Chief Accountability Officer, Corporate Performance and Accountability Division at African Development Bank

THE HIRING DEPARTMENT/DIVISION:

Located within the Senior Vice-Presidency Complex, the Department for Delivery, Performance Management and Results supports Senior Management in meeting AfDB’s development mandate, improving operational and corporate performance, accelerating the pace of delivery and increasing the Bank’s impact on development. As part of its mandate, it also works to strengthen the Bank’s external and internal accountability for results and promotes a performance-oriented culture across the organisation.

The Department’s activities will be undertaken by the following Divisions:

1. Corporate Performance and Accountability
2. Delivery Support

The Corporate Performance and Accountability Division is responsible for establishing and maintaining corporate frameworks for assessing and tracking the Bank’s development effectiveness and performance. As part of this mandate, it seeks to strengthen the Bank’s internal and external accountability and promote a performance-oriented culture.

The Division undertakes the following activities:

• Establish corporate metrics for tracking performance & results— It ensures that accountabilities are clear, key performance indicators and scorecards are balanced and measure both outcome and performance and metrics cascade where appropriate. It also establishes an effective system of incentives by designing Key Performance Indicators that are aligned with the Bank’s Results Measurement Framework and corporate priorities.
• Strengthen accountability, promote a performance culture and extend outreach— It promotes greater accountability as one of the key drivers of a performance-oriented culture. As part of this, the Division focuses on internal accountability by engaging with the Board of Directors and external accountability by providing stakeholders with an assessment of the Bank’s performance in meeting its development objectives and through communication and outreach.
• Draw lessons from independent and external evaluations— It assesses Independent and External Evaluations with a view to improving the Bank’s performance, addressing critical issues, removing bottlenecks and improving business processes.

THE POSITION:

The Chief Accountability Officer position requires a high level of interaction with the Independent Evaluation Department, Senior Management and the Board. It will involve a blend of technical, institutional and people management skills, with ample scope for creativity, problem-solving, analytical work, capacity building and coaching.  The incumbent is responsible for reviewing internal and external evaluations, and for working with Management to coordinate and prepare these responses including clear actions in response to recommendations made by the evaluations. This is with the view to improving the Bank’s performance, addressing critical issues, removing bottlenecks and improving business processes.

He/she will be responsible for following up and tracking implementation of commitments made by Management in response to these evaluations, as well as managing the Management Action Record System. The incumbent will also be the Bank’s focal point for external evaluations, such as evaluation of multilateral banks by partners.

Finally, the Chief Accountability Officer will also provide effective intellectual and strategic leadership on key issues and draw lessons concerning the improvement of Bank's corporate performance measurement using the Bank’s Results Measurement Framework.

Job Description

Under the supervision and guidance of the Manager, Corporate Performance and Accountability, the Chief Accountability Officer will:

• Develop and implement an efficient process to coordinate quality and timely management responses to evaluations.
• Develop, update and disseminate specific guidelines to produce quality and timely management responses.
• Review independent and external evaluations; coordinate with Management, Sector Departments and the Independent Evaluation Department, to prepare the Management’s responses to these evaluations.
• Coordinate and provide inputs, on behalf of Management to the Board Agenda.
• Provide guidance and extensive inputs in the preparation of Management responses.
• Manage and coordinate the Management Action Record System.
• Produce an annual report to the Board on the implementation of commitments made by Management in response to these evaluations.
• Contribute to the Bank-wide work for consolidating and updating the Bank Group’s Results Measurement Framework and including the development of appropriate metrics;
• Regularly engage with the Board of Directors on progress in implementing the Bank’s mandate and addressing challenges and corporate priorities.
• Proactively respond to emerging performance or strategic issues affecting the Bank and coordinate the development of a corporate response;
• Lead analytical work to formulate recommendation and policy advice for addressing operational challenges in improving the Bank’s performance and accountability.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with other Bank Departments and build networks with professionals from other development organisations to learn their practices and processes.
• Participate in relevant internal and external meetings and promote the work of the Bank through presentations and papers.
• Contribute to the Division’s and Department’s work programme as required.
• Commission and supervise work of consultants or contractors as required.

Requirement/Skills

• Hold at least a Master’s degree or its equivalent, it would be desirable to hold a Master’s degree in International Relations, Development Studies, Public Administration, Economics or Political Science;
• Have a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience; experience working in an international organization will be an added advantage;
• Knowledge of results based management, managing for development results (MfDR) and evaluation;
• Good understanding of global development policy debates and major development issues related to Regional Members Countries and Multilateral Development Banks;
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage;
• Excellent technical and analytical skills and an operational track record of achieving results;
• Strong conceptual abilities and the capacity to produce high-quality analytical work; good judgment in dealing with complex and sensitive policy issues;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and synthesize complex issues;
• Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to work in and adapt to a multicultural environment;
• Strong ability to exercise good judgment in dealing with complex and sensitive policy issues;
• Ability to manage and supervise support staff and to recruit and manage consultants as required;
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other language;
• Competence in the use of standard MS office applications: Word, Excel, Power Point
• Ability to use SAP or equivalent corporate financial tools and/or MS Project or equivalent project management tools.

THIS POSITION IS CLASSIFIED AS INTERNATIONAL STATUS AND ATTRACTS INTERNATIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

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