There are opportunities at the African Development Bank
Africa is really becoming a land of opportunity: six out of ten of the world’s fastest growing economies are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Foreign banks from West and East are jostling with local institutions to exploit this vast potential, but they are not the only ones hiring. It is a time of expansion also for the African Development Bank (AfDB), the main development institution on the continent with a brief to foster economic growth and social progress.
The AfDB, established in 1964, has its official headquarters in Abidjan, but due to the unrest in Ivory Coast the temporary HQ is in Tunis, supported by offices in 25 countries on the continent. The group currently has about 1,500 employees: the majority of them are Africans from the 53 regional member countries, but citizens of the 24 non-regional members, which include the EU and the USA, can also apply for positions and be hired. Only the top job of president is reserved for an African.
As to be expected with such a rainbow institution, the Bank is committed to diversity of gender, nationality, race, culture, education and experience and must ensure its staff is a fair representation of all member countries. One of its goals, however, is to increase the number of female employees and for this reason women are “strongly encouraged to apply” for jobs.
“At present the Bank has 229 vacant positions in different sectors, 93 of which are for country offices,” says Youssouf Mohamed, Human Resources Division Manager. “The process of recruiting and selecting is based on the principles of merit, equality, impartiality and transparency so the vacancy notices are widely publicised through different media. All candidates are encouraged to apply online. For certain positions we use head-hunters to assist us in the recruitment process.”
The perks of working at the AfDB are substantial: the “internationally competitive remuneration package” includes a tax-free salary, comprehensive medical insurance, annual and home leave, flexi-time working arrangements and diplomatic immunity.
As the AfDB’s mission is to help reduce poverty and mobilize resources for the continent’s economic and social development, it looks for candidates who show an interest in improving living conditions for Africans. “We seek motivated individuals who share this commitment to poverty reduction,” says Mohamed.“We want women and men whose experience, knowledge and talents contribute to improving the quality of life on the continent.”
One way into the Bank is through its internship programme for students between the ages of 18 and 30 enrolled in a master’s degree or equivalent. Another is the Young Professionals programme, for people up to 32 years old with a Master’s Degree in Economics, Engineering, Social Sciences, International Development, Business Administration or Finance, and at least three years’ work experience. The Bank’s official languages are English and French so a knowledge of both is a definite plus, as is field experience in developing countries.
The AfDB finances projects, programmes and studies in the areas of agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, public utilities, transport and telecommunications, climate change and private sector development. It also finances structural adjustment loans, policy-based reforms and various forms of technical assistance and policy advice. Its employees are also expected to work with governments across the continent, helping with policy advice and the preparation and supervision of development projects.
