Senior Syndication Officer 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: Senior Syndication Officer

Reference: ADB/19/025
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Position N°: 50093639
Grade: PL5

The Complex

The Vice Presidency for Finance oversees the financial management of the Bank Group
This encompasses the Bank Group’s treasury activities including borrowings from the capital markets and investment activities; controllership functions including financial reporting and loan administration; strategic resource mobilization and the strengthening of the non-statutory financial resources and instruments; the overall asset/liability management for the Bank Group.

The Hiring Department

The role of the Syndication, Cofinancing & Client Services Department (FIST) is to mobilize and increase in Africa and outside Africa resources for the financing of investment projects and programmes; and promote investment in Africa of public and private capital in projects or programmes designed to contribute to the economic development or social progress of regional member countries.

The Position

Reporting to the Division Manager – Syndications and Co-financing, the Senior Syndication Officer has the responsibility to develop and maintain close relationships with the broader lending community with a view to facilitating the co-financing of sovereign (public sector) and non-sovereign (private sector) projects and originate (in consultation with the sector teams) and execute syndication and cofinancing transactions across Africa.
Business area responsibility: origination, loan financial analysis and review
Specific transaction responsibility: part of an execution team and ability to interact credibly with members of other departments
Management of the syndication and cofinancing administrative tasks

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Division Manager – Syndications and Co-Financing, the senior Syndication and Cofinancing Officer will perform the following:

Origination responsibility; in consultation with the sector teams, identify potential targets for syndication and confinancing and discuss with the sector teams on pitching; origination includes providing structuring guidance to investment officers and task managers and actively participate in presenting proposals and mandate letters to clients
Formation of close working relationships with other teams within and outside the Bank; being a good syndication and cofinancing transactor also means excellent relationships with all of the African market. Strong external networks are critical.
Manage and update the pipeline report on a weekly basis
Design, maintain and update all presentations, pitch books, communication and marketing material to internal or external parties
Manage and update various documents relating to each transaction such as the working party list, roles and responsibilities of each party, and work plan/timetable
Maintain and be accountable for all documentation requirements and record keeping on a country by country basis
Maintain and be accountable for the availability of all team files on the shared information drive
Execute syndicated loan transactions, sharing responsibilities where appropriate with co-arrangers including, perform market soundings and provide risk appetite feedback to senior management for their consideration, assist with various aspects of organising roadshow presentation on a deal by deal basis with local staff on the ground
Actively participate in the balance sheet optimization transactions including identifying existing assets for potential secondary sale, obtain market feedback on likely cost of sale and, where applicable, seek all necessary approvals
Assist the team with any other ad hoc administrative issues which need to be dealt with, such as periodically updating the client and investor database
Obtain periodic updates on economic indicators from in country colleagues in relation to yield curve and exchange rate movements as well as using information platforms such as Bloomberg, Loanradar
Assist in progressing the understanding of syndication and cofinancing internally and externally
Prepare financial analysis, models, valuations relating to clients
In consultation with the sector teams, conduct due diligence investigations of clients
Support and where possible, undertake the preparation of detailed memoranda and presentations describing the key attributes of client companies
When necessary, participate in various marketing and recruiting activities of the firm
Incorporate and utilize internal cofinancing facilities as part of the financing package to clients

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

A Master’s Degree (or its equivalent) in a Finance related field
At least five (5) years’ experience in another syndication, corporate banking, distribution team
Experience in reviewing of financial statements
Experience in sales and distribution of debt securities and knowledge of capital markets in Africa
Communication and Relationship Facilitation:
- Clear verbal and writing ability is required for explaining and interpreting data and business information. Ability to motivate plans and tactics, business cases, options, benefits and systems/ operational issues at executive level.
- Very quick learner and ability to multi-task under great time pressure and for long hours.
- Is comfortable with conducting presentations/ arguing/ negotiating business cases in group forums.
Knowledge:
- Lenders, institutional investors
- Fixed income/credit background
Personal Competencies:
- Team player, but at the same time must be self-motivated and must be able to work with little supervision
- Must be detail-oriented
- Strong data management and research skills
- Good multi-tasking skills, with an ability to perform well under deadline pressure
- Good listening and communication skills and a high energy level
- Encourages and seeks to understand other viewpoints and perspectives.
- Is receptive to constructive critique, feedback and ideas from customers, colleagues, subordinates and superiors.
- Is attuned to all possible sources of useful information.
Personality:
- Collaborative – shares with and consults others, enjoys working in a collaborative context.
- Observant – is in touch with change in the local environment, quick to identify potential opportunities.
- Forward planning – prepares well in advance, enjoys target setting, forecasts trends, plans projects.
- Critical – is good at probing the facts, identifies disadvantages and challenges assumptions.
- Innovative – generates ideas, shows ingenuity, thinks up solutions.
- Resourceful, finding practical ways to solve issues.
- Assertive – will put forward an idea or view despite opposition.
- Persuasive – convincing with arguments, negotiates, changes the opinions of others.
- Flexible – Is open to and is able to cope with change, is able to deal with ambiguity as a result of change
- Decisive – weighs things up quickly, is prepared to take risks
- Socially confident – at ease with meeting people, knows what to say and is quick to establish rapport.
- Resilient – emotionally restrained, rarely upset by criticism.
- Takes the initiative within the freedom to act.
- Optimistic – able to keep spirits up despite setbacks.
- Good sense of humor.
Drive:
- Achievement/ results orientated – needs to do well, enjoys challenges and seeks new opportunities and is strongly motivated to achieve impressive results.
- Behaviourally orientated – psychologically minded, likes to understand what drives and motivates people.
- Change orientated – enjoys doing new things, seeks variety and novelty, accepts change.
- Enjoys the complex and abstract.
- High energy level
Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other.
Demonstrated competence in the use of standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, SharePoint) and SAP work environment.