Senior Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer at 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: Senior Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer

Position Number: 50001187
Location: Antananarivo, Madagascar
Position Grade: PL5

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency for ‘Agriculture, Human, and Social Development’ is a Sector Complex focusing on two of 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 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;
• Represent the Bank with external stakeholders on aspects of “Feed Africa” and Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.

The Hiring Department / Division
The Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department works closely with the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department and the Regional Directorates to provide support for the delivery of Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016-2025. Feed Africa has “7 Enablers”, i.e.:

• Increase productivity by catalyzing the development of effective input distribution systems and reduction in post-harvest waste and loss;
• Realize the value of increased production by facilitating increased investment into output markets and supporting market incentives for value addition;
• Increase investment into enabling infrastructure, both hard and soft infrastructure;
• Create an enabling agribusiness environment with appropriate policies and regulation;
• Catalyze capital flows (especially commercial lending and private investment) to scale agribusinesses;
• Ensure inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition beyond what the market may deliver otherwise; and
• Coordinate activities to kick start transformation, align activities and investments of different actors, and guide initial activities to the point where private sector actors can be crowded in.
• The Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department focuses on delivery of the following:
  • Increase investment in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones;
  • Finance directly from the Bank to scale agribusinesses / clients that have a transformational impact;
  • Catalyze capital flows to scale small medium enterprise by establishing Risk Sharing Facilities and other products to support;
  • Further enhance disaster risk management and financing through insurance;
  • Accelerate agriculture transformation through private sector actors.
  • The Department has a front office and is structured into two Divisions: (i) Agriculture and Rural Finance Division (AHFR.1); and (ii) Rural Infrastructure Development Division (AHFR.2).
• The Rural Infrastructure Development Division is responsible for hard and soft infrastructure, primarily developing and executing Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, promoting mechanisation and Information Communication Technologies governance platforms that promote private sector investments for value chain development.

The Division has the following deliverables:

• Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Development and Execution,
• High-quality and Innovative Instruments e.g. information and communication technologies governance platforms Integrated into Projects,
• Practical Implementation Arrangements with Key Implementing Partners,
• Knowledge Management of Rural Infrastructure Best Practices,
• Enabling Environment and Alliances with Key Stakeholders,
• Monitoring of Performance and Recommendations for corrective actions. In addition, the Rural Infrastructure Development Division (AHFR.2) supports the Directorate General Hubs in the design and executions of the programs to develop hard & soft Infrastructure that would boost productivity, agro-processing, storage, transportation and trade of agricultural produce, as well as enabling distribution and improved use of quality agricultural inputs.

The Positions

• The Senior Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer will provide technical support to the development and implementation of projects including the flagship programs under the Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy and High 5s agenda for Africa’s economic transformation such as Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) that will increase productivity of agriculture sector while developing the holistic value-chain (storage, market access, logistics, processing infrastructure etc.) through developing agriculture inputs markets, designing public-private partnerships, developing agro-parks and processing facilities to ensure value addition and local food production in selected locations within a country storage. 
• The Senior Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Officer will work in Francophone countries including, but not limited to Madagascar and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• The officer works 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 African Development Bank Group.
• Using a value-chain approach, the incumbent will support the implementation of this agenda in African Development Bank Regional Member Countries, with specific focus on providing technical input for the design, and supervision of projects, which promote value chain development, value addition and primary and secondary processing of crops 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; and 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. 

Key Functions

• Under the direct supervision of the Division Manager – Rural Infrastructure Development Division (AHFR2) of the Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department (AHFR), and the Regional Sector Manager (RDGS2), 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:

• 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) 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 Madagascar, Republic Democratic Congo and other countries, to increase the advantage effects of the Bank’s loan and grant operations.
• Support Regional Director Southern Africa (RDGS) in all rural infrastructure engineering and agriculture-related activities, including project design, preparation implementation and supervision, and co-ordination 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 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 also the Regional Sector Manager.

Requirements

• Hold at least a Master's Degree in Business Administration, Project Finance, Agriculture Finance, Infrastructure Finance or related field.
• Have a minimum of five (5) years relevant professional experience in 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 hydro-agricultural developments.
• 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 planning and organizational skills, with ability to think strategically and rapidly analyse and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.
• In-depth knowledge of job-related social, economic and environmental development issues in Africa, especially Francophone countries such as Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, and other countries.
• Proven ability to interact competently with Government 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.
• Competences in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.

Application Closing Date
30th June, 2023.