Principal Country Program Officer

• Position title: Principal Country Program Officer
• Grade: PL-4
• Position N°: NA
• Reference: No ADB/15/075
• Publication date: 04/06/2015
• Closing date: 24/06/2015

Objectives

Under the general supervision of the Resident Representative, the Country Program Officer (CPO) will have the responsibility for portfolio coordination, issues and problems in Angola.  The major role of the CPO will be country programming, as well as portfolio management coordination and monitoring, with the view to enhancing the quality of the portfolio. This will involve effective administrative follow-up on operational activities, coordination between the Bank Office in Angola, the Regional Department, the Sector Departments, the Financial Control Department (FFCO) and the Procurement and Fiduciary Services Department (ORPF), as well as the Country Teams concerned. The CPO will have the responsibility for Country Portfolio Performance Reviews (CPPR), follow up on Operations Evaluation Department (OPEV) and project audit recommendations. He/she will have a mastery of the country’s portfolio and will have responsibility for preparing the country briefs for Annual Meetings and as may be requested by Senior Management for other meetings.

Duties and responsibilities

Reporting to the Resident Representative and working closely with internal and external stakeholders, the incumbent’s role includes but is not limited to:

• Act as the focal point for the portfolio in Angola and serve as the central repository of all information on the Bank’s portfolio and other activities in the country/countries of responsibility for external constituencies and borrowers;
• If requested, act as Back up of the Resident Representative, and liaise and communicate with HQ and SARC staff;
• Build and maintain effective professional communications and relations with development partners; stay effectively informed about operational developments with other partners, and effectively communicate to HQ;
• Actively monitor and manage the portfolio in the assigned country;
• Participate actively in all activities of the project cycle in support of HQ’s Operations staff and local sector experts in the Field Office (FO); ensure that the recommendations of supervision, portfolio review and audit missions are implemented and that activity and audit reports comply with Bank requirements and are submitted on time;
• Identify and initiate prompt actions to address portfolio performance and ADB service delivery problems as they arise;
• Identify portfolio problems and opportunities; to work with experts responsible for specific projects to ensure that solutions to pending projects problems are delivered;
• Take the lead In the preparation of Portfolio Reviews in collaboration with the Country Economist, the Sector Departments & the Financial Control Department ;
• Undertake/participate in launching missions to countries in concert with country team;
• Assist government and implementing agencies in meeting the conditions for effective implementation of grant and loan agreements, monitor the fulfilment of other conditions and advise Headquarters (HQ) accordingly;
• Analyze the observations made by government agencies on key innovations envisaged in policy documents, guidelines and Presidential Instructions and make related recommendations;
• Assist Executing Agencies, together with FO procurement expert with all procurement implementation activities: explain procurement procedures, review procurement documents, make necessary recommendations and analyze the tender document in accordance with the, delegations authority for Field Offices, participate In related seminars, collect analyze and provide procurement data and statistics for reporting purposes;
• Explain in the absence of disbursement expert in FO disbursement procedures, review all disbursement applications up to a threshold, monitor and verify the utilizations of all funds in Revolving Fund accounts given to the projects and ensure availability of counterpart funds for projects in the portfolio; follow-up on repayment of arrears on loans and subscriptions with the government and provide disbursement data and statistics for reporting purposes;
• Identify needs for training on the Bank’s procurement and disbursements rules and procedures; contribute to such work as appropriate; assess, if necessary, the capacities and training needs of the country/region and facilitate training workshops and seminars for Bank staff.

Selection Criteria

Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

a)  At least a Master’s degree (or its university equivalent) in Economics, Social Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture/Forestry, Business Administration, Public Administration and knowledge of development issues.

b)  Preferably 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.

c)  Ability to build and manage operational teams and creating an enabling work environment.

d)  Ability to communicate and defend orally and in writing difficult issues and positions (in hostile environment as necessary) to senior Bank management, government officials.

e)  Familiarity with and experience in the practice of procurement of goods/works, and the acquisition of consultancy services under donor funding conditions.

f)  Capacity to coordinate (Tasks, Missions, Projects, Programs): Routinely divers, highly complex/sensitive tasks.

g)  Ability to operate effectively in a multi-cultural environment and to build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

a)  Ability to communicate and write effectively in Portuguese, English and or French with a good working knowledge of one of the two latter languages.

b)  Competence in the use of Bank standard software applications (SAP, word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint).

c)  Strong leadership and coaching skills, with a proven track record of working with economic teams and creating an empowering and self-development oriented work environment.

d)  Operational Effectiveness: Gives tangible examples of where they have enhanced processes to improve operational efficiency within their organizational unit.

e)  Innovation & Creativity: Develop new approaches, procedures and techniques to improve the quality of execution of projects and initiatives and proposes or implements initiatives which improve the organization.

f)  Problem Solving: Identifies high level problems and utilizes business knowledge to resolve these and readily identifies alternative actions or approaches to a problem.

g)  Demonstrates Professional Expertise: Understands the strategic fit of new product/service opportunities, articulates a broad understanding of clients' business as a whole and actively contributes and shares with established networks.

h)  Communication: Synthesizes multiple/complex messages and identifies appropriate key points for different audiences and extracts key points and ensures that these are communicated directly and efficiently.

i)  Client Orientation: Works proactively with clients to achieve superior results and provide leading edge advice and guidance; creates opportunities for expanding and developing new client relationships.

j)  Team Working & Relationship Management: Solicits input and expertise.  Displays willingness to learn from others including peers and collaborates across the Bank to make things happen.

Apply online

Apply for this position

To apply for this position, you need to be national of one of AfDB member countries.

Only applicants who fully meet the Bank's requirements and are being considered for interview will be contacted. Applicants will only be considered if they submit an online application, and attach a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV). The AfDB President reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level. The African Development Bank is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply: www.afdb.org/jobs