Senior Financial Analyst at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) Full Time

Job Title: Senior Financial Analyst

Position Number: 50062363
Location: Pretoria, South Africa
Position Grade: PL5

The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for ‘Agriculture, Human, and Social Development’ is a Sector Complex focusing on the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy High 5s priority of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”. The complex objectives are:
  • To develop, policy and strategy
  • Provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by gathering pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions
  • Develop new financing instruments
  • The VP will act as the spokesperson to represent the Bank with external stakeholders on aspects of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.

The Hiring Department / Division

• The Water Development and Sanitation Department is responsible for the coordination of the Bank’s water development and sanitation-related activities to enhance synergies and contribute to achievement of all High 5s (Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the people of Africa).
• Through its three Divisions: AHWS.1 for Water Coordination & Partnership Division, AHWS.2 for Water Security and Sanitation Division (covering Southern and Easter Regions and Nigeria as well as Non Sovereign Operations across the continent), AHWS.3 for Water Security and Sanitation Division (covering Western, Central and Northern Regions) and the African Water Facility (AWF), the Department supports regional hubs in the development and promotion of new knowledge, approaches and tools for green and inclusive water resources development and management, and for improved sanitation. In so doing, the Department leads the scaling-up of the Bank’s contribution to Africa’s efforts to attain water security and sanitation for sustainable socio-economic transformation.
• The Water Security and Sanitation Division (AHWS.2) works in tandem with Water Coordination & Partnership Division (AHWS.1) and the AWF to provide the Bank thought leadership for water development and sanitation in Africa. The Department, and the Water Security and Sanitation Division play a lead role in supporting Africa to attain water security through the provision of technical expertise, generation and dissemination of pertinent sector knowledge and fostering strategic partnerships. Specifically, in line with the mandate of the Department, the Water Security and Sanitation Division provides guidance in the following thematic areas, among others: (i) Integrated & Transboundary Water Resources Development and Management for Water Security; (ii) Water Supply for All; (iii) Sanitation for All; and, (iv) Water Sector Governance; as well as the cross-cutting areas including gender, climate change, private sector engagement and fragility.

The Position

• Under the supervision of the Division Manager, the Senior Financial Analyst will be part of a team of technical and sector specialists providing economic and financial solutions and specific financial analysis related expertise to support Lending and Non-lending activities in the overall water sector in regional member countries of the Bank.
• He/she will demonstrate leadership and provide operational support in regard to sovereign and non-sovereign operations, appropriate Assessment of the socio-economic cost benefit analysis of water sector operations.
• Liaising with global and regional-level stakeholders, and maintaining close collaboration with regional hubs and other water-related complexes in the Bank, the incumbent will contribute substantially to the Development, and Management of relevant knowledge products and provide technical and strategic inputs in regard to enhancing knowledge of the economic and financial value of the water and sanitation sector and providing insights aiming at raising the economic and social profile of the sector.
• These inputs and contribution will be made with the view of supporting the department’s non-Sovereign dimension business development effort.

Key Functions
Under the overall supervision of the Manager Water Security and Sanitation Division, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

• Agree upon follow-up arrangements for project designs and technical assistance for implementation upon consultation with concerned African Development Bank country offices.
• Support reviews all reports, and papers prepared by other technical staff and give appropriate guidance.

Financial and Economic Analysis:

• Conduct comprehensive financial and Economic analysis of water and sanitation sector operations, assessing their economic and financial viability, cost-effectiveness, and potential risks.
• Assess the overall financial and economic cost benefit analysis of every sector operation by calculating economic rate of return of the proposed operation, by using empirical assumptions. Undertake sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of the economic analysis, by identifying critical variables in the calculation of both the NPV and IRR of the operation and contribute to relevant sections of Project concept notes, appraisal reports, completion reports, and other relevant reports. Provide analysis on the institutional and O&M sustainability of the operation
• Create and maintain financial models to support project planning, including revenue projections, cost estimates, and funding requirements. Analyse various financing options.

Institutional / Sector Analysis:

• Undertake sector and institutional analysis in preparing water and sanitation operations in regional member countries,
• Have detailed insight in formulating and structuring investment programs using innovative financial mechanisms, including, blended finance, promoting PPPs, use of Guarantee products, loans and equity products.
• Engage with relevant stakeholders to pursue sector reforms and institutional restructuring to promote economic and financial sustainability of water sector service delivery.
• Engage to address broader sector reforms, institutional and regulatory aspects, tariff and cost recovery, and sustainability of water sector service delivery

Institutional/Sector Analysis:

• Undertake sector and institutional analysis in preparing water and sanitation operations in regional member countries,
• Have detailed insight in formulating and structuring investment programs using innovative financial mechanisms, including, blended finance, promoting PPPs, use of Guarantee products, loans and equity products.
• Engage with relevant stakeholders to pursue sector reforms and institutional restructuring to promote economic and financial sustainability of water sector service delivery.
• Engage to address broader sector reforms, institutional and regulatory aspects, tariff and cost recovery, and sustainability of water sector service delivery

Due Diligence:

• Perform due diligence on project proposals, including financial and economic, assessments, ensuring alignment with the bank’s standards and guidelines.
• Provide financial and economic technical expertise and advisory support on non-sovereign and sovereign transactions vis a vis identification, feasibility, design, structuring, appraisal, negotiations, implementation, complementation leveraging on of available financial instruments.

Portfolio Management:

• Collaborate with project teams to develop, monitor, and manage project budgets, tracking expenditures financial performance, and physical progress throughout the project lifecycle.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Engage with governments, project stakeholders, and external partners to secure funding commitments, build consensus, and ensure project sustainability.
• Provide technical support and economic and financial advice to operational staff that assist RMCs and clients in making decisions on the choice of the optimal lending instruments.

Reporting and Documentation:

• Prepare accurate and timely reports, including Project Appraisal reports, technical annexes and Project Back to Office Reports to inform decision-making and meet reporting requirements.

Environmental and Social Safeguards:

• Collaborate with environmental and social experts to ensure project compliance with financial aspects of environmental and social safeguards.
• Provide technical guidance from a socio-economic and financial perspective and provide to disseminate knowledge on approaches for addressing inclusivity and sustainability aspects of water supply services delivery including climate change adaptation and mitigation, human rights to water, gender, and service delivery in conflict affected areas, within Bank operations.

Water and Sanitation Knowledge Management:

• Contribute to knowledge sharing within the organization by documenting lessons learned, best practices, and financial innovations in the water and sanitation sector.
• Undertake and/or contribute substantially to analytical work to generate and disseminate knowledge products on water supply with particular focus on: (i) green and affordable technologies; (ii) water value chain and private sector engagement; (iii) integrated water management and use; (iv) life cycle water costs; (v) sustainable service delivery; among others.
• Provide technical guidance from an economic and financial perspective and provide to disseminate knowledge on approaches for addressing inclusivity and sustainability aspects of water supply services delivery including climate change adaptation and mitigation, human rights to water, gender, and service delivery in conflict affected areas, within Bank operations.
• Provide technical guidance and backstopping support in the preparation of sector studies to promote inclusive, sustainable and affordable water supply and sanitation services at country, regional and continental level for improved livelihoods and well-being, breaking new ground in water sector financing leveraging on both private sector participation and climate funding.
• Provide Leadership support to the design and management of sector related community of practices and special initiatives on water supply, sanitation as well as the overall water security including nexus water-energy-food security to facilitate knowledge exchange within the Bank and to harmonize service standards across the regional hubs.

Policies and Strategies, and Business Plans:

• Support the Division to design of appropriate structures and solutions to address the growing and ever complex needs of RMCs and private sector clients
• Contribute to the monitoring of the implementation of the Bank’s water policy and provide economic and financial analysis related inputs to the review, preparation and updating of the Bank’s strategies, business plans and guidelines related to water supply.
• Provide technical inputs from an economic and financial analysis to the Division’s contribution to the development and review of strategies, business plans and guidelines prepared by other departments from the water supply perspective.
• Provide backstopping support to regional member countries (RMCs) for the preparation of national water supply, strategies, and investment plans towards the achievement of national goals and the SDGs.
• Support the review process of project proposals and special initiatives prepared by the regional hubs and contribute to all aspects that relate to water supply.

Strategic Partnerships:

• Contribute to the Bank’s engagement with key external stakeholders such as the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN), Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Network, African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWA), World Water Council, etc.
• Contribute from the sectors’ interventions socio-economic and financial value perspective to the review and monitoring of ongoing regional and international discourse on water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as well as intersectoral initiatives including the nexus water-food security-energy.
• Provide technical inputs for Bank contribution to the global and regional sector dialogue in water conferences and platforms such as Stockholm World Water Week, World Water Forum, World Water Council, and Sanitation and Water for All, etc. with a specific attention to be paid to the socio-economic and financial value of the sector and benefits yielded.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• At least a Master’s Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Water Economics, Economics or related field.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in project cycle activities, in particular preparation, appraisals, monitoring and evaluation, and preparation of completion reports projects with a specific focus on economic and financial impact assessment.
• Possess an in-depth knowledge of preparation of detailed financial and economic analysis and as much as quantification of the social implications of water related operations, to inform the Bank decision on financing projects in RMCs. Meanwhile, excellent understanding of financial issues affecting sovereign and non-sovereign clients in developing countries and policy issues associated with the Bank’s mandate would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated solid Experience in project management financed by Multilateral and Bilateral Development Institutions, as well as experience in preparing new operations in Water and Sanitation, infrastructure and/or social projects will be an added advantage.
• Strong knowledge of transboundary water issues, water resources development and management, water security including climate resilience and water related adaptation measures, and water and sanitation service-related sector issues in RMCs will be a major asset.
• Proven ability to identify and articulate policy issues, tradeoffs and priorities to provide sound advice.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and synthesize complex issues (translated into effective oral and written briefs).
• Proven writing and analytical skills in assessing economic and financial effects of climate change on people and ecosystems.
• A mastery of communications technologies, strong written and oral communications skills, ability to quickly synthesize information into easily understood messages, to use basic database technologies, to have a problem-solving orientation, and to operate in a range of settings and in front of large audiences.
• Ability to initiate innovative approaches and originality at work.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, and to prepare, analyze, review and disseminate knowledge products with easy uptake and that add value in financing water development and sanitation.
• Client orientation – Anticipates and identifies client needs and business trends and proactively consults with them to deliver integrated, customized solutions.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and pluri-disciplinary Team with a demonstrated capacity to get the most out of each member of the Team.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.

Application Closing Date
29th November, 2023.

Note: This position is classified international status and attracts international terms and  conditions of employment.