African Development Bank Group (AfDB) – Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Principal Investment Officer

Position Number: 50093618
Location: Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
Position Grade: PL4

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 (i) to develop, policy and strategy; (ii) provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by gathering pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions; (iii) develop new financing instruments; (iv) 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 Divison / Department

• 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 (covering the Southern and Eastern Regions and Nigeria) (AHWS.2) works in tandem with AHWS. 3 (Water Security and Sanitation division covering Western, Central and Nortehrn Regions), 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

• The Principal Investment Officer, reporting to the Manager Water Security and Sanitation Division, is responsible for ensuring thought leadership and providing operational support in regard to private sector and non-sovereign operations, appropriate financing modalities and amounts for water security (including water supply and sanitation, environmental health, water for agriculture, electricity, industrialization and regional cooperation).
• Liaising with global and regional-level stakeholders, and maintaining close collaboration with regional hubs and other water-related complexes in the Bank, the purpose of this job is to develop pertinent knowledge and provide technical guidance, expertise and strategic direction on investing and financing sustainable and affordable water supply and sanitation systems and approaches in both rural and urban areas, with a special focus on urban areas.
• In so doing, the position will contribute to the attainment of the continent’s water supply agenda and related objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including attaining water for all and ensuring sustainable and viable water systems towards improved quality of life for the people of Africa.

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

• Implement the action plan of the Water Development and Sanitation department, including Water Supply for All and  Sanitation for All, by promoting new financing innovative products, and  mobilising new sources of financing;
• Set objectives, formulate policies, establish priorities, define and monitor the key performance indicators for water sector development and sanitation financing;
• Provide technical oversight to develop innovative vehicles for water sector financing, and provide technical assistance to investment funds and other non-banking financial institutions that offer equity and debts to water utilities;
• Work closely with the Bank’s private sector and financial inclusion departments to partner with relevant financial and non-financial institutions for the development and financing of public private partnership in the water sector;
• Assist regional members countries and task managers in the identification, preparation and appraisal of water development and sanitation financing for country operations;
• Enhance project implementation quality, timeliness and integrity through developing and implementing controls that minimize slippages;
• Develop and implement performance monitoring and evaluation systems and reporting activities (including key performance indicators) to enable transparent assessment of water development and sanitation financing outcomes and impacts, both for internal and external circulation;
• Drive new business development and resource mobilization for water development and sanitation financing with relevant departments of the Bank as well as sovereign, multilateral, bilateral, financial institution and private sector partners;
• Establish synergies between the Bank’s various initiatives in the water sector with the Bank’s other flagship programmes;
• Establish and maintain strategic collaboration with relevant partners in the area of water development and sanitation financing for the sector;
• Organize water development and sanitation financing seminars, make presentations, and represent the Bank in relevant events;
• Identify non sovereign operations to support attainment of water sector related SDGs;
• Provide thought leadership and lead complex preparation and appraisal of public-private partnership (PPP) projects;
• Contribute to complex project identification, preparation and appraisal for Bank Group financing;
• Evaluate, structure, negotiate, and close transactions for water development and sanitation
• Mobilize innovative initiatives to close financing gaps for the development of major water/sanitation operations;
• Provide support and expertize to regional directorates for non-sovereign operations in the water development and sanitation;
• Partner with water utilities and financial institutions to finance operations in the sector
• Monitor and report on the implementation of the new initiatives to financing and their contribution to meet the water/sanitation related SDGs.
• Define and monitor a set of impact indicators particularly around development impact and job creation for women and youth;
• Formulate alliance strategies with actors along innovative financing of water development and sanitation service delivery with a particular focus on public private partnerships (at the country and continent level) to engage stakeholders in alignment of sustainable socio-economic development goals;
• Agree upon follow-up arrangements for project designs and technical assistance for implementation upon consultation with concerned African Development Bank country offices;
• Support review all reports and papers prepared by other technical staff and give appropriate guidance.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, or Development Finance, Economics, or related field; relevant qualification in investment appraisal and project finance is a plus;
• Have a minimum of six (6) years of investment finance experience, with track record in investment structuring and project finance. In addition, good command of undertaking comprehensive due diligence, including financial and economic analysis of clients (financial institutions, medium and larger enterprises);
• Good working experience with, or working knowledge of, multilateral or bilateral development agencies;
• Experience of Multi-lateral development banks (or similar financing institutions) and their operations in terms of private and/or public sector project development and implementation process;
• Experience with a broad range of financing and implementation modalities including but not limited to budget support, loans, equity, partial credit risk guarantees, results-based finance, Public Private Partnerships including Design-Build-Operate;
• Competencies in strategy development and implementation;
• Very good understanding of Finance and business, especially utility financing issues, trends and opportunities in Africa;
• Recognized ability to identify and articulate finance, corporate finance and project finance issues and to provide sound advice;
• 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. A working knowledge of the other will be an asset;
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.

Application Closing Date
10th May, 2022.