Consultant - Infrastructure Project Finance Specialist (NEPAD-IPPF) at the African Development Bank (AfDB)

African Development Bank (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: Consultant - Infrastructure Project Finance Specialist (NEPAD-IPPF)

Reference: Consultant/NEPAD-IPPF/16/02
Location: Cote d' Ivoire
Grade: N/A
Position N°: N/A

Objectives

• The NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF) is a multi-donor Trust Fund established in 2005 and hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) supported by a number of Development Partners.
• The mission of the NEPAD-IPPF is to pool resources to support the preparation of bankable regional infrastructure projects in line with the priorities of the Regional Member Countries (RMCs), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA), Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as specialised Infrastructure Institutions such as Power Pools, River Basin Organizations and Corridor Authorities NEPAD-IPPF among others.
• Its focus is on the preparation and development of regional infrastructure projects in the key infrastructure sectors of Energy, Transport, ICT and Trans-boundary water to move these projects to financing and implementation to achieve the development outcomes of integration of the continent to accelerate socio-economic transformation and improve quality of lives.
• NEPAD-IPPF has just developed a new Strategic Business Plan (SBP) covering the five-year period, 2016-2020 and the successful implementation of this Strategy requires that the Facility has adequate capacity in terms of skills and competencies to effectively implement this Strategy to achieve set objectives and targets.
• NEPAD-IPPF’s new business model is to ensure that projects prepared by the Facility are better aligned to the needs of project financiers and developers so as to mobilize investment financing for implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

• NEPAD-IPPF therefore requires the services of a Long-term Consultant - Infrastructure Finance Specialist. The Consultant should have practical, hands on experience in project finance and in moving projects to financial closure.
• The Consultant will work under the general supervision of the NEPAD-IPPF Division Manager or his/her Designee.

He/she will have the following key duties / responsibilities:

• Provide expert advice on issues related to project financing for the four infrastructure sectors that NEPAD-IPPF is involved in, namely, energy/power sector including oil and gas; trans-boundary water; transport and ICT;
• Provide options and advise on financing models and vehicles suitable for regional infrastructure projects given their complex and multifaceted nature;
• Provide sound advice on measures to de-risk and incentivize regional infrastructure projects to make them more attractive to potential financiers within Africa and globally
• Propose innovative measures and modalities for enhanced resource and investment mobilisation to support financing of regional infrastructure projects such as infrastructure bonds, deepening of financial markets, leveraging domestic resources, etc;
• Engage potential financiers and stakeholders throughout the project development cycle to enhance visibility and attractiveness of NEPAD-IPPF projects to financiers;
• Support Governments, RECs and relevant authorities to undertake reforms and to create the business enabling environment to make NEPAD-IPPF prepared projects more attractive for financing;
• Develop synergies with other relevant Facilities and institutions to support Governments and project beneficiaries in developing requisite capacities around Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), as an alternative financing vehicle;
• Conduct analytical studies and analysis on financing options for regional infrastructure projects across Africa drawing lessons from other regions of the world and propose solutions adapted to the African environment;
• Support the development of new quality at entry (QaE) and selection criteria for grants to ensure that projects prepared by NEPAD-IPPF are finance ready and help to define project priorities aligned to major continental initiatives and priorities such as PIDA, PICI, REC Infrastructure Master Plans and the AfDB’s new High 5’s;
• Participate in the preparation of sector assessments and other upstream analytical and diagnostic work to inform financing options and interventions;
• Help to strengthen coordination, dialogue and negotiations with development partners, beneficiaries, project financiers and developers, and other stakeholders and contribute to planning, governance and policy reforms in infrastructure project financing; and
• Prepare briefs, papers, statements, speeches and various reports on issues related to the work of NEPAD-IPPF and other related areas as may be required from time to time and participate in conferences, workshops, and training seminars on issues related to project preparation and development and related issues; and
• Undertake other relevant tasks as may be assigned.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• A minimum of a Master’s degree or its equivalent in Economics, Finance, Project Finance;
• A minimum of ten (10) years relevant professional experience in (i) development and financing of infrastructure projects; (ii) specific and sound knowledge of project cycle implementation principles (iii) demonstrable experience in moving projects to financial closure (iv) knowledge and experience with regional infrastructure projects in Africa;
• Relevant professional experience in project management and financing in the public and private sector and with development finance institutions;
• Proven ability to interact competently with Governments, RECs and other regional and national organizations / institutions, donor agencies as well as private sector on issues relating to aid coordination, infrastructure strategies and project development and financing;
• Proven ability to lead technical professional teams and utilize talent and expertise of team members in a productive way to achieve desired objectives;
• Proven experience and track-record in dealing with project sponsors, developers and financiers;
• Good listening and communication skills with demonstrated ability to present and win support for ideas as well as make effective and timely decisions including capacity to initiate and manage innovations and change;
• Competence in the use of standard software applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, MS Projects);
• Competence in (or ability/willingness to become quickly familiar with) the use of various tools available and applied by the NEPAD-IPPF / AfDB such as SAP;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French. A good working knowledge of the other language is an added advantage.

Application Closing Date
21st March, 2016.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidate should submit their applications, indicating the Vacancy Notice number “Consultant/NEPAD-IPPF/16/02” in the Subject line of their email to: The Division Manager, NEPAD-IPPF: nepad-ippf@afdb.org

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Note: No acknowledgement of e-mails will be made and candidates should not follow-up their applications.