Senior Contracts Management Officer at the African Development Bank (AfDB)

African Development Bank Group (AfDB) - Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). 

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Contracts Management Officer

Reference: ADB/184
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50000342 ; 50000774

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency, Human Resources and Corporate Services Complex ensures the delivery of efficient, people-centered, client-oriented, corporate services to ensure overall institutional effectiveness in all aspects of the Bank’s corporate services.
• The Complex leads efforts to ensure the competitiveness of the Bank as the employer of choice and is responsible for providing leadership in the formulation and implementation of Bank’s strategies on people, IT, general services and institutional procurements, language services, business continuity, and health and safety strategies

The Hiring Department

• The primary roles of the General Services and Procurement Department  are to manage the Bank’s assets, oversee all corporate procurement of goods, services, works and real estate, coordinate all staff travel and transport of Bank’s goods and staff, catering services and other logistics arrangements and the mail services and keep staff informed about services offered.
• To this end the General Services and Procurement Department  department formulates and applies rules for procurement, storage, and maintenance of furniture, office equipment and supply; design, prepare and implement programs for the construction or acquisition and maintenance of buildings and premises; formulate and ensure the proper and effective application of administration policies within the Bank in such areas as communications, transport, travels, security, protection and safety of the Bank’s staff and property; and perform related duties.
• The department is responsible for managing the Bank’s fixed assets (valued at over UA 100,000,000).
• The General Services and Procurement Department comprises 3 divisions supervised by the Director General Services and Procurement. These divisions are:
  • Operations and Maintenance Division
  • Corporate Procurement Division
  • Support Services Division.
• The Division is responsible for the formulation, application of the formulation, application and evaluation of procedures and practices covering purchasing and contracting for goods, works and services for the Bank.

The Position

• The job holder is required to provide advice and guidance on all aspects of contracting functions, providing expert advice on contract administration, develop and monitor contract administration program to support the implementation of work related to contract issues.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Principal Procurement Officer (Team Leader), the Senior Contracts Management Officer has the following responsibilities:

• Provide advice and guidance on all aspects of contracting functions including providing contracting expert advice, advising management and clients on wide ranging and highly complex technical and other issues relating to institutional procurement.
• Develop, execute, and administer highly complex contracts for diverse services/commodities (e.g. information technology, telecommunication, software licensing of significant complexity).
• Develop and implement procedures for contract management, contract performance and contract administration.
• Ensure timely follow-up and review of supplier performance evaluation.
• Ensure suppliers meet the Bank’s mandatory contractual requirements for the duration of the contract.
• Develop tools to address unsatisfactory performance.
• Provide guidance on contract matters to procurement managers or other operational staff, including training to new procurement staff in contract management practices and procedures.
• Ensure signed contracts are communicated to stakeholders to provide visibility and awareness, interpretation to support implementation.
• Oversee service level agreement compliance.
• In close connection with end users, ensure contract close-out, extension or renewal of contracts
• Plan and monitor quality of contract team’s output, reviewing all contracts prior to execution for appropriateness, completeness and accuracy.
• Lead work with other colleagues to maximize use of staff resources and streamline efforts, taking into account aggregate forecast of client requirements, as well as procurement trends, to ensure efficient planning overall.
• Develop and monitor contract administration program pre and post award, providing guidance and direction to support the implementation of work relative to contract issues.
• Develop and manage contract renewal schedules for all ongoing requirement contracts.
• Plan, develop and implement outreach programs providing guidance on contracts administration, as well as oversight (e.g. ex. post and ex ante audits). Supports clients’ efforts in creating annual works program estimates and plans.
• Work independently under general direction of Team Leader and guide and mentor junior staff.
• Prepare special reports, statistics and forecasts and carry on other assignments as required by supervisor.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Hold at least a Master’s Degree or its equivalent in Administration, Business, Economics, Law, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Engineering and any related qualification.
• Have a minimum of five (5) years’ relevant experience in a contract management role, such as purchasing or contracting.
• Innovation and Creativity: The commitment to search for and produce innovative and creative approaches to activities in order to enhance performance and create added benefits to the Bank and its clients.
• Communication: Provides clear and concise oral and written communication; presents oral information with clarity and appropriate style and adapts language and style to suit the requirements of a particular audience.
• Problem Solving: Applies business knowledge to the resolution of problems and identifies solutions to the benefit of the client (internal and external) and the organization.
• Client Orientation: Ensures that the client is considered to be of primary importance in all transactions and interactions. Strives to understand, and when appropriate, anticipate client needs, and ensures that the client receives the best possible service from the Bank.
• Team Working and Relationships: Works with others to maximize the effectiveness of the team as a whole, sharing the knowledge and workload. Develops strong working relationships with colleagues and contributes to creation of a positive team environment.
• Operational Effectiveness: The Commitment to ensure that full use is made of the systems, procedures and culture within the organization in order to deliver the required results.
• Employ awareness of business trends to make effective decisions.
• Demonstrate professional knowledge and skills, anticipate and manage risks, apply the fundamentals to ensure reduced risk to business deliverables of the Bank
• Demonstrate the required technical knowledge for the job, including legal requirements for public procurement contracts, proficiency in utilizing and interpreting financial models and analyzes, ability to deliver operational plans to time, quality and costs, project management, knowledge and understanding of corporate social responsibility and sustainable procurement principles.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to understand, conceptualize and resolve complex contractual problems.
• Strong analytical skills to strategic vision, as well as ability to pay attention to details and work under pressure.
• Break down complex information into component parts, ability to understand and utilize data and performance statistics to manage contracts and performance.
• Understand, interpret and apply the Bank’s rules and procedures and public procurement principles.
• Analyze information to develop a conceptual understanding of the meaning of a range of information.
• Act with integrity and maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Observe the highest standard of ethics, honesty and accountability.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other.
• Competence with MS Packages (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), Outlook is required and competence in SAP and SRM (Supplier Relationship Management) is desirable.

Application Closing Date
31st May, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online