AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP

EAST AFRICA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS DELIVERY OFFICE (RDGE)

Longonot Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi-Kenya

Tel: (+254-20) 271 2925/6/8 – 299 8230; Fax: +254 20 271 2938

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT (DUTY STATION – NAIROBI)

1. The African Development Bank hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in the following Assignment : “Consultancy services for work program coordination and support to the Director General’s Front Office” ;

2. The purpose of the consultancy is to provide active support to the Director General’s front office in the following activities: (i) programming, coordinating and monitoring of operations; and management of portfolio and follow up on all matters related to the countries under its coverage; organization, coverage and participation in meetings to review portfolio performance, compliance with audit and evaluation recommendations; (iii) preparation of reports on portfolio issues and responding to letters sent to the DG and DDG; and (iv) Follow up of all HR and administrative issues as may be assigned by the DG and/or DDG ;

3. The RDGE invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake this Assignment (documents, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, and in similar international institutions, etc.) ;

4. The eligibility criteria, establishment of the short-list and the selection procedure shall be in accordance with the African Development Bank’s “Rules and Procedures for the use of Consultants” May 2008 Edition revised October 2015, which is available on the Bank’s website at http://www.afdb.org. Please, note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist ;

5. The work assignment, under this term of reference, will involve full-time consultancy services for a period of six (6) months and may be extended based on the performance of the retained Consultant, availability of budgetary resources and as may be determined by the Bank. The successful Consultant will be expected to start by December this year upon completion of the selection process and upon signature of the contract ;

6. Interested Individual Consultants may obtain further information at the address below during the Bank’s working hours: 08:00 – 17:00 hours East African Standard Time.

Email: b.mulei@afdb.org

7. Expressions of interest with current Curriculum vitae (CV) must be received by email: mulei@afdb.org no later than 28 October 2021 by 17:00 hours East African Standard Time and specifically mentioning Consultancy services for work program coordination and support to the Director General’s Front Office.

For the attention of : Ms. Beatrice Mulei African Development Bank

East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office (RDGE) Khushee Towers Longonot Road Plot 11, Upper Hill

P.O. Box 4861-00200 Nairobi, Kenya

Email : b.mulei@afdb.org

8. Establishment of the Shortlist : A shortlist of three to six individual consultants will be established once the expressions of interest and CVs are received. Candidates who are shortlisted will be requested to send proposals and comment on the Terms of Reference (attached as an annex).

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR WORK PROGRAM COORDINATION AND SUPPORT TO THE RDGE DIRECTOR GENERAL’S FRONT OFFICE.

1. Purpose of the Consultancy :

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide active support to the RDGE Director General’s front office in the following activities: (i) programming, coordinating and monitoring of operations; and management of portfolio and follow up on all matters related to the countries under its coverage; (ii) organization, coverage and participation in meetings to review economic portfolio performance, compliance with audit and evaluation recommendations; (iii) preparation of reports on portfolio issues and responding to letters sent to the DG and DDG; and (iv) Follow up of all HR and administrative issues as may be assigned by the DG and/or DDG.

The selected consultant will be expected as well to provide support in administrative monitoring of operational activities, coordination between the Directorate General (RDGE), the Delivery team, Country Managers, Country Program Officers, Sector Departments, Financial Control Department and the Procurement and Fiduciary Services Department, as well as relevant country teams.

The Consultant will contribute to country portfolio reviews and to assist in monitoring undertakings in respect of the recommendations of the Independent Evaluation Department (IDEV) and the Audit Department (PAGL). He/she should have adequate experience in country portfolio work and be able to prepare portfolio information notes for Annual Meetings or any other meetings upon Management’s request.

2. The specific duties of the consultant will be as follows :

• In collaboration with the RDGE Delivery Team, actively monitoring and managing the Bank’s portfolio in East Africa region ;
• Maintaining effective communication with sector departments and other relevant Bank units to ensure a coordinated approach to the implementation of the Bank’s strategy and lending operations in the countries covered ;
• Liaising with relevant field offices and sector departments on operational issues, especially those concerning country programming as well as portfolio coordination and monitoring;
• Be regularly informed of relations with DFIs and operational developments with other development partners, and keep RDGE Management informed ;
• Identifying problems related to the Bank’s portfolio performance and service delivery, and promptly undertake appropriate action ;
• Monitoring Independent Evaluations and Audit reports and following up to ensure timely implementation of commitments made to the Board in response to addressing the weaknesses cited and recommendations made in the report ;
• Coordinate follow-up actions with respect to loans due for cancellation, outstanding project audit reports and unjustified payments in special accounts ;
• Ensuring that recommendations of supervision, portfolio review and audit missions are implemented ;
• Cooperating with sector experts in charge of specific projects to find solutions to outstanding problems ;
• Preparing portfolio information notes for Annual Meetings or any other meetings upon Management’s request ;
• Reviewing documents and preparing briefs for meetings that the DG is expected to attend ;
• Preparing meeting minutes and also report on meetings that the DG is not able to attend ;
• Participation, when designated in country missions, and in the identification, appraisal, and monitoring of policy and institutional reform programs ;
• Back-up country program officers due to absence or vacancy ;
• Follow up on human resource issues ;
• Review letters and ensure accuracy before they are sent for the DG’s signature ;
• Any other assignment that may be requested by the DG or DDG.

4. Qualifications and Experience :

• Minimum of a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in economics, accounting, business administration or other related disciplines ;
• Preferably, a minimum of ten (10) years of relevant experience, especially in country portfolio and/or financial management and audit reporting, in the Bank or similar development institutions in public service or private sector ;
• Proven ability to monitor programmes and ensure portfolio/programme performance quality ;
• Ability to solve portfolio management-related problems in various sectors ;
• Client-satisfaction and results-oriented mind-set; strong analytical and communication (verbal and written) skills, sense of accuracy and detail-oriented ;
• Ability to handle sensitive issues in a multicultural environment and to build effective working relationships with colleagues ;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French with a good working knowledge of the other language; and
• Competence in the use of the ERP and standard software systems such as Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint. Knowledge of SAP would be an advantage.

5. Duration of the Assignment :

The work assignment, under this term of reference, will involve full-time consultancy services for a period of Six (6) months and may be extended based on the performance of the retained Consultant, availability of budgetary resources and as may be determined by the Bank. The successful Consultant will be expected to start by December 2021 upon completion of the selection process and signature of the contract.

Note : Consultants must register at http://dacon.afdb.org/dacon/ before submitting their CV to be considered for the shortlist.