Technical Advisor to AVP/FOD

Organizational context

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Under the supervision of Associate Vice President, the incumbent will assume responsibility for organizing, and coordinating operations involving the Office of the Associate Vice President, FOD, as well as monitoring any corporate agenda items. He/She will provide substantive contribution to the overall functions of the Office of AVP, FOD, and provide coordination to its workflow and administration. He/she will also work closely with all IFAD Directors in general, to ensure proper communication flows, build consensus and ownership of departmental plans/strategies.

 The accountabilities/key results expected include:

• Advice on Corporate and Financial Policy, and Strategy Development
• Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting
• Partnership Building and Representation Work
• Agent of Change
• Managerial Function

The Advisor works under the overall strategic, policy and management guidance, and supervision of the Associate Vice President, FOD. S/he works collaboratively with the FOD Directors, the Chief Risk Officer, the Senior Finance Officers and other staff to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the application of technical expertise and provision of programme development support. The following Key Results Expected/Major Functional Activities are generic and representational.

Key results expected / Major functional activities

1. ADVICE ON CORPORATE AND FINANCIAL POLICY, AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT: The incumbent provides substantive contribution to the overall function of the Office of the Associate Vice President, FOD. This includes but is not limited to:

• Contribute to and support the business planning, coordination and execution of FOD departmental and divisional yearly work plans, and related Governing Bodies and Replenishment commitments.
• Contribute to and support the execution and implementation of new measures, policies and processes pertaining to the transformation of IFAD's financial architecture in collaboration with the AVP, FOD Directors and other departments as necessary, including the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of the President and Vice President.
• Provide technical input, synthesis and advice based on the review and analysis of initiatives and proposals submitted to the Office of the Associate Vice President, FOD, for decision and/or consideration. This involves pre-reading documents received and following up with relevant originators, preparing briefings on content as appropriate, and progressing draft versions of documents for the Associate Vice President, FOD.
• Contribute to the development of plans/strategies to support special corporate projects or initiatives by consulting and cooperating with all IFAD Directors as well as other relevant stakeholders as required. This includes tracking and monitoring progress on corporate initiatives to ensure effective and timely action, facilitating collaboration and providing guidance in problem solving.
• Review, analyse and provide substantive input on economic/financial documents submitted to the Office of the Associate Vice President, FOD.
• Support the Office of the Associate Vice President in its coordination of the front office workflow and administration, demonstrating good judgment with a sense of priority and effective sequencing of activities or tasks.
• Provide qualified technical support, synthesis and contribution based on review and analysis of initiatives and proposals submitted.
• Attend internal and / or external engagements on behalf of the AVP as requested, and provide summary reports back to the AVP for further action where needed.
• Prepare and review talking points / briefing notes for internal and external engagements for the AVP.
• Contribute to processes of institutional change and reform, in consultation with inter-organisational teams/colleagues to build shared understanding of standards and rules, and to ensure regular communications pertaining to ongoing and planned changes related to corporate strategies.

2. COORDINATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING: The Advisor assists in coordinating activities of the Associate Vice President, FOD as required and supports strengthening synergies and collaboration within FOD and across the organization. S/He also performs other monitoring and reporting activities to enhance programme and funding decisions. Accountabilities may include:

• Coordinate any special project(s) assigned by the Associate Vice President by tracking and monitoring progress on the commitments made by the Office of the Associate Vice President.
• Advise and prepare periodic analyses on a variety of issues of relevance to the work of the Office of the Associate Vice President.
• Serve in institute-wide committees or task forces and represent the Office of the Associate Vice President in internal meetings, whenever required.
• Coordinate linkages across IFAD, advise and support in identifying priorities, issues, constraints and opportunities in the process of achieving commitments made.

3. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND REPRESENTATION WORK: The Advisor develops and maintains a network of peer contacts inside and outside IFAD to support joint advocacy and for knowledge sharing to enhance the Fund’s profile as a highly competent and viable partner in development. Accountabilities may include:

• Represent the Office of the Associate Vice President in meetings on corporate initiatives, coordinate action notes and follow ups if required.
• Coordinate the preparation of background information on important stakeholders and issues and gather information and data from internal and external sources that may aid in the development of partnerships and improve IFAD's positioning that the Associate Vice President will be promoting with external stakeholders.
• Participate in missions, as required, ensuring appropriate protocol, profile, representational opportunities, and visibility for the visits.
• Represent IFAD at external meetings, as required.

4. AGENT OF CHANGE: The incumbent understands and applies the principles of change management and proactively serves as a role model for transformation and capacity for acceptance of change. At this level, the incumbent manages change through consultations with all IFAD offices to build understanding of and to ensure open and regular communications pertaining to current and planned changes.

5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTION: The incumbent is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes People Management through technical leadership/capacity development.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Assignments require the provision of demonstrated technical and qualitative capacity, enacting the right balance of hard and soft skills in approaching the day-to-day affairs of the department, and in meeting short-medium-and long-term objectives and milestones. The incumbent at this level provides expertise and input to senior staff in the Office of the Associate Vice President and other IFAD fora on questions related to the corporate agenda of IFAD.

The incumbent is accountable for the provision of qualitative, technical and substantive support to the Office of the Associate Vice President in general through coordination, monitoring, effective problem solving and reviewing all corporate initiatives and respective commitments made.

Representation / Work relationships

Under the leadership of the Associate Vice President and in collaboration with the other professional staff within the Office of the Associate Vice President, the incumbent ensures for timely, efficient and consistent political alignment of the Office of the Associate Vice President, FOD.

The work relationships involve the provision of technical expertise and the resolution of problems that arise in analysis of initiatives, proposals submitted to the Office of the Associate Vice President, and commitments made by the Office of the Associate Vice President, FOD.

The incumbent collaborates and coordinates with senior officials related to any missions, special events or initiatives, in which the Office of the Associate Vice President, FOD, will be involved.

Competencies

Organizational

• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence (Level 1)
• Demonstrating leadership: Personal leadership and attitude to change (Level 1)
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge and innovates (Level 1)
• Focusing on clients: Focuses on clients (Level 1)
• Problem solving and decision making: Demonstrates sound problem solving and decision making ability (Level 1)
• Managing time, resources and information: Manages own time, information and resources effectively (Level 1)
• Team work: Contributes effectively to the team (Level 1)
• Communicating and negotiating: Communicates effectively: creates understanding between self and others (Level 1)
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains effective working relationships (Level 1)
• Managing performance and developing staff: Manages staff and teams effectively (Level 1)

Technical/Functional

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of financial and/or risk management topics. Thorough understanding of the intricacies of financial institution’s financial risk exposures, treasury operations, financial management and strategic business planning, as well as interactions with global capital markets.
• Knowledge of capital markets instruments (fixed income, derivatives, loans), risk and performance metrics. 
• Ability to communicate to senior management the current drivers and risks of the organization and operating environment.
• Capacity to exercise a high degree of independent judgment and initiative in analysing highly complex issues with the ability to provide sound technical and qualitative advice for the decision or consideration of the AVP, being able to identify, assess and mitigate related risks.
• Strong diplomatic and communication skills, with the ability to negotiate skilfully and develop close and effective working relations with internal and external clients.
• Ability to articulate and present convincingly, and promote ideas and practices to diverse audiences.
• Facilitator of change, who supports institutional change agenda, identifies implementation solutions and promotes broad ownership.

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education:

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in Economics, International Development, Finance, Management, Rural Development or any related field.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in similar development positions or in financial positions in International Financial Institutions, Investment Banks, advisory firms or rating agencies.

Language requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Working knowledge of another official language (Arabic, French, or Spanish) is desirable.

Other information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.