Chief Agricultural Economist at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

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: Chief Agricultural Economist

Position Number: 50058625
Location: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Position Grade: PL3

The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for Agriculture, Human, and Social Development (AHVP) is a Sector Complex focusing on the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy High 5s priorities of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.
• The Complex comprises five departments:
  • Agriculture and Agro-Industry Development (AHAI)
  • Agriculture Finance and Rural Development (AHFR)
  • Gender, Women and Civil Society (AHGC)
  • Water Development and Sanitation (AHWS)
  • Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development (AHHD).
• The complex objectives are to:
  • Develop policy and strategy
  • Provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by gathering pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions
  • Develop new financing instruments.
• The Vice-President acts as the Bank’s spokesperson with external stakeholders on aspects of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.

The Hiring Department

• The Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department provides support for the delivery of Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016-2025.
• The strategy aims to end hunger and rural poverty in the next decade through self-sufficiency in 18 priority commodity value chains specific to the continent’s agro-ecological zones.
• Realizing the objectives set forth in the strategy requires increased productivity; value addition/processing; investment in infrastructure; an enabling agribusiness environment; capital flows; and inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition.
• The Department Supports the effort to transform African agricultural systems for greater competitiveness, inclusivity and sustainability, and for enhanced job creation and poverty reduction.

The Position

• The Chief Agricultural Economist will be based in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• The Chief Agricultural Economist will directly support the Regional Sector Manager - Agriculture and Agroindustry covering the Central Africa region (AHAI3) and will act as Regional Coordinator for Agriculture for the Central Africa Region.
• As such he will be providing oversight support to the Management of the Portfolio and the lending program in the Central Africa Region and will represent the division in key coordinating meetings of the Bank (and in particular the Regional Division Meetings) and in take a leading role in the sector dialogue of the region as required.
• The Chief Agricultural Position will provide direct guidance to local staff in the Central Africa region and in particular the local staff based in Gabon and DRC.
• More specifically, the Chief Agricultural Economist will be responsible for leading for the Bank in the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo and in other countries as required the implementation of the Agenda for the Transformation of Agriculture in Africa.
• He/she will provide technical support to the Bank Group’s operational activities in the field of agriculture and rural development, technical studies and institutional mechanisms for agricultural projects/ programs proposed for Bank financing, as well as the feasibility study of their current and future impact and benefits.
• Specifically, the Chief Agricultural Economist will provide technical support to the development and implementation of projects within the flagship programs under the Feed Africa High Fives’ such as Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), ENABLE Youth, Agroprocessing Zones and Corridors program, Postharvest Loss and Agro-Processing (PHAP), etc. I
• ncumbent will also work with the Flagship Coordinators in both AHAI and AHFR. 
• The incumbent will work across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries to support the delivery of development solutions for a diverse set of clients in the rural (and urban) space and in the public and private sectors in line with the Agricultural development, Agribusiness and Agro-Industry agenda of the AfDB Group. Using a value-chain approach, the incumbent supports the implementation of this agenda in Regional Member Countries (RMCs), with specific focus on providing technical input for the design, and supervision of projects which:
  • Promote value chain development, value addition, primary and secondary processing of crops, fisheries and livestock
  • Catalyze private sector entry and growth in African agribusiness
  • Promotes agri-SME growth and the commercialization of agriculture, particularly addressing access to finance needs
  • Creates farm to fork market linkages
  • Facilitates the development of agro-poles and agro-processing hubs
  • Supports the development of an agribusiness enabling environment
  • Invests in hard infrastructure (including roads, markets and irrigation), soft infrastructure (human capital, i.e., trained potential employees, ICT, etc.), and enabling policies and reforms, for transformation of African agriculture into viable, profitable businesses.
• The Chief Agricultural Economist will need to work closely with private sector experts at the Bank to scale up investments in agribusiness and will design and coordinate the delivery of client solutions and all project management aspects of the deployment of such solutions.

Key Functions
Under the guidance of the Regional sector manager - Agriculture and Agroindustry – Central Africa (AHAI3), and working in collaboration with the other divisions in charge of the implementation of the Feed Africa Strategy, the Chief Agricultural Economist is responsible for execution of the following activities with the associated deliveries:

• Provide oversight support to the Management of the Portfolio and the lending program in the Central Africa Region and Represent the division in key coordinating meetings of the Bank) and in taking a leading role in the sector dialogue of the region as required.
• Lead the dialogue in the country(ies) of assignment (and in particular in the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo) on the Feed Africa Strategy and it key flagship initiatives such as Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), ENABLE Youth, Agroprocessing Zones and Corridors program, Postharvest Loss and Agro-Processing (PHAP), etc.
• Provide direct guidance to Local Staff in the Central Africa region and in particular the Local Staff based in Gabon and DRC.
• Conduct field missions to identify, prepare, evaluate and / or oversee the implementation and monitoring of Bank-financed projects, programmes and sector studies to support the Feed Africa Strategy, follow procurement, disbursement and reporting procedures to ensure that they comply with Bank’s Rules and Procedures; or to bring partners to carry out these missions.
• Provide assistance to borrowers in understanding and implementing Bank Group policies and procedures as well as issues related of projects and programs and resource use.
• Contribute in negotiation projects with representatives from Regional Member Countries and support projects in the Board.
• Provide technical input to the preparation of Country Strategy Papers and portfolio reviews, with particular emphasis on the agriculture and rural development sector.
• Facilitate, direct, as necessary, reviews of the agricultural sector, preparation of agricultural and rural development projects, mid-term reviews and missions, and processing of project completion procedures.
• Participate in drafting terms of reference (TORs) for studies proposed for Bank financing and participate in the evaluation and processing of agricultural and rural development projects.
• Prepare terms of reference and support the Division directorate in selecting consultants for missions and oversee the technical aspects of their work.
• Review procurement documents from Regional Member Countries to ensure that they are in line with the Bank Group's Rules and Procedures for procurement and make proposals for actions to be taken by the Bank and relevant implementation entities.
• Review feasibility studies and progress reports on projects and make proposals for actions to be taken by the Bank and the executing agencies.
• Provide technical advice to the Disbursement Division of the Bank on the eligibility of project expenditures.
• Oversee agricultural projects financed by the Bank; Communicating - giving / exchanging ideas, advising, explaining - with the head of division, division staff, project managers, various donors and counterparts from other multilateral institutions.
• Supervise the recruitment and performance review of external auditors.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold a minimum of a Master's Degree in Development, Agricultural Engineering (or related discipline), with a specialization in Agricultural Economics or Agro-economics.
• Have a minimum of seven (07) years of relevant experience, with particular expertise in designing and supporting projects implementation in international financial Institutions.
• Experience in supporting private sector operations would be an added advantage.
• Proven ability to implement country or sector level agriculture analytical and capacity building initiatives.
• A good understanding of cross-cutting issues beyond agriculture and social development (e.g. procurement, governance, donors’ practices) at sector/country level.
• Good knowledge of strategy to deliver transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty.
• Good knowledge of key aid effectiveness issues especially harmonization of donors’ practices and alignment to borrowers’ systems.
• Demonstrated intellectual leadership and ability to integrate sector specific knowledge with broader operational strategy and research objectives.
• Good networking skills and judgment which are required in the management of professional relationship with external partners working in Africa.
• Client Orientation to understand, and when appropriate, anticipate client needs, to ensure the clients receive the best possible service from the Bank.
• Ability to apply innovative approaches and change working methods while remaining effective in changing working conditions.
• Ability to communicate 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 Closing Date
20th August, 2022.