Country Manager at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) Full Time

Job Title: Country Manager

Position Number: 50092496
Location: Various Locations
Position Grade: PL2

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery (RDVP) is responsible for operational relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the Bank Group’s operational programs, and activities.
• The RDVP will ensure that the Bank operates successfully across its Regional Member Countries (RMCs) and oversee the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank’s Regional Directorates.

The Hiring Department / Division

• Within the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex (RDVP), the Bank has five (5) Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Directorates, one in each region of Africa: North, South, East, West, and Central.
• Each Regional Directorate is headed by a Director General (DG) and is staffed with the relevant sectoral functions and administrative capabilities for rapid delivery of services to client countries.
• The Regional Directorates provide overall strategic direction to country offices within the regions and are responsible for the Bank’s operations, business development, project management and overall effective delivery of the Bank’s High 5s of Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.

The Position

• The Country Manager will lead the AfDB’s business development and delivery for sovereign, non-sovereign investment and provide advisory services in the assigned country.
• He/she will support the Bank’s teams in executing transactions, managing and expanding portfolios, and lead in executing projects and relevant work programs, inclusive of the Bank’s High 5 priority areas.
• H/she will establish and maintain strong relationships with business partners and high level in-country donors and representatives, as well as with governmental and non-governmental organizations, with the view of maximizing the development impact and effectiveness of the African Development Bank’s interventions, thus contributing to the overall development of the country, including the private sector.

Key Functions
Management of the Country Portfolio:

• 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, which will be assessed using key performance indicators and targets.
• Identify and address cross-cutting and country specific portfolio issues, and advise the Country Team in 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 Bank corporate policies, strategies, guidelines and directives.
• Continuously reviewing country portfolio, country operations and work programs to ensure that it is aligned to the implementation of the new Business Development and Delivery Model.
• Initiate and support resource mobilization in the country and follow up on related works, including counter-part contributions, co-financing opportunities, as well as Country Policy and Institutional Assessments.

Relationship Management:

• Manage and develop relationships with key clients (governments, central and local authorities, and private actors) at the highest level of seniority and position the African Development Bank (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, to meet the AfDB’s targeted objectives.
• Ensuring 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.

Development of Strategy:

• 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 5s and other 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 as appropriate and supporting climate resilient development in the country.
• Support the alignment of the country strategy to the Bank’s High 5 priorities.

Fragility Assessment:

• Conduct fragility assessments as per business requirement.
• Ensure the fragility lens is being applied in the design and implementation of the Bank Group operations in the country.

Identify opportunities:

• Identify areas where the Bank can catalyze 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 mobilization, and co-financing opportunities.
• Develop knowledge to ensure that the AfDB is effectively working closely and coordinating with appropriate stakeholders within the country. Develop and maintain relationships with these stakeholders and identify business opportunities taking into account the AfDB’s strategy, comparative advantage and operational policies, instruments, procedures and products.
• Identify and initiate opportunities directly linked to the Banks High 5 areas.

Country Office Management:

• Lead, manage, develop, and mentor performance of country office by ensuring that the team is high performing, well-motivated, innovative, well-trained; have clear deliverables and remain highly committed to the success of ADB in the country.
• Supervise staff in the country office and undertake staff development and performance evaluation. For sector experts, evaluation shall be done jointly by the Country Manager and the relevant Sector Department.
• 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; authorize expenditures, personnel actions, acquisitions, and other administrative actions, and monitor the best possible contribution of the Action Time Recording System (ATRS) to the Cost Accounting System (CAS) of the Bank.
• Liaise and work closely with other department staff on issues such as audits of the country office, human resources, pipeline development in the Strategic Resources Assessment Software (SRAS), portfolio management in the Bank wide Program Processing Schedule (BPPS) and asset management (TCGS) and IT issues (TCIS).
• Championing 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.
• External communication – Develop locally the AfDB’s ‘brand’, building on the brand and the overall communications strategy, including engaging with civil society, non-government organizations as well as the local media.
• AfDB Visibility – Represent and provide visibility for and including through organizing/participating in high profile events (Senior level visits, interviews, seminars, business events and conferences).
• Quality Management – Focus on ensuring quality and performance of the country portfolio; Ensure 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.

Competencies (Skills, Experience, and Knowledge)

• Minimum of a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, International Relations, Political Sciences, Economics, or another relevant field.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of extensive and progressive experience in country program operations in an international organization, including preferably three (3) years at a managerial or supervisory level.
• Working experience in a transition state, formerly known as a fragile state, would be an advantage.
• Extensive experience in macroeconomic management, particularly public finance and debt management, is essential.
• Portfolio management experience and expertise as an economist would be an asset and a track record in Business Development and delivery a clear advantage.
• 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 analyze 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 (DBDM) where the Bank has comparative advantage.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in French and/or English, with working knowledge of the other language.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications and preferably, SAP.

Application Closing Date
4th January, 2024.