Senior Trade Finance Operations Officer at the African Development Bank Group (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). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Trade Finance Operations Officer

Reference: ADB/17/304
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL5
Position N°: 50050500

The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization is central to the Bank’s mission of developing the private sector, improving infrastructure and accelerating industrialization.
• The complex main functions are to:
  • Strengthen the enabling environment for private sector [and financial sector] development conducive to inclusive growth and sustainable development,
  • Support the development of reliable and sustainable infrastructure, including cities and urban development, and
  • Place renewed emphasis on industrial and trade performance in support of structural transformation across Africa.
• The Complex leverages knowledge, co-financing, and partnerships to attract private capital and work with governments on delivering the Bank’s development agenda.

The Hiring Department

• The primary role of the Financial Sector Development Department is to help the Regional Member Countries increase the reach, depth, and breadth of their financial systems, while safeguarding financial stability.
• The Department has four long-term objectives:
  • Development of a vibrant private sector through an inclusive access by households and enterprises to financial services;
  • Strengthening markets participants;
  • Developing efficient capital markets, and
  • Deepening regional financial integration.
• Working in partnership with other Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization complex departments, the Financial Sector Development Department is responsible for implementing the Bank Group’s Financial Sector Development Policy and Strategy 2014-2019 towards vibrant, innovative, robust and competitive financial systems, both national and regional, and in both the public and private sector levels of Regional Members countries.
• The Financial Sector Development Department plays a transversal role across the Bank’s five strategic priorities, applying its financial deepening and access tool kit to the High Five (H5) agenda.
• Fundamentally, the scalability and policy momentum inherent in the H5 agenda create an important opportunity for expanded relevance of the Financial Sector Development Department core skill-set: flexible financing instruments and delivery frameworks for financial inclusion, smart resource mobilization and capital markets development.
• The Financial Sector Development Department leverages partnerships to bring about greater developmental impact in financial sector development.
• The Trade Finance Division oversees all the trade finance activities of the Bank.  The Division seeks to address the trade finance gap in Africa by providing guarantees and liquidity support to commercial and development finance Banks involved in trade finance, Corporates, as well as various economic actors including parastatals engaged in this critical sector, with the objective of broadening access to affordable financing in Regional Members countries.
• The division leads project teams that identify, appraise and process trade finance related projects until first disbursement, at which point primary responsibility, is passed to the portfolio management division depending on the specific product.
• The division also implements technical assistance and non-transactional programs in these areas.  

The Position

• The position of the Senior Trade Finance Operations Officer will be focused on maintaining and enhancing the relationships with partner financial institutions that use the guarantee instruments.
• This includes responding to enquiries about eligible instruments, eligible transactions and other aspects of the relationship. The job holder will be responsible for preparing and processing client requested amendments to ongoing guarantee projects. 
• He /She will also perform tasks/activities relating to the monitoring and reporting of guarantee instruments.
• To be responsible for managing ongoing relationships with financial institutions using the Bank’s trade finance guarantee instruments to promote the sustainable development of the Bank’s trade finance business in Regional Members countries:
  • This includes evaluating client requests for changes to the terms of ongoing guarantee projects, preparing evaluation notes for clearance and approval by the designated internal approving authority and implementing the approved changes.
  • It also includes monitoring/reporting on utilization of guarantee projects and preparing regular reports for the benefit of various internal stakeholders including the Board of Directors.
  • It also includes promoting and showcasing the Bank’s development impact achievements in trade finance in Africa, and projecting the Bank’s image as a leader in trade finance through representation in various fora, publications, and networking with key stakeholders.
• The job involves working closely with colleagues in trade finance project origination, credit risk (PGCR), legal (PGCL), economic research (ECMR), financial control (FIFC), information technology (CHIS) and non-sovereign project portfolio management among others. It also requires closer collaboration with colleagues in the regional centers.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Division Manager, the Senior Trade Finance Operations Officer will perform the following duties: