Principal Regional Integration Coordinator, RDRI

• Grade : PL4 
• Position No. : 50069313 
• Posting Date: 11/05/2024 
• Closing Date : 12/06/2024 

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THE BANK:

The African Development Bank Group (the Bank) is the premier pan-African development institution promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. It is composed of 81 member states, including 54 Regional Member Countries (African Countries) and 27 non-regional member countries.

The Bank mobilises and allocates resources to African countries, individually and collectively, for investment in public and private capital projects and programmes. To ensure greater developmental impacts and accelerate the implementation of its Ten-Year Strategy covering the period of 2024-2033, the Bank’s operational focus has been placed on the High Fives: powering Africa, feeding Africa, industrializing Africa, integrating Africa, and improving the quality of life of Africans.

The Bank is seeking to build a team that will lead the successful implementation of its Ten-Year Strategy and High Fives.

THE COMPLEX:

Within the Regional Development, Integration, and Business Delivery Complex (RDVP), the Bank has five (5) Regional Development and Business Delivery Offices, one in each region of Africa: North, South, East, West, and Central. The Regional Development and Business Delivery Offices are headed by Director Generals. The Complex also includes a dedicated directorate for Nigeria, a department for Transition States, and a Regional Integration Coordination Office.

One of the key mandates of the Complex is the implementation of the Regional Integration Strategic Framework (RISF). The RISF is the Bank’s overarching strategy to support the operationalization of Integrate Africa, Agenda 2063, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It aims to accelerate the free flow of goods, services, people, and capital across Africa. The Regional Integration Strategic Framework is underpinned by large-scale investments in regional infrastructure, especially energy, transport, water, and information and communications technology.

THE HIRING DEPARTMENT:

As the custodian of Integrate Africa, the Regional Integration Coordination Office (RDRI) helps ensure strategic, programmatic, and operational coherence, as well as the efficient and transparent allocation of resources for regional operations and regional public goods. It also helps expedite and lead the Bank’s integrate Africa strategy by identifying and facilitating implementation and utilization of large-scale regional projects that positively drive Africa’s growth agenda, doubling intra-Africa trade and creating long-term prosperity for all.

In close collaboration with the Joint Secretariat Support Office (JSSO), the department supports high-level policy dialogue with the African Union Commission, the Regional Economic Communities, the Secretariat of the AfCFTA, and related intergovernmental organizations to streamline cooperation mechanisms, drive investments, and promote reforms that accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2063, Integrate Africa, and the AfCFTA.

RDRI services lines comprise of designing strategy to influence and accelerate regional integration. Internally, the department helps mainstream regional integration into Bank strategies and operations. It monitors the performance of the regional integration portfolio, generates lessons-learned through periodic reviews, and provides strategic, policy, and operational insights to senior management to improve performance. The department, through the regional operations envelope, finances large scale regional operations designed to boost integration through infrastructure, trade, people mobility (visa – free movement), building productive capacity, etc.  RDRI provides advisory services to Regional Member Countries and senior management, works to build strategic partnerships and maintain communication, while elevating policy dialogue and knowledge to advance regional integration. In this regard, the department pioneers design, publication, and maintenance of flagship analytical products and advocacy tools such as the Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI) and the Africa Regional Integration Index (ARII).

THE POSITION:

The position of Principal Regional Integration Coordinator reports to the Director of the Regional Integration Coordination Office. The job ensures successful and visionary deployment of the Bank’s Integrate Africa strategy particularly, in (i) broadening engagement; (ii) building trusted partnerships, (iii) building capability; (iii) expand knowledge offerings; and (iv) accelerating regional projects.

The incumbent provides specialized advisory services on regional integration to the West Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Offices (RDGW) directly supporting Director General and Deputy Director General. Key responsibilities include designing regional integration strategy papers, leveraging regional integration in Bank’s programmatic documents (Country Strategy Papers, Country Diagnostic Note, etc.), monitoring the Integrate Africa portfolio, mobilizing concessional resources, and integrating trade facilitation and regional integration into large-scale infrastructure projects. The job holder plays the role of focal point and provides technical support to regional and cross border operations in the areas of transport and trade facilitation, trade in services, cross border investment, trade policy, investment attraction, value chain, private sector development, regional infrastructure, etc.  The incumbent also works closely with sector departments—such as transport, energy, water, and agriculture—and regional program officers to develop a robust, multi-year pipeline of transformative regional operations and public goods. Furthermore, the role involves cultivating and managing strategic partnerships with key Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in West Africa, particularly the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Lastly, he/she will be expected to support the front office of the Director, especially regarding quality reviews of documents and ensuring adherence to procurement and fiduciary rules across the department’s activities.

KEY FUNCTIONS:

Under the general guidance and supervision of the Director of Regional Integration, the Principal Regional Integration Coordinator will perform the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Technical Inputs for Strategic Document: Mainstream regional integration in Bank’s programmatic documents (Country Strategy Papers, Country Diagnostic Notes, mid-term reviews, as well as leading the development of Regional Integration Strategy Papers for the West Africa region.
2. Project Design and Implementation: Provide technical and operational support in the design, financing, and implementation of flagship regional infrastructure projects and public goods, ensuring mainstreaming of regional integration.
3. Policy and Advisory Support: Provide specialized policy, technical, and operational advice to the West Africa region on matters related to resource mobilization, portfolio management, high-level policy dialogue, and regional integration for Integrate Africa. Provide deep sector expertise on regional integration and ensure quality at entry, synchronization and coordination to provide complementarity between the Bank’s hard and soft infrastructure investments.
4. Portfolio management: Monitor and report on the performance of the Bank’s regional integration portfolio in North and West Africa, ensuring timely and accurate tracking of progress and outcomes and appropriate reporting to senior management for decision-making.
5. Pipeline Development: Collaborate proactively with sector departments—such as transport, energy, agriculture, and water—and regional offices to develop and maintain a robust, multi-year pipeline of transformative regional operations and public goods.
6. Partnership Management: Initiate, build, nurture and strengthen existing trusted and strategic partnerships and coalitions within and outside the Bank, including with the private sector, Continental organizations’ such as the African Union, Economic Commission for Africa and similar institutions and international institutions such as the World Trade Organization, World Customs Organization etc., on matters of Integrate Africa and to secure additional resources for regional projects.
7. Innovative Financing Solutions: Promote and implement innovative financial models for regional infrastructure in West Africa, leveraging a blend of public and private capital, concessional and non-concessional financing, and instruments such as guarantees.
8. Representation and Advocacy: Represent the Bank at regional and global forums, engaging with senior government officials and key stakeholders to advocate for and support the Bank’s Integrate Africa initiatives. Lead and support deeper policy dialogue to accelerate utilization of the AfCFTA with key partners in the region (MDBs, other Development Banks, Bilateral Financiers, etc.), visa-free movement, financial infrastructure, productive capacity and macroeconomic integration, etc.
9. Quality and Compliance Oversight: Provide support to the front office of the Director by conducting quality reviews of documents and ensuring adherence to procurement and fiduciary rules across the department’s activities.

COMPETENCIES (Qualifications, Experience & Skills):

• A minimum of a master’s degree in Economics, International Relations/Trade, Law, Finance, Social or any other related international development fields.
• A minimum of 6 years’ relevant experience at increasingly technical levels. Experience in regional integration, regional policy dialogue, infrastructure finance, and project management is highly desired.
• Demonstrated teamwork and communications skills and ability to manage diverse teams.
• Solid understanding of the architecture of regional integration and regional cooperation frameworks in Africa, especially in West Africa.   
• Strong capacity to analyse actions from the perspectives of stakeholders, including regional member countries, RECs, development partners, and private sector, and to translate strategic thinking into compelling action plans
• Demonstrated ability to take prudent business risks and make effective, timely and well-determined decisions.
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software applications (SAP, Microsoft Office, Collaboration Suites).
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other language.

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THIS POSITION IS CLASSIFIED AS INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT AND ATTRACTS INTERNATIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

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Applicants who fully meet the Bank's requirements and are considered for further assessment will be contacted. Applicants should submit a concise Curriculum Vitae (CV) and any additional documents that may be stated as required. The President of the African Development Bank reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level.  The African Development Bank is an equal opportunities employer. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. http://www.afdb.org

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The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) does not ask for payments of any kind from applicants throughout the recruitment process (job application, CV review, interview meeting, and final processing of applications). In addition, the Bank does not request information on applicants’ bank accounts. The African Development Bank Group declines all responsibility for the fraudulent publications of job offers in its name or, in general, for the fraudulent use of its name in any way whatsoever . 

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“Please note that the Bank does not accept dual nationality. Therefore, you are required to declare the nationality you would like to be considered by the Bank throughout your career, if hired. Please upload supporting Government issued IDs such as passport, National Identity Card or Certificate etc.”