy within the assigned region.

The Position

• The Country Program Coordinator is part of the Front Office of the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex.
• It is key to providing professional support and follow-up of business development and delivery and portfolio performance for results within the assigned region(s).

Duties and Responsibilities
Coordination of Portfolio Management and Programming in the region:

• Monitor and advise the Director General on the management of key performance indicators on portfolio performance, country program, Bank priorities and result indicators harmonize management reporting tools within the various Departments;
• Liaise with the Regional Program Officers and Country Program Officers and sector staff in field offices to ensure sound analysis and monitoring of portfolio developments including through regular reviews of country, multinational and regional portfolios with a view to identifying issues and proposing options for their resolution;
• Ensure that monthly senior management reports on the state of the region (dashboard) are prepared and that a follow up on issues that require further action are undertaken;
• Follow up on Annual Portfolio Performance Reviews/Updates of Portfolio Improvement Plans;
• Support the preparation of the Regional and Country Portfolio Performance Reviews; in collaboration with Regional Program Officers, Country Program Officers, Regional Economists and Sector Staff;
• Liaise with Country Program Officers and sector staff in the monitoring and implementation of the recommendations of the Bank’s Internal Audit Reports;
• Support the work of Country Program Officers and sector staff in undertaking country and regional portfolio performance review processes with the Government and other Development Partners;
• Advice the Director General on strategic options as may be deemed necessary to improve revenue generation and/or cost efficiencies. Work closely with the Regional Directorate during the yearly business planning and budgeting process to ensure that work programmes are well constructed and aligned with Bank’s priorities (e.g., income generation, operational priorities, etc.).
• Provide inputs to country and regional strategies and monitor the implementation of these strategies in coordination with the Regional Economists, Regional Program Officers and Country Program Officers.

Relationship Management between Regional Hub and HQ:

• Under the guidance of the Vice President, front office advisors and the Director General, establish solid working relationships across complexes both at HQ and within the assigned region;
• Support the Director General to manage communications and ensure senior management is informed of the progress and challenges of implementing the High 5s in the respective region(s).
• Actively support the Director General and Deputy-Director General to manage relationships with HQ staff and follow up on commitments;

Knowledge Management:

• Actively interact with DGs and Deputy-Director Generals, Regional Program Officers and Country Program Officers to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the portfolio management;
• Coordinate with the Chief Economist Complex and Sector Complexes to ensure that relevant knowledge and best practices are integrated in strategies and operations;
• Provide feedback to the Director General and Deputy-Director General on Bank policies and operational procedures, with an aim towards continuous improvement of Bank policies implementation; and
• Incorporate lessons learned in project development and implementation from other regions.

AfDB Visibility:

• Support the Director General’s efforts to increase the visibility of the region in HQ.

Quality Management:

• Focus on ensuring total quality and performance of the regional pipeline and portfolio;
• Ensure all reports and submissions are timely and of a high quality;
• Championing the Complex / Regional mandate and purpose : providing a direct and indirect operational support that contributes to the Country’s output and mandate in assigned Country;

Selection Criteria
Including Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Hold at least a Master’s degree or its equivalent in Economics, Social Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture/Forestry, Business Administration or Public Administration.
• In addition to a Master Degree, strong knowledge of socio-economic development issues and policies of African countries;
• Have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in the formulation and implementation of policies, programs and projects either within the Bank or in a similar development institution or public service;
• Private sector experience is an added advantage;
• Demonstrated experience in the preparation and/or review of strategies/operations in a multilateral financial institution;
• Experience working in a team in a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, international and professional environment;
• Client Orientation: Demonstrated commitment in ensuring that the client (internal or external) is considered of primary importance in all transactions and interactions. Strives to be understanding, and when appropriate, anticipates client needs, and ensures that the client receives the best possible service from the Bank;
• Communication – Ability to provide clear and concise oral and written communication; presents oral information with clarity and appropriate style and adapts language and style to suit the requirements of the audience. Ability to communicate and defend orally and in writing, difficult issues and positions (in hostile environment as necessary) to Senior Bank management and government officials;
• Professional Expertise: Continuously expands understanding of relevant business products, practices and systems/technology. Shares knowledge and expertise with others;
• Decisive: Good judgement about when to intervene, knowing when to get counsel from whom and how to apply it, and being clear about what needs to happen, how, when and by whom, and coordinating as needed;
• Highly organised & structured – Structure all work activities to be able to provide updates or reports on short notice. Capacity to coordinate (Tasks, Missions, Projects, Programs): Routinely delivers, highly complex/sensitive tasks;
• Business Acumen;
• Comprehensively understands work programs/projects structures, including project planning, risk management strategy, communication management strategy, lessons learned and handover, and other critical success factors, strategies, policies, procedures and best practices of other similar institutions;
• Highly developed strategic thinking skills allied to an ability to translate strategic concepts and direction into the implementation of workable and sustainable projects and programs;
• Ability to make use of the Bank’s systems and procedures for operational effectiveness and achievement of the Bank’s strategic imperatives in the assigned sectors;
• High level of expertise in managing portfolio performance;
• High level of expertise in dialogue for finding solutions…