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: Vice President - Power, Energy, Climate & Green Growth Complex
Reference: ADB/19/090
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: EL3
Position N°: 50092319
The Complex
Recognizing the central role of energy in boosting economic growth, stimulating jobs creation and improving industrialization and competitiveness of Africa, the African Development Bank has launched a bold program - New Deal on Energy for Africa - to accelerate the achievement of universal access to energy in Africa. The goal is to “light up and power Africa”, which is one of the High 5 priorities of the Bank. The focus will be on universal access to electricity and the connection of 130 million households to grid-based power, the connection of 75 million households to off-grid power systems and the access of 150 million households to clean cooking energy sources.
The overall objective is to achieve universal access to electricity by 2025, across Africa. To achieve this goal, the Bank is forging stronger and results-driven partnerships with the private sector, bilateral and multilateral financing institution and on-going and new energy initiatives, to ensure effective coordination, complementarity, synergies and deployment of financing and advisory services at scale to achieve the goal of universal access to electricity.
The Bank will promote major initiatives to unlock the massive renewable energy potentials on the continent, develop smart grid, off-grid and mini-grid decentralized power systems, support countries to make use of their energy resource endowments, while promoting energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, climate resilience and green growth. A major focus will be placed on supporting countries to improve the policy, legal and regulatory environment in the energy sector, improve public sector financing efficiencies, reduce transmission losses, and reforms and improvement of the performance of power utilities. The Complex is also responsible for the cross-cutting area of climate change and green growth, the implementation of the Bank’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP II), the mainstreaming of climate change across all Bank operations and the mobilization of climate finance for development.
The Role
To drive its bold vision to "Light up and Power Africa", the Bank is seeking a Vice President Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth. The position, which reports directly to the President, is responsible for the Bank's Sector Complex that focuses on:
- Developing, structuring and implementing energy sector projects (public and private) that will deliver on the ambition to light up and power Africa;
- Supporting the Bank’s lending and non-lending operations in the areas of climate change, climate finance and green growth
- Providing deep energy sector and climate change expertise to the Regional Member Countries ;
- Developing new financing instruments that can leverage the full breadth of the Bank's capabilities and resources and those of other development partners;
- Acting as a spokesperson to represent the Bank with external stakeholders on all aspects of "Light and Power Africa" and climate change and green growth; and
- Building a world-class talent work force and develop strategic energy sector partnerships to leverage resources at scale for Africa in the energy sector and drive achievement of set targets with partners.
The Position
- The VP will be responsible for all energy-related projects and programs of the Bank as well as the Bank’s climate change and green growth agenda
- The VP will lead the Complex activities in the areas of strategy, policy-making, developing new instruments; resource mobilization, and project/ program structuring, implementation and monitoring in close collaboration with the five regions under the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery (RDVP) Complex.
The Vice President, PEVP will oversee the work of the Complex in the following broad areas, each led by a Director:
- Power Systems Development;
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
- Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation;
- Climate Change and Green Growth; as well as strategic energy partnerships out of the Vice President’s Front Office.
Duties and Responsibilities
The major functions that the VP will perform will be to:
- Develop and significantly grow the Bank’s portfolio in the energy sector for both private and public sector projects. This will include deployment of project preparation facilities, and working with other complexes in the Bank on partial risk guarantees, partial credit enhancement facilities, power purchase agreements and other instruments needed to leverage financing into the energy sector at scale.
- Lead the Bank’s partnerships on energy and engage at the most senior levels to coordinate and mobilize structured private sector, multilateral and bilateral partnerships for unlocking Africa’s energy potential.
- At the global level, mobilize climate financing for regional member countries for climate mitigation and adaptation.
- Be a catalyst for private sector involvement in the development of the power sector across Africa.
- Provide exceptional and strategic leadership to capitalize on emerging achievements in the sector to develop coherent legal and policy reforms, pricing and regulations that can be customized at the country and regional level for the Bank's clients;
- Provide thought leadership and bring advanced and appropriate technological solutions and innovations to bear on designing customized and implementable solutions in the context of inclusive and green growth for the continent, in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner.
- Provide world-class energy systems management advisory services to support African countries in their energy policy development, acceleration of bankable energy project preparation, structured financing and implementation and regulation taking into account climate change and transitioning toward green growth.
- Lead the Bank’s renewable energy initiatives such as the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) and the Desert to Power Initiative, to drive green growth, and catalyze massive investments into Africa’s renewable energy sector, and represent Africa’s position on the energy sector in global and regional forums.
- Develop effective collaboration with the Regional Development and Business Delivery Vice Presidency and other complexes, to deploy sector-level staff to the five regional integration and business delivery offices in West, East, Central, North and Southern Africa, and drive the successful development of major regional power projects.
- Foster an environment that stimulates and rewards innovation, creativity and accountability for results, and motivate staff to deliver significant developmental impacts on the ground in the countries.
- Provide leadership in the management of change so as to achieve the Bank's Strategic Plan objectives, deliver on the objectives to Light up and Power Africa, and meet the evolving requirements of private sector clients, development partners, and other stakeholders;
- Foster an environment that stimulates and rewards performance, initiative and innovation; encourages continuous learning, open communication and teamwork; and employs managerial best practices to motivate staff and ensure the most productive and cost effective utilization of the institution's prime asset;
- Develop effective collaboration with the Regional Development and Business Delivery Vice Presidency and related Complexes, to deploy sector-level staff to the five regional integration and business delivery offices in West, East, Central, North and Southern Africa, and spearhead the Africa Investment Forum work program for the Bank.
Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:
- Minimum of a Ph.D. or equivalent experience in Electrical Engineering, Energy Policy, Energy Economics, Environmental Economics, Project Finance, Energy Systems Engineering and green growth related subjects;
- A minimum of 15 years’ proven leadership and experience in the electricity and power sector, with significant record of proven results in energy policy, finance and management. Proven experience and knowledge of the African energy system and/or of energy systems in developing economies will be an advantage;
- Business Acumen - a clear understanding of the drivers and barriers to success in complex regulatory, political and cultural environments; a good understanding of identifying and evaluating reputational risks; proven thought leadership in the following areas: regulatory and policy incentives to attract private sector financing and participation in the power sector, mega-project execution, particularly regional projects across two or more countries, the transformation required to decarbonize the power industry, large-scale electrification through on and off-grid installations;
- Strategy setting skills - a commitment to energy systems capacity building and development in Africa; plus experience in forging and managing strategic partnerships with local organizations, governments and financing institutions.
- Executing for Results - demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and mobilize key actors (private sector, public sector and civil society) for transformative action; proven ability to build multi-organization partnerships to manage complex objectives and achieve transformative results.
- Leading Teams - exhibit traits of an inspirational leader who can motivate others to execute quality outcomes in complex and challenging environments; proven ability to build and direct a high performing team to achieve visionary and challenging goals; Delegation ability, giving significant responsibilities to team members and holding them accountable.
- Building Relationships and Using Influence - Proven interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity and the ability to build trust and provide leadership to different stakeholders; presence and gravitas in dealings with partners from a variety of backgrounds, including African governments; Excellent stakeholder management skills and ‘altitude’ - an ease operating at the most senior stakeholder levels.
- Language Requirements - Superior written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French, with a working knowledge of the other language.
Application Closing Date
1st June, 2019.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online