African Development Bank (AfDB) - the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. 

POSITION : Chief Water Finance and Private Sector Investment Officer

The Hiring Department

• The Water Development and Sanitation Department is part of the Agriculture, Human and Social Development Complex.
• The Department is responsible for the coordination of the Bank’s water development and sanitation-related activities to enhance synergies and contribute to the achievement of all High 5s (Power and Light Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the quality of life).
• Through its two Divisions, namely the Division for water coordination and partnerships and the Division for water security and sanitation, and the African Water Facility, 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 Division for water coordination and partnerships acts in concert with the Division for water security and sanitation and the African Water Facility to fulfil the mandate of the Department.
• Specifically, the Division for water coordination and partnerships fosters strategic partnerships with regional and global partners to leverage resources into the water and sanitation sectors. It also directly contributes to the work of the various initiatives and trust funds hosted under the Water Development & Sanitation Department, and provides expertise to support the Agriculture, Human and Social Development Vice Presidency’s role as the Bank’s spokesperson to external audiences.

The Position

• Responsible for ensuring thought leadership and providing operational support in regard to appropriate financing modalities for water security (including water supply and sanitation, environmental health, water for agriculture, electricity, industrialization and regional cooperation).
• Identify, develop and apply appropriate and innovative sources, instruments and modalities of financing for water security, with the aim of optimising the use of existing funding and attracting additional financing to the sector to bridge the financing gap for investments and service provision.

 Responsibilities

• Seek to maximise value for money and leverage co-financing for water sector investments in Africa by proactively seeking to understand sector priorities and overcome bottlenecks.
• Identify and facilitate the implementation of a range of creative financing solutions that contribute to reforming and developing systems and modalities for delivering sustainable investments that contribute to water security.
• This will be done in line with the Bank’s strategic priorities and Water Policy.

The Chief Finance and Private Sector Investment Officer performs the following duties:

• Foster strategic partnerships with regional and global partners on the topic of financing water security. This includes collaboration on analytic work, special initiatives as well as supporting the identification of project/investment opportunities for co-financing and financial leverage.
• Collaborate with other Bank departments to continuously increase the Bank’s contribution to a water secure Africa. This includes, but is no limited to working with departments responsible for the Bank’s financial products, investment promotion, resources mobilisation and other sector departments relevant for multi-purpose water investments.
• Provide expertise to support the Department’s management and the Vice-President’s role as the Bank’s spokesperson on water-related issues to external audiences.
• Represent the Bank at national, regional and global partnerships, networks, conferences on water sector investments and financing.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
• Provide specialist advice and support to internal and external clients on financing modalities for water sector infrastructure and service provision.
• Lead and undertake analytical work in regard to financing water security.
• Promote and facilitate the adoption of innovation in the Bank’s water, sanitation and environmental health activities to continuously increase value for money, sustainability and broader impact.
• Identify and advise on the scaling up of appropriate solutions, building on successful pilots of technological advances, implementation approaches, and financing mechanisms.
• Encourage and facilitate public private partnerships and broader private sector participation in the water sector as a source of financing, technology and efficient management systems.
• Support the Bank’s regional hubs and field offices in understanding and applying appropriate financing modalities for bank-financed activities. Take part in missions as needed for complex projects, to support operational departments in the project development process (identification through implementation).
• Provide expert advice to Regional Member Countries and regional organizations on how to finance financially viable and economically feasible water-related infrastructure and service provision; and more specifically how the Bank’s financing instruments may be applied.
• Undertake analytical and diagnostic work research and sector reviews (economic sector work), to provide advanced expertise and thought leadership on water finance.
• Contribute to the review, preparation, updating and dissemination/application of financing-related aspects of policies, strategies, business plans and briefs related to water security.

Selection Criteria

•  Master's degree or its equivalent in finance, economics, business administration or related field.
• 7 years relevant experience developing, structuring or facilitating financing arrangements and solutions for infrastructure and basic service provision, of which at least 2 years in water and sanitation.
• Knowledge of the major challenges relating to mobilizing and applying infrastructure investments in Africa.
• Understanding of the institutional/enabling environment for water sector investments; experience in preparing and implementing institutional reform, capacity development and transfer of knowledge.
• Familiarity with various financing instruments including grants, loans, guarantees, equity.
• Aptitude to design strategies as well as analytic work.
• Communication, analytical and Report-writing skills.
• Build partnerships, lead teams and deliver results that meet the needs and long-term interest of clients within and outside the Bank.
• 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.
• 2 years professional experience in developing countries (Least Developed Country; Middle Income Country).
• Experience and understanding of Public Financial Management.
• Experience and understanding of commercial finance.
• Experience of Multi-lateral development banks (or similar financing institutions) and their operations in terms of project development and implementation process (project identification, preparation, appraisal, supervision).
• Experience with a broad range of financing and implementation modalities including but not limited to budget support, project/program financing, results-based finance, PPPs including Design-Build-Operate.