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

POSITION : Chief Development Economist

Decsription

The Vice-Presidency for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery is responsible for operational relevancy, efficiency and effectiveness of the Bank Group’s operational programs, and activities. The Vice-Presidency Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery will ensure that the Bank operates successfully across its Regional Members Countries and will oversee the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank’s Regional Directorates.

The Position
The African Development Bank adopted in May 2016, the “Jobs for Youth in Africa” (JfYA) Strategy for the period of 2016 - 2025. This Strategy responds to the priorities in Bank’s Ten Year Strategy and the New Corporate Priorities (High-Five). Creating productive jobs for the youth would improve their living conditions and enhance their engagement in Africa’s growth and economic transformation.

The Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy was launched during the Bank’s annual meetings in May, 2016, in Lusaka to commence its operationalization. The Development Economist will be part of the team responsible of the day to day management of the implementation of the Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy in the eastern region to:

• Support sector departments and task managers in projects in operations in country offices to hold high level policy dialogue on youth and employability;
• Lead the design and manage projects as which are high impact for youth employability and may have key underlying strategies to reduce the impact of migration;
• Deliver knowledge exchange on drivers of development and Youth Employment;
• Support governments in reforms and dialogue on addressing the youth unemployment and migration issues;
• Lead and Contribute to Country Strategic Papers and Regional Integration Strategic Papers to implement the strategic vision of jobs for youth in Africa strategy;
• Mobilize resources for targeted activities in the Bank’s work.

Responsibilities

• Carry out analyses of labor issues, unemployment, underemployment and youth migration issue, and propose operations to address these challenges.
• Support the Bank staff and departments to identify priority areas and potential projects with high jobs impact; help interface project design with private sector, and contribute to related Additionality and Development Outcomes Assessment together with sector economists and provide input to the assessment phase of major projects.
• Lead the "Jobs for Youth in Africa dialogue" at the country and regional level for (i) the achievement of country policy dialogue objectives; and (ii) leading and coordinating contributions to country diagnostics study; and contributing to improvements in country and regional results measurements on Jobs for Youth.
• Provide strategic advice on public-private partnership issues, such as the development of strategies for outreach to the private sector in line with the Jobs for Youth Agenda.
• Lead the Bank’s assessment of social and macroeconomic developments, monitoring of structural reforms and policy dialogue that impact national and regional jobs creation for youth and women, and also seek to address migration and refugees issues.
• Specifically, provide socio-economic and macroeconomic and reform advice; conduct and facilitate policy dialogue in close coordination with country economists, Regional and country’ Directors and other Bank departments; and interact with country authorities, the private sector, local think tanks, academia, clients and other International Financial Institutions.
• Lead the Jobs Team input to country strategies and other related country strategy instruments.
• Support and develop innovative and timely solutions to mitigate the youth employment crisis including migration and regional refugee’s issues through the Jobs for Youth in Africa agenda.
• Provide technical expertise and identify opportunities to engage the private sector and propose innovative public-private partnerships for jobs creation for youth.
• Oversee the drafting of Bank’s economic reports, including inputs for the region and its countries for periodic forecasting exercise, country assessments, African Economic Outlook, Country Strategic Papers and related products, Regional Integration Strategic Papers and briefing notes for senior management.
• Manage or lead selected top priority “Jobs for Youth in Africa dialogue” projects especially those which have a high Jobs Impact and those which address long term policy reforms.
• Carry out other technical tasks and coordination as required by the “Jobs for Youth in Africa dialogue” coordinator or the Director General.

Selection Criteria

• A Master's Degree or its equivalent in Labour Economics, Economic Development, Business Administration, Finance, Social Sciences, or related field.
• 7 years professional experience with relevant experience in jobs for youth, social protection, safety nets, financing for jobs, acquired at least partly in Africa, preferably in an international organization, government agency, think tank or other policy environment.
• Experience in employment, migration, and skills development policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation would also be an asset.
• Proven experience in managing projects and demonstrated experience in managing complex projects with evidence on clear outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with gender and civil society priorities in jobs creation agenda.
• Demonstrated leadership effectiveness and ability to achieve defined objectives in international multicultural contexts
• Experience in team management region focus in Africa would be a major advantage.
• 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.
• Strong knowledge of jobs creation, migration issues, good governance reforms and economic policy issues in Africa with at least seven years focusing on Africa.
• Ability to build partnerships with a broad range of clients and deliver results that meet the needs and long-term interests of clients within and outside the Bank.
• Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous and shifting demands/priorities under tight deadlines and coordinate the work of others.
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Results-oriented, accountable, proactive, self-motivated and able to work both with autonomy and with a team in diverse national and cultural contexts.
• Flexibility and the ability to work across divisions and departments of the ‘Agriculture Human, and Social Development’ Sector Complex.
• Client Orientation to understand, and when appropriate, anticipate client needs, to ensure the clients receive the best possible service from the Bank.
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with colleagues and contribute to the creation of a positive team environment.
• Experience with policy and policy-relevant research on jobs for youth, migration, social protection, safety nets, Small Medium Enterprise.
• Proven private sector experience, in leveraging the private sector, designing and developing private sector operations and public-private partnership in the jobs creation agenda.
• Knowledge and experience in understanding the analytical, operational and financial underpinnings of the African Migration and Youth Un-Employment crisis.