Principal Country Programme Officer at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) – 5 Openings Full Time

Job Title: Principal Country Programme Officer

Position Number: 50051750 / 50062975 / 50079249 / 50001111 / 50067368
Locations: Central, East, North, South and West Africa Regions
Position Grade: PL4

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 and Country Offices.

The Hiring Department

• The various Country Office falls within one of the five (5) Regions of the Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Hubs. The Regional Hubs oversee a combination of country and liaison offices, as well as non-presence countries. The Director General of the regional hub is accountable of the specific African region and is supported by a Deputy Director General (DDG). The Regional Directorates hold the administrative capabilities and relevant sectoral functions to 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 agenda.
• Country Offices of the African Development Bank have been established to strengthen policy dialogue between the Bank, Governments and other stakeholders; improve performance of the project portfolio and aid coordination with other development partners. Each country office is headed by a Country Manager.

The Position

• The principal Country Programme Officer (CPO) will work closely with the Director General (DG) or Deputy Director General (DDG) responsible for the region or the Country Manager to support Programme Implementation and Monitoring. The job of the Country Program Officer ensures quality portfolio performance in regional member countries and provides specialized expertise to Country Managers and Director Generals within a robust multi-sector project work program.  The CPO leads the Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPRs) processes including holding the CPPR workshop and updates of the Country Portfolio Improvement Plans (CPIPs) and oversees all aspects of assigned country/countries work program, including lending, non-lending, portfolio quality and implementation and the preparation of country strategic products. The role requires the continuous follow-ups with relevant task managers and members of the ecosystem and prepare Country or Regional Portfolio improvement plans. This job is also the repository for all information associated with portfolio management and country programming in the assigned country/countries.  The CPO also acts as the Office in Charge for the Country Manager.

Key Functions
Under the supervision of the DG/DDG or the Country Manager, the Country Programme Officer undertakes the following duties and responsibilities:
Coordination, monitoring and management of portfolio and operational activities:

• Preparation of reports – Periodically undertake portfolio review meetings including preparation of portfolio reports and related reports.
• Prepare periodic reports on the implementation of the country office work program and highlight the bottlenecks and proposed solutions.
• Prepare Board Rolling Agenda (BRAG) submissions, including monthly updates, for delivery of the annual lending program.
• Budget Management – Lead budget process within the Work Program Agreement and play a coordination role for the preparation and execution of the country work program and portfolio related activities in country office budget.
• Coordination – Coordinate overall portfolio management and operations programming.
• Monitoring – Follow-up and manage portfolio and operational activities.
• Follow-up on Independent Evaluation (IDEV) and Internal Audit (PAGL) country/project audit reports and recommendations.
• Project & Work Program Management – Work with Sector leads responsible for specific projects to ensure policy compliance and readiness of pipeline of operations, and monitoring preparedness of the Indicative Operational Program (IOP) and lending program. Ensure quality of pipeline delivery.
• Serve as Secretary to the Country Team.
• Relationship Management – Serve as a corporate relationship manager for the Bank at the level of the Country office/Regional Hub.
• Serve as the focal point and spokesman on operational issues between the Country office/Regional Hub and external constituencies and borrowers.
• Compliance Management – Ensure that activity reports and audit reports comply with Bank requirements and are submitted on time.
• Ensure that the recommendations of supervision, portfolio review and audit missions are implemented.
• Provide effective oversight to project task teams on quality and compliance with Bank operational processes and procedures (including referring them to the relevant responsible staff in fiduciary, legal, safeguards, or other specialized areas).
• Oversee and support the work of Sector staff in undertaking CPPR processes with the Government and other DPs.
• Undertake quality control of key documents, participate in dialogue with Government, Regional or Country Economic Communities as required, and follow up on agreed actions.
• Support the DG/DDG or the Country Manager in ensuring country office team members actions comply with Bank Ethics, Regulations, Policies and guidance.
• Provide input to the preparation portfolio related to country briefs for Annual Meetings and visits of senior management and other briefs to Management including MOS and Quarterly Work Program Meetings.

Coordination of Non-Lending Activities:

• Advice the DG/DDG or the Country Manager on strategic options as required to improve revenue generation and/or cost efficiencies. Work closely with the DG/DDG or the Country Manager and provide input to the yearly business planning and budgeting process, by considering the assigned Country’s needs & advising to ensure that work programmes are well constructed and aligned with Bank’s priorities and initiatives.
• Provide support in administering the Analytic and Advisory Activities and lending operations at various stages of preparation and provide inputs on such documentation. This function focuses on reviewing and assessing concept notes, draft appraisal reports, other operations documents and final outputs.

Stakeholder Management:

• Under the guidance of the DG/DDG or the Country Manager, establish and strategically manage solid working relationships with the assigned country’s government, development partners, clients and key stakeholders.
• Support the DG/DDG or the Country Manager to manage communications and ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are able to accept handover products.
• Actively support the DG/DDG or the Country Manager to manage relationships with government and other Development Partners (DPs).
• Advise on and lead initiatives and strategies to foster effective and strong relationships with Government, Private Sector and DPS.
• Lead the CPPRs process and regular updates of the CPIPs with the relevant Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Government and other DPs that include responsibility for quality control of key documents, taking part in dialogue with RECs/Government and following up on agreed actions.
• Advise the client on issues that may impact the achievement of project outcomes (including issues of sustainability and post project requirements such as maintenance).

Knowledge Management:

• Actively interact with task managers/relevant Bank units and the Project Implementation Units (PIUs)/government agencies to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the portfolio management.
• Provide feedback to the DG/DDG or the Country Manager on Bank policies, strategies and operational procedures, with an aim towards continuous improvement of Bank policies implementation.
• Incorporate lessons learned in project development and implementation.

AfDB Visibility:

• Support the Country’s efforts to improve the Bank’s visibility in the region and lead the preparation of communication materials showcasing results and impact of the operations in the country.
• Represent and provide visibility when and where required for and including through organizing/participating in high profile events such as senior level visits, interviews, seminars, business events and conferences.

Quality Management:

• Focus on ensuring high quality and performance of the Country’s portfolio.
• Provides inputs for Project Concept Notes (PCNs) and Project Appraisal Reports (PARs) and carry out Readiness Reviews,
• Work jointly with relevant country teams and managers to finalise country KPIs and monitor the country KPI targets.
• Play a key role and advise within the assigned Country on economic, political, social and other developments relevant to the Bank’s operations in the country.
• Monitor the timely submission of Implementation Progress Reports (IPRs) and Project Completion Reports (PCRs).

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold at least a Master’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture/Forestry, Business Administration, Public Administration and knowledge of development issues.
• Have a minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience in the formulation and implementation of policies, programs and projects either within the Bank, with a similar development institution or the public service.
• Experience in the practice of procurement of goods/works, and the acquisition of consultancy services under donor funding conditions.
• Experience working in a team in a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, international and professional environment.
• Relevant and required experience gained on the African continent.
• Experience gained within multilateral development finance institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in the preparation and/or review of operations in a multilateral financial institution.
• Within 12 months upon assumption of duty, the incumbent will be required to complete the Operations Gateway and Pathway courses as required by this function.

Behavioral Competencies:

• Innovation & Creativity
• Client Orientation
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent Communication skills
• Professional Expertise
• Relationship management skills
• Influencing skills
• Decisiveness
• Takes Initiative/Spotting Opportunity/Pushing Strategy
• Highly organised & structured

Technical Competencies:
Business Acumen:

• Comprehensively understands projects structures, including project planning, risk management strategy, issue management strategy, communication management strategy, with an acute knowledge and understanding of the elements essential for the effective delivery and measurement of development impacts through projects and programs in Africa.
• Ability to identify and create meaningful linkages across sectors and solve issues with sectors and ecosystem.
• Operational Effectiveness skills using all the systems, procedures and culture within the organization for required results delivery.

Implementing Strategy:

• 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.

Negotiation:

• Highly developed negotiation skills proven to yield positive outcomes with senior counterparts, both internal and external, and understands when and how to apply tact, influence, maintain a hard line, make or break contacts, understand unwritten lines of influence and conduct oneself accordingly.

Executing for Results:

• High level of expertise in managing portfolio performance
• Make effective, timely and well-determined interventions for results delivery.
• Ability to work under pressure in a multicultural and distributed organization.
• Client and results orientation, with strong analytical and communication (both verbally and in writing) skills, responsiveness, sense of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to build successful teams, relationships and partnerships with a broad range of clients, internal and external, for effective delivery of results that meet the needs and long-term interests of clients within and outside the institution.

Managerial/Leadership competencies:

• Ability to provide comprehensive thought Leadership on Programme Delivery and related issues
• Mentorship/Coaching Skills
• People Management skills
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, depending on the official language of the country of duty station, preferably with a working knowledge of the other language. For certain duty stations, the position may require fluency in Arabic, or Portuguese, or Spanish in addition to one of the official Bank’s languages (English/French).
• Competence in the use of standard MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint).

Application Closing Date
2nd August, 2024.

Note: The Bank reserves the right to use the outcome of this recruitment process to fill any current and future vacancies, as need may arise