Principal ICT Economist and Regulatory Officer at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

African Development Bank (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: Principal ICT Economist and Regulatory Officer

Reference: ADB/17/502
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: PL4
Position N°: 50093736

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency for ‘Private Sector Infrastructure and Industrialization’ is a Sector Complex focusing on the Bank’s TYS H5s priority of “Industrialize Africa”.
• The objectives of the Complex are to:
  • Develop the ‘Africa Industrial Strategy’;
  • Provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by leveraging on experienced individuals who can be consulted on complex transactions;
    Develop new financing instruments;
  • Act as the Bank’s Spoke person on “Industrialize Africa”.

The Hiring Department

• The primary roles of the Industrial and Trade Development Department are to provide oversight and leadership on all matters which impact on industrial and trade development as articulated in the Bank’s Industrialization Strategy for Africa.
• The Department shapes/refines strategy, formulates policies, develops new instruments and draws up related guidelines to direct the activities of the Bank in the industrial and trade development space.
• The Department nurtures public-private partnerships, strengthens indigenous entrepreneurship, and promote integration of African economies into regional and global value chains, trade and inward investment flows for African member countries with a special emphasis on Low-Income countries and Fragile States, gender issues and green growth.
• The Department supports Regional Hubs’ activities through sectoral expertise with respect to the industrial sector and trade development project identification, preparation, appraisal, implementation and portfolio management. It also supports the Bank’s diagnostic and enabling environment reform programs to improve the investment climate and promote regional and global value chains development and trade.
• The ICT Operations Division is responsible for the Bank Group's public sector-based activity in the ICT sector.  In particular, the Division is responsible for the identification, appraisal and subsequent supervision of the Bank's lending and grants programme to Regional Member Countries for ICT projects.  In addition, the division supports other operations of the Bank requiring sectoral advice. 
• The main objective of the ICT Operations Division is to build on the Bank's sector skills to become a leader in the development, financing and implementation of ICT projects and programmes across the African continent.

The Position

• To act as the Bank's principal expert on ICT economics, network and digital regulation.
• To strengthen and maintain the Bank's understanding of the economics of ICT and its contribution to development
• To lead work on ICT network regulation, including the regulation of market dominance and economic models for the management and allocation of spectrum.
• To lead work on digital regulation, including national and cross-border data privacy, cybersecurity, content and censorship, intellectual property rights, taxation and cross-border trade in digital services.

Duties and responsibilities
Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Division Manager, the Principal ICT Economist and Regulatory Officer will perform the following:

Network Regulation:

• Audit network regulation models in Africa with particular emphasis on market dominance regulation and spectrum allocation models.
• Define a strategy for the Bank to follow that will enable it to devise appropriate advice on effective network regulation by Regional Member Countries taking into account levels of economic skills available to regulators and service providers in the market; Define priorities for action, including the themes for initial analysis and discussion within Africa.
• Consider the role of universal service funds in Africa. Make suggestions as to alternatives or means to improve the efficiency of such funds.
• Identify technical assistance of Regional Member Countries and a strategy to meet them; consult as necessary with external partners and Regional and non-Regional Member Countries on the form and efficacy of the Bank's actions on network regulation.  Coordinate activities with partners.

Digital Regulation Strategy:

• Audit the current state of digital regulation in Africa; define a strategy for the Bank to follow that will enable it to devise appropriate advice on digital regulation by Regional Member Countries taking the maturity of legal frameworks and the availability of skilled lawyers.
• Define priorities for action, including the themes for initial analysis and discussion within Africa.
• Identify training needs for Regional Member Countries and a strategy to meet them; consult as necessary with external partners and Regional and non-Regional Member Countries on the form and efficacy of the Bank's actions on digital regulation. Coordinate activities with partners.

ICT Economics:

• Analyse the effect of broadband and mobile for the development of Africa. Break down the effect by user group and draw conclusions;
• Create economic models to enable operations staff adduce the economic internal rate of return on projects. Test the models through broad discussion with other Bank staff, other donors and Multilateral Development Banks and with external economists.
• Coordinate and work alongside key partners, such as other Multilateral Development Banks and the World Economic Forum, to design economic research programs; publish major studies and reports on ICT economics for development, taking into account the comparative advantage that the Bank can bring to bear to any specific issue. Convene associated workshops and media events to solidify the learning across Africa.
• Develop and maintain, in collaboration with partners, a detailed database of statistics and economic models relating to ICT, both African and global in nature, to support proper analysis of the impact of the sector for development and the relative state of ICT in Africa.
• Contract consultants to advise and prepare reports.

ICT Economics Advice:

• In addition to the above, advise operations staff of appropriate network regulatory components for inclusion in ICT projects; Provide direct support to ICT operations staff in the field, particularly in order to improve the impact and the financial and economic analysis of projects as they relate to inclusive ICT.
• Act as a focal point for advice to Regional Member Countries on ICT economics; represent the Bank at global, regional and national conferences and workshops as requested.
• Identify appropriate economics training for internal and external stakeholders.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• Hold at least a Master's degree or its equivalent in economics.
• Have a minimum of six (6) years’ experience in applied economics preferably in the ICT sector or in economics consultancy.
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Organisation.
• Analytical.
• Client orientation.
• Communications skills.
• Demonstrable knowledge of ICT economics.
• Sound market knowledge with a particular emphasis on current trends in regulatory thinking.
• Good knowledge of network effects and the economics supporting analysis of the digital economy.
• Good knowledge of development economics.
• An ability to think strategically, to make sense of complexity and to express thoughts simply both in writing and orally.
• Effective consultation and advisory skills coupled with a client orientation to ensure relevancy.
• Range of inter-personal skills and an ability to vary the use of them according to the audience.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).
• Experience in the use of SAP is advantageous.

Application Closing Date
15th December, 2017.

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