REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (EOI)

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department (AHHD)

Avenue Jean-Paul II, 01 BP 1387 Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire

E-mail : n.gningue@afdb.org; cc : r.labelle@afdb.org

EOI – RECRUITMENT OF PROCUREMENT & ADMIN SUPPORT SPECIALIST

BACKGROUND :

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. The Bank delivers financial and technical support to Regional Member Countries (RMCs) through transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty and bring inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Five priorities (High 5s) have been identified under the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy (2013 – 2022). These are: Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Power Africa, Integrate Africa and improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

As part of the Bank’s efforts to improve the quality of life for the people in Africa, the Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy (JfYA) was approved in 2016 with the objective to create 25 million jobs and equip 50 million young people with skills to enhance their employability and entrepreneurial success by 2025. The JfYA strategy will support countries in their efforts to strengthen youth entrepreneurship to stimulate youth employment and economic development with a focus on young women.

As part of these activities, the Bank has established the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Lab (EIL) and the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation (YEI) Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) under the Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department (AHHD). The objective of the Lab is to support youth employment and entrepreneurship in Africa by strengthening the capacity and operational reach of Enterprise Support Organizations (ESOs), i.e. business incubators and accelerators and financial intermediaries including fund managers operating at all stages of the startup investment cycle – from seed / angel to exit, and various other intermediaries supporting entrepreneurship. The YEI MDTF supports the African entrepreneurship ecosystem through three main pillars, 1) business development services to youth led start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through ESOs; 2) Entrepreneurship ecosystem related research and studies; and 3) supporting government policy and regulatory reforms to create an enabling environment for youth led start-ups and MSMEs to grow.

The Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department (AHHD) is seeking for an individual consultant to work on the Procurement Process and assist on the administrative functions under the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Lab and the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi Donor Trust Fund.

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT :

The purpose of this assignment is to assist the Jobs for Youth in Africa Unit Procure goods and services and provide administrative support to the Unit. Initially, the focus will be on providing procurement support (80% procurement support and 20% admin support) with admin tasks taking up more time in the medium to longer term. The consultant will be a member of the Lab and YEI team.

Main responsibilities :

1. Procurement support ;
2. Support for Administration tasks

In support of the Lab and the YEI MDTF teams, the consultant (He/She) will be assigned below responsibilities:

PROCUREMENT :

• Lead the acquisition of goods or services and the recruitment of firms and individual consultants, in compliance with AfDB procurement policies and regulations. It will include matters related to contract planning, preparation, budget review, contract execution, honoraria and reimbursements, travel logistics & claims, and related documentation and of all other matters required to ensure procurement success ;
• Advise the Lab and YEI teams in accordance with the Bank’s internal procurement procedures and regulation, including ;
• Work closely with Lab and YEI staff and specialists to ensure that procurement notices are produced promptly and reach the desired audience(s) ;
• Prepare valid requests for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and Requests For Proposal (RFPs) ;
• Manage the selection process ;
• Establish and maintain records for each procurement notice ;
• Prepare necessary procurement folders to submit to internal committees, including the Purchasing Committee and Trust Fund’s Committees ;
• Execute the decisions of the Bank selection / evaluation committee(s) in either acquiring the goods required and/or hiring the consulting firm or individual consultants required ;
• Explain and discuss contractual terms, negotiate with respondents (firms, agencies or individuals) and ensure the timely conclusion of contract negotiations ;
• Bring the duly approved or signed contract to the responsible authority within AfDB for signature ;
• Manage all communications with respondents and relevant Bank staff in a courteous and professional manner and according to Bank rules ;
• Use the Bank IT system for managing procurement notices and for tracking project budgets as per Bank rules and procedures ;
• Recommend improvements in procurement efficiency and service delivery ;
• Provide other procurement support as required.

ADMIN SUPPORT :

• Lead the recruitment of Staff in compliance with AfDB Human Resources policies and regulations, including matters related to contract preparation, contract execution, budgeting, salaries and reimbursements, travel logistics & claims, and related documentation and of all other matters required to ensure the efficient operation of the Lab and the YEI MDTF ;
• Prepare and update Lab and YEI budgets ;
• Prepare budget proposals for Lab and YEI activities ;
• Support on reporting activity to donors ;
• Ensure smooth communications between the JfYA and other Departments within the Bank, as well as with the Lab’s and YEI MDTF’s partners ;
• Provide administrative and operational support as required on matters related to data entry, meeting planning, making travel arrangements, such as booking flights, cars, and making hotel and restaurant reservations, logistics support for Lab and/or YEI events ;
• Provide other administrative support as required.

KEY DELIVERABLES :

The deliverables under this assignment, for both the Lab and the YEI MDTF, include and are not limited to :

• Up to date yearly procurement plans ;
• Records of all the consultancy contracts and monitoring of the collection of deliverables, payments of invoices and period of contract ;
• Structured records (in digital form, except where the Bank requests hard copies) of all procurement notices and outcomes documenting all procurement notices and activities ;
• Weekly report on the Budget Status ;
• Annotated Calendar of the Lab’s Missions, Events & Activities and other engagements ;
• Up to date annotated list of the Lab’s and YEI MDTF’s partners ;
• A report commenting on the procurement process used by the Lab and the YEI and recommending improvements if required, to the procurement process and workflow ;
• Monthly activity report.

ESSENTIAL SPECIALIZED SKILLS/COMPETENCES :

The consultant to be recruited will be a professional of the member countries of the Bank, who has been actively involved in development and review of procurement policy documents and procedures of International Financial Organizations.

The consultant should have the following profile :

• At least a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. engineering, science, law, procurement, business, Finance or equivalent). A Masters would be advantageous ;
• 5 years of relevant experience in the field of public procurement and the recruitment of consultants ;
• Knowledge and practical experience of the Procurement and budgeting rules & Guidelines of Multilateral Development Institutions with preference of experience with the AfDB ;
• Experience preparing and publishing procurement documents (EOIs, RFPs, notices of award, etc.) and managing end-to-end international and competitive procurement processes, including issuance of calls for proposals, evaluations, communications with applicants, contract negotiations, and various internal approval processes with preference for experience with the AfDB ;
• Knowledge and experience of SAP is an added value ;
• Expert Microsoft Excel skills and high level of mastery of other Microsoft Office tools ;
• A team player and master multi-tasker with excellent verbal and written communication skills and an upbeat attitude, able to work to tight deadlines with minimal supervision ;
• Tactful, with experience managing sensitive and confidential information ;
• Excellent spoken,  written  and  reading  communication  skills  in  both  ENGLISH  & FRENCH ;
• Experience preparing communications for and working with social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) is preferred ;
• Experience working in a cross-cultural environment, excellent cross-cultural skills ;
• Excellent interpersonal skills – Gender and culturally sensitive team player – a people person ;
• Have a valid passport and be willing to travel.

TIMELINE :

The expected assignment is for 12 months. The consultant will be offered a lump sum contract.

The consultant is expected to finalize all deliverables reports by the end of the contract.

Expressions of interest will include a cv and a list of references to work undertaken over the past 4 years to be sent by e-mail to the addresses mentioned below no later than Sunday, 10^th November, 2019 at 23:59 (GMT) and specifically mentioning “Expression of interest for an Individual consultant on PROCUREMENT & ADMIN SUPPORT SPECIALIST”.

For the attention of :

Ms Ndeye Absa Gningue

E-mail : n.gningue@afdb.org Copy to :  Richard Labelle Email : r.labelle@afdb.org