La Banque africaine de développement recrute un consultant individuel expérimenté pour soutenir la préparation des principaux produits livrables dans le cadre du plan d’assurance qualité intégré, conformément à l’engagement de la Banque à assurer de meilleurs résultats et impacts de développement de ses opérations, Côte d’Ivoire

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INTEGRATION, & BUSINESS DELIVERY VICE-PRESIDENCY (RDVP)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT “OPERATIONS IMPLEMENTATION SPECIALIST”

Brief description of the Assignment: The African Development Bank is recruiting an experienced Individual Consultant to support the preparation of key deliverables under the Integrated Quality Assurance Plan, in line with the Bank’s commitment to ensure better results and development impacts of its operations.

Department issuing the request: RDVP

Place of assignment: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Duration of the assignment: 9 months

Tentative Date of commencement: 19 July 2021

Deadline for applications: 13 July 2021

Applications or requests for clarification are to be submitted by email to Ms.

Samia TAGOUGI ([email protected]).

DETAILED TERMS OF REFERENCE

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is the premier multi-lateral development finance institution fostering economic growth and social progress in Africa. The AfDB’s primary goal is to reduce poverty and improve living standards by mobilizing resources in and outside Africa and providing financial and technical assistance for development projects and programs in Africa.

The Bank has rolled out a new development and business delivery model (DBDM), to bring its operations closer to its clients, grow its portfolios from sovereign and private sector operations and expand the revenue of the Bank. This model will enable the Bank to better deploy high quality knowledge and advisory services, and most importantly, to accelerate its developmental impacts across Africa through the High 5 priorities of “Light Up and Power Africa”; “Feed Africa”; “Industrialize Africa”; “Integrate Africa”; and “Improve the Quality of Life of the People of Africa”.

In response to a series of independent evaluations on quality assurance produced by the Bank’s Independent Evaluation Department (BDEV), as well as its own diagnostic, the Bank has adopted in February 2020 an integrated quality assurance plan (iQAP) covering its sovereign operations (SO), non-sovereign operations(NSO) and issues cutting across both. The Plan is in line with the Bank’s commitments to ensure better results and development impact of the Bank’s operations. The integrated plan is articulated around short-term and medium-term actions covering both SO and NSO to enhance the quality of the Bank’s Operations and organized around 5 thematic areas of quality enhancement, across which there are significant synergies:

1. Reinforcing the knowledge of operations staff :
2. Strengthening project preparation ;
3. Refining the framework for quality-at-entry ;
4. Sharpening focus on delivery and results ;
5. Improving planning, budgeting and information.

The Regional Development, Integration, & Business Delivery Complex (RDVP) has been assigned the responsibility of leading in collaboration with other technical departments, the preparation of three key deliverables/documents under the IQAP:

1. An implementation support guidance note with the objective to clarify standards and emphasize a proactive tailor-made approach to the implementation of sovereign operations. In particular the guidance note will clarify the role of the implementation support division hosted in the Regional Business Development and Delivery Offices and provide practical guidance to Task Manager for a proactive and effective, solution-driven project implementation monitoring, leveraging best practices from within the Bank and other Multilateral Development Banks. The guidance note will also attempt to address key recommendations from the Bank’s recent internal audit of public sector project supervision and monitoring framework.

2. A revised Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) guideline to revisit the methodology for CPPR preparation, considering the amount of data and tools available today. The revised CPPR guidelines will take stock of lessons learnt from the current approach, leverage available portfolio management dashboard / tools, and proposed a streamlined approach that will guide a more robust and in-depth discussion of portfolio issues and proposed solutions.

3. A guidance note on carrying out implementation capacity assessment to support more robust assessments of borrowers’ capacity, specifically their implementation capacity and readiness. This guidance will provide a step-by-step guide to identify project teams during preparation and appraisal stages, project implementation capacity risks and proffer relevant mitigation measures, with a view to enhancing the quality at entry of Bank operations.

THE HIRING DEPARTMENT

The Vice-Presidency for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery (RDVP) is responsible for operational relevancy, efficiency and effectiveness of the Bank Group’s operational programs, and activities. The RDVP’s mandate is to ensure that the Bank operates successfully across its Regional Member Countries and oversee the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank’s regional offices.

SCOPE AND FOCUS OF THE CONSULTANCY ASSIGNMENT

Under the overall guidance of the Director, Portfolio Delivery and Impact (RDSA), and the immediate supervision of the assigned Lead Country Program Coordinators, the consultant will assist the Vice-Presidency in the preparation and finalization of the above guidance notes, as well as any additional tasks which may be required.

MAIN TASKS/ACTIVITIES

1. Assist in the drafting and finalization of the 3 documents

In consultation with relevant stakeholders within the Bank including Country/Regional Program Officers (CPOs) from the country offices and regional hubs, Implementation Support Managers at the regional hubs, Sector Managers, Task Managers, Procurement Officers, Financial Management Officers and Disbursement officers, Environmental and Social Safeguards Officers and other, the Consultant will:

• Prepare the Concept Paper for each deliverable highlighting the approach, methodology and timeline to solicit views from all the stakeholders ;
• Lead the organization of technical sessions/reference groups with relevant stakeholders to get views ;
• Research best practices from other MDBs ;
• Prepare first draft of the three documents ;
• Facilitate review meetings and peer review of the documents and incorporate comments ;
• Finalize the documents and prepare PowerPoint presentations on the final deliverables.

2. Support other RDVP assignments as and when required 

• REPORTING

The Consultant shall report directly to the Director, Portfolio Delivery and Impact (RDSA). For day-to-day management of the assignment, he/she will work closely with the relevant Lead Country Program Coordinators, Task Managers for the assignments.

• REQUIRED QUALIFICATION AND EXPERTISE

Education 

• At least a Masters’ degree in Economics, Finance, Development Economics, Public Policy, or related field.

Relevant Experience and Skills: 

• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience ;
• Experience working with Multilateral Development institutions. Prior experience with the African Development Bank will be an advantage ;
• Proven experience in design and implementation of strategies and/or projects ;
• Strong analytical skills and ability to deliver outputs in a timely manner ;
• Ability to work autonomously and in teams, and in a multi-cultural work environment ;
• Capacity to work simultaneously on a variety of issues and tasks, independently adjusting to priorities and achieving results with agreed objectives and deadlines ;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Be a national of a member country of the Bank.

VII.     DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The Consultant shall carry out the assignment for a period of nine (9) consecutive months, tentatively from 19 July 2021 to 18 April 2022. The assignment shall include desk reviews, consultations and report writing. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the consultant may be required to work both virtually and in-person, depending on the re-opening date of the Bank’s offices

VIII.     REMUNERATION FOR THE CONSULTANT

The remuneration for this assignment will be in line with successful candidate’s qualifications and years of experience, and in line with the Bank Group’s compensation guidelines. In addition, if the consultant needs to travel to take up this assignment, round trip economy class air-tickets—with the shortest route—will be provided. The consultant will be responsible for his/her personal health insurance at his own cost. The coverage shall include all medical expenses, including those resulting from illnesses or injuries that may happen during the assignment. The Bank shall, as necessary, assist the Consultant in obtaining such visas and/or permits.

The applicant should submit their financial proposal consisting of their professional fees.

1. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE Indicative Deliverables timelines

1. APPLICATION AND EVALUATION PROCESSES

Interested candidates are required to express their interest by submitting their CVs detailing their qualification and experiences to the email address provided above by 17:30 Hrs. GMT on Tuesday, 13 July 2021, and indicate “Individual Consultant Services – Operations Implementation Specialist” in the subject.

The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a short list and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s Rules and Procedure for the Selection of Corporate Consultants. Interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist.

Interested consultants should provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake the assignment (documents, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.).

A shortlist of three to six individual consultants will be established at the end the request of expressions of interest. The consultants on the shortlist will be judged on the following criteria based on their updated resume:

Only consultants scoring a mark of 75 points or more will be considered for the assignment.

All consultants will be ranked and the first on the list will be selected for the assignment as long as his/her fee rate is within the budget.

Please attach an updated Curriculum Vitae based on the template in Annex I

Annex I – MODEL CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

Key Qualifications:

Please provide (i) a summary of your experience and training highlighting the most relevant for the proposed assignment, and (ii) the responsibilities which you exercised. Utilize one half-page maximum.

Education

(University Level and above only):

Employment Record:

Begin with your most recent employment. For each job since your Master Degree achievement, please indicate:

• Name of Employer ;
• Type of Activity/Business of Employer ;
• Title/Function ;
• Place of Employment ;
• Brief description (three lines maximum) of main accomplishments and responsibilities.

Reference:

Please indicate the name and address of three persons with no family relationship with yourself, familiar with your character and titles.

Declaration:

I hereby certify that the responses which I have provided above are all, to the best of my knowledge, true, complete and accurate. I acknowledge that an inaccurate statement or essential omission in a personal declaration or another document required by the African Development Bank might result in the rejection of my application, termination of my Contract or any other administrative sanction by the Bank. The African Development Bank may verify any statement which I made in this application.

Date:  ________________________

Signature: