Member – Roster of Experts of the IRM at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

African Development Bank Group (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: Member of the Roster of Experts of the Independent Review Mechanism of the African Development Bank Group

Location: Africa

Objectives

• The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) was established by the Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank Group in 2004 and become effective in 2006. The mandate of the IRM is to respond to complaints of people who are or are likely to be adversely affected by a Bank financed project due to non-compliance with the Bank Group policies and procedures. The mechanism handles complaints through problem solving and/or compliance review. Also, for purposes of enhancing learning, the IRM provides advisory services to the Bank. It is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (BCRM) headed by a Director, assisted by professional and support staff.
• The IRM has a Roster of Experts comprising three (3) individuals who undertake compliance reviews. Each of them serves a fixed term of 5 years. The Experts are appointed by the Boards of Directors upon the recommendation of the President. They work on part time basis, and sit in Independent Compliance Review Panels authorized by the Bank Group’s Boards of Directors or the President, depending on the status of the project. The Panels report their findings and recommendations to the Boards of Directors for projects approved by the Boards and to the President for projects under consideration for financing by the Bank Group. Interested applicants can find more information about the IRM Operating Rules and Procedures in the following website: https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/institutional-documents/irm-resolution-and-operating-rules-and-procedures/
• Applications are invited from individual experts/consultants for the position of a member of the Roster of Experts of the IRM.

Duties and Responsibilities
The specific responsibilities of the members of the Roster of Experts include:

• Determining, together with the Director of BCRM, eligibility of request(s) for compliance review and submitting a report recommending a compliance review to the Boards of Directors or the President, as the case may be, for approval;
• Undertaking, as members of compliance review panels, compliance reviews as may be authorized by the Boards of Directors or the President;
• Engaging with all stakeholders, including Bank Management and staff, complainants, executing agencies, governments or private project sponsors in obtaining a thorough understanding of the issues of a project undergoing a compliance review;
• Conducting extensive, objective and independent reviews of policies and procedural compliance;
• Undertaking site visits as appropriate to projects complained about, including rural areas in Africa;
• Preparing and issuing compliance review reports and spot-check advisory review of project compliance reports with findings and recommendations to the Boards of Directors; and
• Cooperating with the Director of BCRM in the preparation of IRM’s annual reports, which shall, among other information include a discussion on identifiable trends relating to the activities of the Bank Group that have emerged from the problem-solving exercises and compliance reviews.

Selection Criteria / the Requirements
The Expert shall have:

• Excellent analytical skills and relevant track record of work, and demonstrated integrity and ability to act independently;
• Relevant, solid and broad academic background (minimum a Master Degree, preferably PhD) with practical experience in development, particularly in environment, social, involuntary resettlement, economics, human rights, and legal issues in the public and/or private sector fields;
• At least ten (10) years of experience in the field of policy review and/or project planning and implementation, including the ability to deal thoroughly and fairly with complex issues complained about;
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate effective interaction internally with the Bank Management and staff and the Boards of Directors, and externally with people adversely affected by projects  funded by the Bank Group, borrowers, member states, other international institutions, and civil society organizations;
• Outstanding team work skills;
• Excellent command of both oral and written of one of the Bank’s official languages (English and French) and a good working knowledge of the other;
• Ability and willingness to travel to countries in Africa, including remote areas;
• Good knowledge of and  exposure to development issues and living conditions in developing countries, particularly in Africa; and
• Good knowledge of and/or experience with the operations of multilateral development banks or international financing institutions.

To be eligible, the Expert shall:

• Be a national of a member state of the African Development Bank or a state participant in the African Development Fund.
• Not have worked for any of the African Development Bank Group institutions in any capacity prior to his or her appointment to the Roster of Experts.
• The selection process for the Roster of Experts will take into consideration diversity of expertise, practical experience, nationality, inguistics and gender.
• Women and candidates from regional member countries of the Bank Group are encouraged to apply.

Terms and Conditions of Appointment:

• The Roster of Experts comprises three members. The first three members were appointed in 2007 on a staggered basis for a non-renewable term of three, four and five years respectively. All new members will serve a fixed five-year term. The members will be required to spend at least five working days each calendar year at the Bank to attend meetings and to familiarizing themselves with the Bank Group’s policies, procedures and operations.
• The Experts will be paid a daily honorarium (fee) when called upon to work for the independent review mechanism and be guaranteed a minimum of twelve (12) days of work per annum. The Experts will be reimbursed for travel and accommodation expenses in accordance with the Bank Group’s Travel policy for senior Management staff.
• An Expert who serves on a compliance review panel or is otherwise called upon to work for the mechanism during his/her term shall not be eligible to work for any African Development Bank Group entity in any capacity whatsoever after the expiry of his/her term.

*The IRM’s Operating Rules and Procedures are available on the Bank’s website: https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/institutional-documents/irm-resolution-and-operating-rules-and-procedures/

The Selection Process

• Interested experts/consultants shall send an application for becoming a member of the Roster of Experts along with a CV providing details of education and relevant experience.
• Applications shall be marked: “Roster of Experts for the Independent Review Mechanism”.
• Application supported by a CV must be submitted online by no later than 25 December  2020 through the following website: http://www.afdb.org/en/careers/.
• An Evaluation Committee will be established to examine the applications. Only short listed candidates will be called for interviews by the said Committee.
• The Experts will be appointed by the Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank Group upon the recommendation of the President.
• Upon appointment by the Boards of Directors, the African Development Bank will offer the Expert a contract specifying the remuneration, other benefits and duties regulating the appointment.

Application Closing Date
25th December, 2020.