Senior Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer at African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

Job Title: Senior Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer

Key Function

• Under the direct supervision of the Division Manager – Rural Infrastructure Development Division (AHFR2) of the Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department (AHFR), the incumbent will work closely with other Task Managers in the Agriculture Finance and Rural Infrastructure Development Department, Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department, the Industry and Trade Development Department, etc., and external stakeholders.

The Senior Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer’s role includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Lead the timely implementation of ongoing projects across countries by proactively working with the Project Implementation Unit of each project while ensuring timely and quality project management in relevant areas such as procurement, financial management, environment and social safeguards, disbursement, private sector investment mobilization, etc.
• Coordinate with the AfDB’s project team members to ensure that each project is fully compliant with the AfDB’s policies and procedures.
• Design and implement quality sovereign operations for hard and soft rural infrastructure, in particular, for the private-sector-led special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs), critical for the agricultural transformation in Africa.
• Support Regional Directorates/ Regional Development and Business Delivery Office for the relevant sovereign operations with innovative business models, specifically public-private partnerships, private sector-led management, and operation to implement the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) and related projects.
• Partner with co-financiers, financial institutions, and commercial banks to find solutions for financing tenant companies in the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) along the key priority agricultural value chains.
• Develop knowledge and share lessons of special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) that have successfully provided value-chain-related employment opportunities to women and youth.
• Carry out policy dialogue for a business-enabling environment for special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs), which includes the legal, regulatory, and institutional framework.
• Mobilize resources for special agro-industrial processing zones from other Development Partners, Development Financial Institutions, and Non-Traditional sources including climate financing, sovereign wealth funds, and pension funds.
• Provide implementation support and supervise the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) and other rural infrastructure development projects to ensure effective contribution to the goals of the Feed Africa Strategy, impact poverty, enhance competitiveness, and transform agriculture.
• Identify opportunities for strategic collaboration with multilateral and bilateral donors in support of the agriculture sector in the Francophone countries to increase the advantage effects of the Bank’s loan and grant operations.
• Support Regional and Country Offices in all rural infrastructure engineering and agriculture-related activities, including project design, preparation implementation and supervision, and coordination with other stakeholders within the Bank as well as other donors and development partners.
• Contribute to the preparation of Country Strategy Papers, with particular reference to rural roads, water resources, and agriculture infrastructure development.
• Participate in the relevant sector donor-coordination meetings, sector-wide approaches, and advise on sector policy issues.
• Assist where required in the development of the Bank’s policies, procedures, and guidelines, and ensure their application.
• Provide expert advice and guidance to officials of executing agencies on sector issues and priorities, technical and operational aspects of projects, and Bank rules and procedures, including those for the procurement of works, goods and services, and disbursement activities.
• Provide active support to the Government in facilitating loans/grants effectiveness and advise the Government on agricultural portfolio management in the country.
• Assist country officials and implementing agencies in carrying out procurement and disbursement activities in accordance with Bank Group rules and procedures.
• Assist Government and implementation agencies in the utilization of revolving funds and preparation of quarterly reports and annual audit reports.
• Provide inputs in the review of tender evaluation reports and undertake the evaluation of technical and financial proposals for contracts relating to project implementation.
• Ascertain good performance of operations through regular supervision of portfolio operations technical guidance and training of Borrowers on compliance with the Bank’s rules of procedure monitor the agricultural portfolio in the country in addition to a supervision mission.
• Collaborate with other Banks’ Units in reviewing the operations performance, preparing completion reports, etc., so as to ensure that the lessons drawn from the implementation of past operations are taken into account in new projects.
• Undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the AHFR2 Division Manager and other relevant management members.  

Competencies (skills, experience, and knowledge  

• Hold at least a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Project Finance, Agriculture Finance, Infrastructure Finance, or a related field.
• Have a minimum of five (5) years relevant professional experience in timely project implementation of agriculture infrastructure projects, program/project design and management for agriculture/industry infrastructure financing, public-private partnerships, broad knowledge of all industrial processing zone development, agriculture value-chain development, agriculture/food-industry manufacturing, rural and water infrastructure, with specific experience in implementation and management of Multilateral Development Banks or Development Finance Institutions (MDB/DFI) funded projects in agriculture and the rural infrastructure projects.
• Good management knowledge of agricultural value chain development projects and public-private partnerships to mobilize private sector investments into the agriculture and food processing sectors.
• Previous experience working in multilateral financial institutions or similar large organizations, and performing such roles as project preparation, appraisal, supervision, and implementation of MDB/DFI-funded projects.
• Proven quality project implementation experience, planning and organizational skills, with the ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into practical problem-solving solutions and recommendations.
• In-depth knowledge of job-related social, economic, and environmental development issues in Africa, especially Francophone countries such as Guinea, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other countries.
• Proven ability and experience to interact competently with Government senior officials, co-financing institutions, and donor agencies on issues relating to aid coordination; represent the Bank in the country partner meetings.
• Ability to communicate and write effectively in French. Good practical knowledge of English and other languages would be an advantage.
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Ability to work in a team and work in a multicultural environment. Ability to work effectively in partnership with clients and seek feedback to improve work processes; be able to adapt in rural areas.
• Communicate verbally and write effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.

Application Instructions:

The application deadline is Not Specified. Therefore, qualified and interested candidates can “CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT APPLICATION.” It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply successfully for this vacancy.

Website:
Official Job Website: https://www.afdb.org/en/about-us/careers