Principal Infrastructure Partnerships Officer at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

JOB TITLE: Principal Infrastructure Partnerships Officer

JOB LOCATION: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

JOB DETAILS:

• The role of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department is to foster advancement of infrastructure and urban development in Africa.
• The Department provides assistance to the Bank Regional Member Countries (RMCs) in the form of sovereign and non-sovereign loans and grants to finance transport infrastructure and urban development projects and programs.
• The Department also undertakes analytical and advisory activities to underpin lending programs and support policy dialogue with RMCs to formulate and implement infrastructure and urban development sector reforms ensuring that best practices are mainstreamed in policy, planning, programming, institutional governance, and maintenance and operation.

The Hiring Department

• The role of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department is to foster advancement of infrastructure and urban development in Africa.
• The Department provides assistance to the Bank Regional Member Countries (RMCs) in the form of sovereign and non-sovereign loans and grants to finance transport infrastructure and urban development projects and programs.
• The Department also undertakes analytical and advisory activities to underpin lending programs and support policy dialogue with RMCs to formulate and implement infrastructure and urban development sector reforms ensuring that best practices are mainstreamed in policy, planning, programming, institutional governance, and maintenance and operation.

Hiring Division

• The Infrastructure Partnerships Division (PICU3) is one of the Divisions within the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department (PICU) in the Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization vice presidency (PIVP) of the Bank.
• The Division is responsible for supporting the development of regional infrastructure in the transport, energy, ICT and Water sectors, to promote regional integration in Africa. In addition, the Division hosts the secretariat of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA), manages the NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF) Special Fund, and is leading development of the Bank’s Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) strategic framework and Transaction Advisory Services Support to Regional Member Countries (RMCs).

The position

• The Principal Infrastructure Partnerships Officer, reporting to the PICU3 Division Manager, will lead efforts to advance infrastructure development in Africa by leading the preparation and development of infrastructure projects. The incumbent is expected to provide professional leadership and support for regional infrastructure development programs and objectives at both the continental and regional levels.
• This role involves providing high-level policy and strategic advice on energy, transport, ICT, and transboundary water infrastructure programs and projects, as well as Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to developers, governments, and regional organizations.
• The Principal Infrastructure Partnerships Officer will drive also the strategy, operations, and governance of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). The position requires expertise in infrastructure project preparation, design, financing, and implementation, along with the ability to foster partnerships between the public and private sectors.
• The specialist will collaborate closely with Regional Member Countries (RMCs), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and other stakeholders to ensure the development of high-quality, viable projects that align with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2023-2032) and the High 5 priorities.

Key Functions
Under the direct supervision of the Division Manager PICU3 and general guidance of the Director of PICU, the Principal Infrastructure Partnerships Officer will perform the following duties and responsibilities:

• Oversee the implementation of Continental Infrastructure Master Plans and Bank’s support to strategic infrastructure initiatives such as: the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA), the Second Priority Action Plan of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA PAP2), Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative (PICI), African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), G20 Infrastructure Working Group (G20 IWG), MDB Infrastructure Cooperation Platform (MDB ICP).
• Coordinate the Bank’s engagement with key regional and global institutions (African Union Commission – AUC; African Union Development Agency – AUDA-NEPAD; United Nations Economic Commission for Africa – UNECA, Global Infrastructure Facility – GIF, etc.) to drive strategic infrastructure development.
• Liaise with continental pan African institutions and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on their priority programmes and projects for which assistance is sought from the Bank and makes recommendations to management on possible support and interventions. Undertake consultation and advisory missions to regional and continental institutions and regional member countries for dialogue as necessary.
• Lead the Bank’s policy and strategic dialogue with external partners on regional infrastructure programs, providing strategic insights and recommendations to inform policies and contribute to the development of comprehensive strategic plans for infrastructure development across Africa.
• Identify new business opportunities and Economic and Sector Work (ESW) for regional infrastructure development in Africa, while developing strategies to attract institutional investors and enhance private sector participation.
• Manage the development and implementation of regional infrastructure programs and projects to enhance regional integration objectives. This includes identifying and preparing infrastructure projects (transport, energy, ICT, and transboundary water sectors) across Regional Member Countries (RMCs) that align with regional development strategies and the priorities of the Bank, and supporting the mobilisation of financing for the implementation phase.
• Manage a strong, validated pipeline in the infrastructure that meets Quality at Entry criteria, ensuring efficient processing through the project cycle (identification, appraisal, approval, signature of grant agreement, effectiveness, launching, supervision, completion, Project Completion Reports, audits) via collaborative internal and external partnerships, and according to NEPAD-IPPF and AfDB guidelines.
• Provide specialist professional advice and support to internal and external clients on how to successfully develop, structure and implement regional infrastructure programmes and projects, either through public finance or through Public Private Partnerships, and ensure that projects are designed and implemented to meet sustainability and impact standards, integrating contemporary trends such as climate change and quality infrastructure.
• Enhance the capacity of RMCs and regional institutions in project preparation through targeted training and advisory support, focusing on attracting investments for infrastructure.
• Coordinate the operational and institutional activities of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA).
• Lead the development and implementation of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) strategic business plans.
• Undertake research on regional infrastructure developments, gaps, needs and opportunities to develop project proposals for consideration by the Bank’s clients and management.
• Regularly prepare and deliver various high-level reports, including strategic briefs, talking points, mission reports, back-to-office reports, and briefing notes to inform management and guide Bank interventions on strategic infrastructure initiatives.
• Share knowledge, experience and lessons learnt with external partners and stakeholders in order to improve the implementation effectiveness and the development outcomes of regional infrastructure programmes and projects.
• Assist in other projects or strategy related activities of the Department/Division as the need may arise.

Competencies (Skills, Experience, and Knowledge)

• Hold at least a master’s degree in Economics, Political Economy, International Relationships, Business Administration, Development Finance, Policy Studies/Analysis, Civil Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Have a minimum of six (6) years of relevant experience in infrastructure development and financing, regional infrastructure project preparation and implementation, regional integration, regional infrastructure strategy development, project management or project finance, policy and strategic analysis, strategic planning and implementation, research and knowledge management, management of infrastructure partnerships, with specific experience in Africa.
• Strong understanding of the infrastructure and related services, in particular, transport, energy, ICT, and water.
• Strong experience is working on global partnerships including G7 and G20 infrastructure initiatives, African Union and Global infrastructure initiatives, AfDB’s infrastructure initiatives, Africa’s political and institutional arrangements, infrastructure, financing mechanisms and instruments in the context of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).
• Experience and ability to identify, prepare, implement and supervise infrastructure projects.
• Strong infrastructure project management experience and good understanding of project development cycle in the context of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) with tangible results.
• Working experience in multinational organization in Africa and/or specialized experience in similar organization or specialized regional infrastructure development institutions would be considered an advantage.
• Ability to initiate, effectively and independently interact with the senior government officials, senior management of potential clients.
• Ability to formulate policy advise, write policy briefs, and notes for high level officials, etc
• Excellent problem-solving capabilities applies business knowledge to the resolution of problems and identifies solutions to the benefit of the client (internal and external) and the organization.
• Excellent organizational, administrative, and time management skills.
• Proven ability to work with limited supervision and efficiently to deliver under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Robust analytical skills and the ability to write and produce high quality technical reports.
• Ability to deal with sensitive issues in the workplace in a multi-cultural environment and to build effective working relations with colleagues.
• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to mentor, coach and work effectively as a team leader.
• Excellent spoken and written English or French, with a working knowledge of the other language.
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint). Knowledge of SAP is desirable.

HOW TO APPLY
To apply for the ongoing African Development Bank Group job opening, visit the job APPLICATION PORTAL to submit your application!