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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, andย advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.
The Programme Management Department (PMD), under the leadership of an Associate Vice-President (AVP), is responsible for the overall programme of loans and grants of the Fund and is composed of five (5) regional divisions and the Operational Policy and Results Division (OPR).ย
The position is located in the Operational Policy and Results Division (OPR), and the incumbent works under the overall strategic, policy and management guidance and direct supervision of the P5 Lead Advisor, Operational Policy and Programme Delivery Risks, OPR.
Thisย ย is ย aย two-year ย fixed-term co-terminus position. A co-terminus fixed-term appointment is an IFAD employment contract externally funded (supplementary funded, funded by trust funds in administration or other), strictly limited in duration to the funding of the position, where appointment and extension is conditional on the availability of resources and limited to the externally funded assignment. A co-terminus appointment shall not exceed the duration of the specific assignment and/or project outlined in the letter of appointment and does not carry any expectation, legal or otherwise, or conversion, irrespective of the length of service. There is no guarantee of renewal or conversion into another kind of contract.ย
Staff members holding an IFAD fixed-term or indefinite appointment are eligible to apply to this co-terminus position with their employment terms and conditions, including contractual status, remaining unchanged. Given that the funding of this position is strictly limited in duration and conditional on the availability of supplementary funds, should the funding finish, the position will be abolished and the staff member will be subject to the relevant provisions foreseen in the HR Implementing Procedures.
Job Role ย
The Senior Specialists are accountable for IFAD core values of integrity, transparency, and equity in the alignment to IFAD's policies and procedures of the divisionโs programmes and projects.
Position specifics:
The Senior Specialist for Fragility contributes to strengthening IFADโs offer in contexts of fragility, in line with its rural development mandate and its specific role at the humanitarian/development/peacebuilding nexus. The incumbent will lead the formation of a small fragility unit based on bringing together staff working specifically on fragility across the organisation. The incumbentย provides fragility technical oversight for the design, implementation and compliance of operational policies and procedures and ย provide expert advice on taking forward work on the 8 areas requiring strengthening as identified in IFADโs Revised Approach to Fragility Paper in the context of the establishment of an enhanced business model for IFAD13 and beyond.
As a recognized authority on IFADโs corporate policy on operational matters for IFADโs engagement in fragile situations, the incumbent will work closely with the PMD Front Office team the AVP-designated PMD focal point and champion on fragility (who is Director for the NEN ย region) and with the Lead Regional Economists and Lead Portfolio Advisors in the five regional divisions to provide strategic leadership and overall policy direction to operations for fragile situations, as well as to ensure coherence in the application of relevant operational policies and procedures. This will include advice and support to the identification of best-fit entry points and strategic partnerships for IFADโs work in contexts where humanitarian and peacebuilding actors are also operating. The incumbent will have a policy direction and supervision/oversight and coordination role, providing technical direction and policy guidance to Senior Officers in the Regional Divisions. The incumbent will also work in close collaboration with the Senior Regional Programme Officer (SD3C), based in Dakar who will be also ensure learning from SD3C feeds into operational policies and programmes as part of the Fragility Unit. ย The incumbent will develop IFADโs specific partnership networks on fragility with international and national actors such as MDBโs, IFIs, Think Tanks, specialized research institutes, NGO, development partners including the World Bank, UN Agencies and the Rome Based Agencies.
The Senior Specialist for Fragility will facilitate strategic ย support to Country Teams and operations in fragile situations at different stages of the Project Cycle: COSOP design, Project design and implementation. Part of her/his responsibility the Senior Specialist will assess Country Teams training needs, based on which the incumbent will develop the necessary curricula in collaboration with OPAC.
Key Functions and Results ย
1.ย ย ย STRATEGY AND EFFECTIVENESS MANAGEMENT: The Senior Specialist provides strategic and technical direction to ensure that IFAD-financed projects are conducted effectively and efficiently and are consistent with applicable corporate policies and guidelines. She/he is accountable for developing and managing medium to long-term strategies, reforms and innovations that are fragility and conflict-sensitive. She/he provides expert advice and guidance to management as well as to other operational staff on strategic and complex FCAS issues, including the identification of best-fit entry points and partnerships for IFAD in FCAS where humanitarian and peacebuilding actors are also operating. She/he plays a key role in strengthening IFAD's systems for compliance, ensuring independence, accountability and transparency throughout the project cycle.ย
2. QUALITY CONTROL AND ASSURANCE: The Senior Specialist develops coherent and cutting-edge operational policies and a procedural framework through a unified taxonomy with a focus on operational risk. In this capacity, The incumbent ensures appropriate quality of operational policies and procedures, with special attention to interdependencies and policy coherence. The incumbent also provides operational oversight and support services across IFAD's portfolio, ensuring appropriate fiduciary and quality controls, and consistent application of IFAD's project standards. The incumbent contributes to the development and organization of systems and processes for consistently high-quality risk-based reviews of all aspects throughout IFAD's programming cycle (including country strategy development, project design and supervision, portfolio performance review and completion). She/he is the custodian of all operational procedures and ensures coherent interpretation and application of relevant operational procedures, guidelines and standards across IFAD's project portfolio.ย
3. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND POLICY DIALOGUE: The Senior Specialist promotes operational policy reform dialogue within IFAD and champions continuous improvements, working in close collaboration with Regional Divisions, country teams and other key stakeholders. The incumbent maintains a constructive dialogue and advances partnerships on operational matters, and provides technical backstopping to other senior staff, including national capacity building, with Borrower/Recipient government officials, counterparts in other multilateral development banks and international organizations, including actors operating in the humanitarian and peacebuilding spaces, as appropriate. She/he attends high-level policy meetings/fora on key operational policy areas to exchange best practices. The Senior Specialist is also responsible for appropriate training on operational and policy procedures for IFAD staff through the Operations Academy, and actively engages with relevant divisions to increase awareness and understanding of key operational policies and procedures.ย
4. PROGRAMME DELIVERY RISK COORDINATION ACROSS PMD: The Senior Specialist coordinates with the OPR risk desk, RMO and country teams across PMD to ensure operational policies, procedures and consistency, compliance and systems are adhered to.
5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Senior Specialist is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes, among others, people management through support to recruitment of technical specialists and technical leadership/capacity development, coaching and mentoring of new and/or more junior staff, supervisory role and evaluation of performance of professionals and general service staff under her/his purview.
Position specifics:ย
6. FRAGILITY POLICY AND STRATEGY ADVICE AND DEVELOPMENT: On the basis of the state-of-the-art knowledge and analysis of current thematic conditions, emerging economic and social challenges, and the state of rural poverty globally in the fragility context of the region/sub-regions, the Senior Specialist provides authoritative advice to senior management and to concerned divisions and teams, notably country and regional teams in PMD, to improve effectiveness of IFADโs approach to fragility. In particular, the incumbent will lead the revision of Fragility Assessments for COSOP and project design and propose a revised and more comprehensive fragility assessments template for both COSOP and project. The incumbent will also advise on the design and/or integration into IFADโs business model of crisis-response instruments like the recent Crisis Response Initiative. Additionally the incumbent will support the review of fragility and risk assessments for new COSOP and project designs, contribute to the design new instruments for fragility sensitive project designs, and lead a cost analysis of fragility interventions.ย
7. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING RELATED TO FRAGILITY: The Senior Specialist promotes access to the latest sources of knowledge and innovations, strengthen regional and national technical capacities. The incumbent leads the preparation of knowledge products and advisory partnerships as well as the coordination of knowledge dissemination and learning processes for enhanced capacity building. The incumbent will serve as resource person reaching out beyond IFAD regional divisions to partners in development and stakeholders at the corporate and global level. The Senior Specialist is also responsible for working with OPAC to design and/or support the delivery of training on operational and policy procedures related to fragility for IFAD staff through the Operations Academy, and actively engages with relevant divisions to increase awareness and understanding of key operational policies and procedures.ย
8. FRAGILITY-RELATED ADVISORY SUPPORT TO COUNTRY PROGRAMMES: Within the scope of responsibilities of the Operational Policies and Results Division, the incumbent may be asked to advise on the implementation of operational procedures and policies related to fragility in the design and implementation of selected country programmes, including design and implementation of investments and policy engagement with a particular focus on new approaches and innovations.
Key Performance Indicators ย
The key results have an impact on compliance of operations with IFAD rules, regulations and policies, implementation of corporate operational strategies and monitoring and reporting on achievement of results. Assignments require the provision of solid technical expertise and input for the area of her/his responsibility as well as in knowledge sharing with peers and counterparts. ย The work goes beyond technical analysis and synthesis to include the development of knowledge products, tools and strategies, evaluation of compliance and lessons learnt and best practices. The work is considered complex requiring in-depth technical knowledge and expertise. The incumbent is works independently and with authority, and is accountable for the results of her/his work.
Working Relationships ย
The work relationships of Senior Specialist involve the provision of technical advice and the negotiation and resolution of problems that arise in mission planning, technical project appraisal or the preparation of studies and reports. In the context of operational delivery and policy support, the incumbent maintains collaborative working relationships, both within the department, and with other relevant IFAD divisions. Representation is made in internal and external fora in the areas of operational policies, procedures and compliance functions related to Monitoring and evaluation
Position specific: The work relationships of Senior Specialist serves as a strategic advisor on fragilty related policy design, compliance and operational support. A combination of authoritative expertise on fragile situations related operational policy, risk management and ensuring overall oversight, adherence to IFAD's policies and procedures and direct support to operations. The incumbent also may provide information regarding the organization's policies, and act as the representative of the organization. Contacts are maintained to identify and evaluate emerging developments. ย The incumbent will be responsible for strengthening IFAD networks and communities of practice of fragility as well as leading a small fragility unit based on bringing together staff working on fragility both full and part time such as the SD3C Fragility officer based in Dakar.
Job Profile Requirements ย
Organizational Competencies:
Level 2:
Building relationships and partnerships - Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally Communicating and negotiating - Acquires & uses a wide range of communication styles & skills Demonstrating leadership - Leads by example; initiates and supports change Focusing on clients - Contributes to a client-focused culture Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating - Challenges, innovates & contributes to learning culture Managing performance and developing staff - Manages wider teams with greater impact on others and on the organization Managing time, resources and information - Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources Problem-solving and decision-making - Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact Strategic thinking and organizational development - Staff in management and/or strategic leadership roles Team working - Fosters a cohesive team environmentEducation:
Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://whed.net/home.php in Agriculture, Rural Development, Natural Resource Management, Environment, Economics, Public Administration or Finance, etc or related field is required (*):
(*) Note: ย For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFADโs Human Resources Implementing Procedures.ย
Experience:
At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in, and demonstrated understanding of, initiatives in the field of specialization. ย An advanced university degree may be substituted by a first university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) plus at least four additional years of relevant professional experience, over and above the minimum number of years of experience. Two (2) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope. Position-specific experience: ย Senior expert knowledge of designing and implementing policies and operations in fragile and conflict affected situations Solid understanding of fragility, conflict and forced displacement issues. Demonstrated capacity to understand the political economy and local context of fragility and forced displacement situations. Familiarity with fragility and conflict policies, tools, and instruments associated with development, humanitarian, and/or peacebuilding work. At least 5 years operational experiences in the management and supervision of rural development projects/programmes Background in diplomacy, refugee and humanitarian issues would be an assetLanguages:
Required English (4 โ Excellent)ย Proficiency at working level of a second IFAD language is considered highly desirable: French or ArabicยSkills:
Evidence-based policy: Know-how in the formulation of concrete and actionable policy recommendations based on hard evidence (going beyond simple data interpretation) Controllership: Know-how in internal control design, setup, mapping and monitoring, including policies and tools development Analytical skills: Outstanding ability to analyse and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative information from a variety of sources and filter out key insights and recommendations Project coordination: Identification of key-priorities, ability to work with others, coordinate and structure work to meet deadlines and adjustment of workplan/resource allocation when needed, identification and management of project-related risks Risk management (e.g. reputational): Identification and assessment of potential liabilities and risks in IFAD's activities, particularly vis-ร -vis third parties; ability to handle risks via contingency and mitigation strategies Stakeholder management: Strong alignment capabilities and consultation skills, building on effective interactions and relationships with different stakeholders (e.g. for the co-creation of communication material with member states) and ability to build and maintain a strong network (e.g. with journalists, media outlets, etc.) Strategy implementation: Ability to lead and manage the development and implementation of medium to longer-term strategies for IFAD / for respective divisions Time management: Adherence to deadlines under time constraints and pressure (e.g. to deliver governing body documents on time); ability to coordinate and manage complex workflows and in-house and external teams Business acumen, private sector knowledge: Outstanding ability to synthesize and simplify complex technical information for a variety of (non-technical) audiences Change management: Role modelling, anticipation of key risks & conflicts and formulation of contingency plans/solutions, action-oriented Client orientation: Strong critical thinking combined with communication skills to liaise between the business and technologies to understand business problems and needs, document requirements and identify solutions Initiative and good judgment: High sense of proactive initiative-taking and good judgement (including on security matters) Interpersonal skills: Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others (e.g. visitors, clients, callers, etc.), including senior individuals (e.g. high-level meeting participants) Specialized communication skills: Ability to negotiate on behalf of IFAD and drive for creative and pragmatic solutions in complex negotiations with key partners, both public and private sectorOther Information ย
IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation.ย
Please be aware of fraudulent job offers. IFAD does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Official communication from IFAD will always come from e-mails ending in @ifad.org.
Thisย is aย two-year fixed-term co-terminus position. A co-terminus fixed-term appointment is an IFAD employment contract externally funded (supplementary funded, funded by trust funds in administration or other), strictly limited in duration to the funding of the position, where appointment and extension is conditional on the availability of resources and limited to the externally funded assignment. A co-terminus appointment shall not exceed the duration of the specific assignment and/or project outlined in the letter of appointment and does not carry any expectation, legal or otherwise, or conversion, irrespective of the length of service. There is no guarantee of renewal or conversion into another kind of contract.ย
Staff members holding an IFAD fixed-term or indefinite appointment are eligible to apply to this co-terminus position with their employment terms and conditions, including contractual status, remaining unchanged. Given that the funding of this position is strictly limited in duration and conditional on the availability of supplementary funds, should the funding finish, the position will be abolished and the staff member will be subject to the relevant provisions foreseen in the HR Implementing Procedures.