Lead Portfolio Advisor

The Lead Portfolio Advisor provides authoritative expertise and technical leadership on programmes at the global, regional and national levels through spearheading relevant corporate processes to enhance the efficiency of IFAD-funded operations. The incumbent contributes to the overall management of the West & Central Africa division to ensure full and timely divisional portfolio management and delivery with high quality, acting as OIC when necessary.

Responsibilities

• Spearhead relevant corporate processes to enhance the Fund's business model, focusing on efficiency of IFAD-funded operations.
• Support development and revision of operational policies and procedures to enhance performance of IFAD-funded interventions.
• Promote use and compliance with new and revised operational policies and procedures by country teams within the division.
• Ensure full divisional compliance with IFAD Supervision and Implementation support (SIS) Policy and guidelines and establish quality assurance systems.
• Lead divisional self-assessment work culminating in yearly Portfolio Stock take exercise.
• Provide authoritative advice to country teams on project results-based management and planning exercises.
• Provide authoritative advice on operational matters related to the divisional portfolio and keep abreast of corporate changes affecting portfolio management.
• Monitor portfolio performance and work with Country Directors to develop and implement project performance improvement plans for projects-at-risk.
• Ensure quality review of supervision mission and project completion reports, including clearing reports in ORMS and monitoring timely disclosure.
• Identify and mitigate risks in operations and report on these risks to the Regional Director and relevant committees.
• Provide field support during supervision, implementation support, and design missions as required.
• Work closely with PFM & FCD to expedite withdrawal application processing and other loan administration tasks.
• Oversee, monitor and supervise IFAD's expanding private sector and equity investment portfolio.
• Manage and share knowledge pertaining to qualitative and quantitative information and best practices for country programmes.
• Design and deliver needs-based training modules and improve results-based management performance.
• Lead monitoring and reporting processes on the regional portfolio management, performance and results for Divisional, Departmental and Corporate levels.
• Organize and oversee portfolio data analysis, periodic portfolio performance reports, portfolio reviews and stock takes, and production of knowledge products.
• Lead divisional quality assurance processes for SIS, MTR, PCR, data/results reporting and timely submission and disclosure of reports.
• Provide input to new COSOPs and design of new loans and/or grants based on lessons learned from country portfolio performance.
• Coordinate divisional contributions to the corporate Results Measurement Framework (RMF) and support MCO Heads and Country Teams towards compliance with IFAD rules and policies.
• Provide authoritative advice to MCO Heads, Country Directors and teams on implementation matters including Monitoring & Evaluation and results reporting.
• Collaborate closely with ODE on departmental and corporate initiatives and participate in the Departmental Portfolio Advisory group.
• Liaise with key partner departments such as IOE, OTD, PFM, FCD, LEG and AUO.
• Assist the Divisional Director in assigned tasks and act with honesty, fairness, impartiality and sensitivity in exercising authority and interacting with colleagues and external parties.
• Manage complex processes and provide expert advice on a wide range of issues related to division functions and responsibilities.
• Develop, implement and evaluate assignments, coordinating divisional and/or corporate initiatives as requested.
• Lead and coordinate preparation and implementation of divisional high-level events ensuring appropriate protocol, representational opportunities, and visibility.
• Serve as a role model for transformation and apply principles of change management.
• Represent the regional division at internal and IFAD at external meetings as required.
• Ensure integrity, transparency, and equity in management of IFAD resources including people management, recruitment, supervision, mentorship, and technical leadership.
• Provide strategic advice into programme and divisional budget development and ensure knowledge content within specialty/thematic areas is continuously updated and available.
• Work with the Lead Procurement Officer of WCA to help Country Directors and teams address procurement and contract management issues to prevent implementation delays.
• Assist the Regional Director to ensure achievement of divisional procurement goals and objectives.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in Rural Development, Finance, Economics, Public Policy or related field is required.
• At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience.
• Four (4) years in a multi-cultural organization, rural development/financial institutions or government services, in the area of implementation and supervision of rural development programmes.
• Two (2) years of experience of rural and agricultural development work in West and Central Africa or similar socio-politically challenging and environmentally fragile situations in other developing countries.
• Required languages: English and French (4 - Excellent).
• Desirable languages: Spanish or Arabic.
• Know-how in advocacy to maintain and promote constructive dialogue around IFAD's vision to external actors.
• Outstanding ability to analyse and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative information from a variety of sources and filter out key insights and recommendations.
• Know-how in managing performance, learning management, establishing learning plans and ensuring staff supervised meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD.
• Identification of key priorities, ability to work with others, coordinate and structure work to meet deadlines and adjust workplan/resource allocation when needed, identification and management of project-related risks.
• Identification and assessment of potential liabilities and risks in IFAD's activities, particularly vis-à-vis third parties; ability to handle risks via contingency and mitigation strategies.
• Ability to lead and manage the development and implementation of medium to longer-term strategies for IFAD / for respective divisions.
• Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others including senior individuals.
• Ability to conduct sound political analysis and understand complex environments, providing options and advice.
• Outstanding ability to synthesize and simplify complex technical information for a variety of (non-technical) audiences.
• Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner, advocating and promoting IFAD's mandate and vision; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts like ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society.
• Know-how in Programme/Project development, implementation, management.
• Expertise relevant to the specific role in Programme Management for Agricultural Development.

Skills

• Rural Development Policy
• Financial Institutions Experience
• Programme Implementation
• Programme Supervision
• Agricultural Development
• Portfolio Management
• Performance Management
• Learning Management Support
• Risk Identification and Management
• Risk Mitigation
• Strategic Planning
• Political Analysis
• Advocacy
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Project Development
• Project Management
• Qualitative Analysis
• Quantitative Analysis
• Multi-Cultural Organization Experience
• Bilingual Communication

Languages

English, French