Chief Private Sector Strategy Officer at 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. In order to sharply focus the objectives of the Ten Year Strategy (2013 – 2022) and ensure greater developmental impact, five major areas (High 5s), all of which will accelerate our delivery for Africa, have been identified for scaling up, namely; energy, agro-business, industrialization, integration and improving the quality of life for the people of Africa.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Chief Private Sector Strategy Officer

Reference: ADB/19/067
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL3
Position N°: 50065852

The Complex

The Vice Presidency for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization is central to the Bank’s mission of developing the private sector, improving infrastructure and accelerating industrialization.
The complex main functions are to (i) strengthen the enabling environment for private sector [and financial sector] development conducive to inclusive growth and sustainable development, (ii) support the development of reliable and sustainable infrastructure, including cities and urban development, and (iii) place renewed emphasis on industrial and trade performance in support of structural transformation across Africa.
The Complex leverages knowledge, co-financing, and partnerships to attract private capital and work with governments on delivering the Bank’s development agenda.

The Hiring Department

For effective, coherent and harmonized Private Sector Operations performed by the 5 sectoral departments of the Bank (Energy, Infrastructure, Industry and Trade, Agriculture and Social Services, Financial services) a Central Support Department for NSOs-related activities (PINS) was recently put in place.
The primary role of PINS is to: (i) assist Sector Departments to efficiently design and monitor NSOs, in a coherent manner, in line with the best market practices and in consistency with the Bank’s related Strategies, Policies and Guidelines, including the Bank’s Private Sector Development Strategy and Policy, (ii) manage the corporate portfolio and provided shared services to other NSO departments

The Position

The Chief Private Sector Strategy Expert is responsible for managing several streams of activities under the leadership of the Division Manager. Key among these are upstream and analytical work on Private Sector Development in Africa, NSO related Policies, strategies and guidelines, Country Private Sector Profiles and support for the development of initiatives for enhancing the Bank’s interventions in ADF countries and Transition countries, development of capacity building programs on the Bank’s private sector strategies and objectives.
The incumbent provides leadership and supervises the implementation of the new Central private sector department’s mandate of the Bank Group in mainstreaming initiatives aimed at growing private sector business.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Division Manager PINS.1, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Strategies and Policies:

Prepare Country private sector diagnostic/profiling analysis with the goal to identify niches and sectors associated with the Bank’s High 5 initiatives that hold strong potential for impactful NSOs by liaising with country program officers, country economists and other staffs in the regional directorate and country offices and sister institutions working on country diagnostic platforms;
Make proposals to mainstream the pertinent private sector development findings and solutions in the Bank’s Country Strategy Papers (CSPs) and Regional Integration Strategy Papers (RISPs), assess the different pillars and the Bank potential private sector intervention program.
Coordinate the Division active participation in CSPs mission and provide keys inputs related to CSP discussion at the Relevant Internal Oversight and decisions making bodies (Operation Review Committee- OPSCOM, Board Committee of Development Effectiveness -CODE);
Contribute to the development and update of policies, and guidelines, related to Non-Sovereign Operations and Private Sector Development in the Regional Member Countries to reflect the Revised NSO Policy and strategic Direction of the Revised PSD Strategy.
Lead and contribute to the revision of the Bank’s new Private Sector Strategy by liaising with SNSP
Facilitate synergies and collaboration between the Bank’s non-sovereign and sovereign operations to provide support for effective private sector interventions in the RMCs.

Capital Increase, Replenishments and Resource Mobilisation:

Lead on assignments related to GCI, ADF MTR, Annual Meetings, MDBs technical working groups, AIF, NSOs in Transition Countries,
Represent the Department in resource mobilisation efforts carried out by other Bank’s departments
Act as focal point in co-financing and blend financing initiatives

Advisory, Analytical Work and Support to Private Sector Operations:

Provide key analytical inputs in the design and review of NSO’s lending instruments and their regular reviews and updates
Provide leadership in the revision of Private Sector Business Manuals and processes
Perform periodic in-depth assessment and identify the areas where the Bank can catalyse investors and third party resources to provide adequate funding for implementing its private sector agenda within the framework of the Bank’s CRM Platform
Make proposals recommendations aimed at providing visibility for the Bank’s private sector development agenda in the target markets, regions, sector including organizing and participating in special business development missions
Manage the development of training curriculum and capacity building of Bank’s wide staff in the area of Private Sector Strategies, Policies, Guidelines and operation manuals

Others:

Provide inputs for PRST Speeches
Support the Vice-President for Private Sector in providing key notes and other Adhoc assignment.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

Hold at least a Master’s degree or its equivalent in Business, Finance or Economics.
Have a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience in strategic, private sector business development, financial and econometric analysis.
Comprehensive state-of-the-art understanding of private sector development challenges in Africa and mastering relevant strategies, policies, procedures and practices of development finance institutions;
In depth awareness of the latest trends and developments in financing for development to make effective business decisions; including a solid appreciation of the various clients’ needs and drivers to advance colleagues’ thinking around business issues
Demonstrated leadership in developing initiatives and a track record in supporting various resource mobilisation and co-financing initiatives
Knowledge of Development Finance Institutions (MDBs in particular) private sector business as well as sovereign risk will be an added advantage.
Demonstrated leadership skills, teamwork and communications skills in a highly diverse environment with experience in managing during the past three years multi-disciplinary teams of minimum of 5 staffs
Proven ability to effectively plan, direct, organize and administer diverse activities to ensure effective delivery of work program.
Proven record of accomplishment in building and maintaining very strong and successful partnerships.
Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, with a working knowledge of the other.
Use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).