Managing Director of Development Effectiveness and Corporate Strategy

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. 

The Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) ensures that IFAD's supported programs are set to achieve their maximum impact and serve as a learning opportunity for future ones. Specifically, ODE is responsible for coordinating corporate strategy and measuring the relevance of IFADs business model to ensure the effective implementation of the strategy. ODE is also responsible of managing, measuring, and facilitating the effectiveness of IFAD program of work, including adequately incorporating knowledge of effectiveness and efficiency into all its investments. Through the systematic integration of research findings, evidence-based innovations and best practices into IFAD's project design, implementation, and self-evaluation processes, the effectiveness and impact of IFAD-supported initiatives are enhanced. ODE contributes to five key corporate objectives:

• Supporting the long-term development strategy of the institution given its mandate,
• Curating evidence, innovations and operational solutions for rural economies, and their deployment for  effective programming,
• Ensuring the appropriate feedback loops work to ensure quality through the compliance of policies, quality assurance, standards, and lessons learned through the whole evaluation function of IFAD,
• Driving corporate and operational effectiveness and efficiency,
• Supporting capacity development for project management, monitoring and evaluation at the country-level

ODE is led by a Managing Director, a Deputy Chief Strategy and Effectiveness Officer, and three units: Quality Assurance and Environmental and Social Safeguards Unit (QAS); Results, Resources and Systems Unit (RRS); and Evidence for Development Impact and Innovation Unit (EDI).

The Quality Assurance and Environmental and Social Safeguards Unit (QAS) ensures that operational and environmental and social safeguards guidelines and standards are adequately complied with along the project cycle: country strategies, sovereign and non-sovereign loans, grants, implementation and completion.

The Results, Resources and Systems Unit (RRS) is responsible for i) corporate results reporting and portfolio performance monitoring, as well as M&E capacity development and guidance; ii) for managing the allocation of IFAD core resources through the performance-based allocation system (PBAS), and iii) coordinating the process for access to borrowed resources (BRAM); iv)  developing, maintaining and managing operational policies/guidelines and systems. In particular, the unit coordinates the relationship with the Independent Evaluation Office (IOE), coordinates IFAD's data governance work and leads on IFADs GIS initiatives across the house withing the data governance work. 

EDI strengthens IFAD's ability to curate and share evidence that supports country dialogue, policy influence and partnerships. Working with MDBs, the UN Rome Based Agencies, academia, the private sector, research organizations and others to promote exchange of evidence and innovation for greater impact.

ODE works in close coordination with other departments, offices, and divisions in IFAD and the Managing Director works under the direct supervision of the Vice President.

The Managing Director, ODE, is a member of IFAD's Senior Management Team and holds executive accountability for the Office of Development Effectiveness. The role exists to ensure that IFAD's programme of work is strategically coherent, operationally effective and demonstrably impactful: that the Fund's investments are designed and implemented to achieve maximum development results, that corporate strategy is grounded in evidence and performance data, and that robust quality, safeguards and evaluation systems are in place and functioning across the institution.

The Managing Director provides the intellectual and managerial leadership that enables ODE to fulfil its five corporate objectives: supporting the long-term development strategy of the institution; curating and disseminating evidence, innovations and operational solutions; ensuring that quality feedback loops - through compliance, policy adherence and evaluation - are operational across the Fund; driving corporate and operational effectiveness and efficiency; and strengthening country-level capacity in project management, monitoring and evaluation.

The Managing Director directly leads the Deputy, Chief Strategy and Effectiveness Officer, who serves as the primary internal management support, and provides strategic direction to the heads of the three ODE units: Quality Assurance and Environmental and Social Safeguards (QAS); Results, Resources and Systems (RRS); and Evidence for Development Impact and Innovation (EDI). The Managing Director is responsible for the full human, financial and material resources of ODE and for delivery of its programme of work within the approved budget.

As a member of the Executive Management Committee (EMC), chaired by the President, the Managing Director carries collective institutional responsibility for IFAD's overall performance and acts in the Fund's broader interest in all corporate deliberations.

The managing Director is responsible for ensuring transparent, equitable, and efficient management of IFAD's resource including Human, financial and material. This includes managing staff through workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, and career development. They are also responsible for managing office's plans and budget ensuring accountability and fiduciary integrity. Additionally, they are responsible for managing material resource and promoting knowledge and content management to achieve innovative outcomes and cost-effective processes while leveraging information technology to improve business results, reporting processes and client services.

Corporate Strategy and Operational Policy:

• Lead ODE's role in coordinating, designing and monitoring IFAD's corporate strategy, ensuring it reflects the Fund's mandate and is operationally actionable across all divisions and country programmes.
• Guide the development, interpretation and implementation of major operational policies, guidelines, regulations and rules that govern IFAD's programme of work, ensuring they are coherent, fit for purpose and aligned with the Fund's strategic objectives.
• Lead the design of compliance frameworks for key operational building blocks such as procurement and Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP).
• Oversee monitoring and reporting on replenishment commitments, to ensure timely, accurate and credible reporting to governing bodies.
• Provide the President, Vice-President and senior management with authoritative, evidence-based assessments of the relevance and performance of IFAD's business model, drawing directly on ODE's analytical products.

Quality Assurance and Development Effectiveness:

• Hold ultimate institutional accountability for the quality at entry of country strategies and operations, and for the rigour of IFAD's design standards across the programme cycle.
• Lead the secretariat of arms-length analytical and technical reviews of design quality at entry for country strategies and operations, ensuring review processes are independent, rigorous and systematic.
• Ensure that effectiveness and efficiency considerations are embedded throughout IFAD's project cycle - from country strategy design through implementation to self-evaluation - with systematic feedback loops that translate lessons into improved practice.
• Provide strategic oversight of environmental and social safeguards compliance function across country strategies, sovereign and non-sovereign lending, grants, and project implementation and completion.
• Champion the integration of research findings, best practices and evidence-based innovations into IFAD's project design and operational guidance.

Results Measurement, Resource Management and Operational System:

• Provide strategic oversight of ODE's corporate results reporting and portfolio performance monitoring, ensuring that IFAD's results framework is credible, coherent and useful for management decision-making.
• Own and manage IFAD's self-evaluation architecture, including the systems, processes and governance arrangements for corporate reporting on operational performance, results and transparency.
• Ensure sound and transparent management of IFAD's core resource allocation through the performance-based allocation system (PBAS) and oversee coordination of access to borrowed resources (BRAM) in line with corporate priorities.
• Oversee the coordination and development of corporate ICT systems and databases for operations, ensuring that digital infrastructure supports effective programme management, results tracking and institutional transparency.
• Lead ODE's stewardship of IFAD's data governance agenda and GIS initiatives, ensuring that data infrastructure underpins both management accountability and strategic decision-making.
• Maintain a productive, well-governed relationship with the Independent Office of Evaluation (IOE) and other external oversight bodies, ensuring evaluation findings are appropriately actioned within ODE's remit.

Knowledge, Evidence, Innovation and Global Engagement: 

• Provide IFAD's intellectual leadership on development effectiveness, modelling an entrepreneurial and evidence-driven approach to institutional innovation and championing creative solutions to persistent operational challenges.
• Direct EDI's agenda for curating and disseminating evidence, innovations and operational solutions that strengthen IFAD's country dialogue, policy influence and partnerships.
• Broker knowledge, innovation and lessons learned across the programme cycle - from country strategy design through implementation and assessment - ensuring that ODE's analytical products are actively incorporated into IFAD's investment decisions.
• Promote the development of rigorous evaluations, reviews and analysis to inform IFAD's lending and non-lending portfolio, particularly on issues of food security, agriculture and rural development.
• Ensure that ODE's knowledge products and institutional partnerships - with multilateral development banks, research institutions, Rome-based agencies, and the private sector- generate actionable insights that feed into IFAD's operational and policy decisions.
• Ensure that the best available evidence and knowledge systematically inform country dialogue and thematic development and strengthen the capacity of project management units of IFAD-supported projects to apply effective programme management, monitoring and evaluation practices.

Corporate Governance and Internal Leadership:

• Contribute to institutional policy and operational decisions as a member of the Executive Management Committee (EMC), bringing ODE's perspective on effectiveness, strategy, quality and results to collective senior management deliberations.
• Serve as Secretary of the Operational Strategy and Policy Guidance Committee (OSC), providing substantive secretariat support, coordinating the committee's agenda and ensuring that OSC decisions are translated into actionable guidance for operational divisions.
• Participate as a member of the Programme Management Committee (PMC) and other relevant corporate committees, ensuring development effectiveness considerations are reflected in institution-wide decisions.
• Lead ODE as a high-performing, cohesive team: setting clear strategic priorities, allocating resources purposefully, developing staff and maintaining a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Under the guidance of the President and Vice-President, design and implement adjustments to ODE's roles, responsibilities and structure as required to enhance its effectiveness and responsiveness to corporate needs.

External Representation and Advocacy:

• Represent IFAD in global policy for symposiums and global conferences upon the request of the President, as the Fund's designated senior representative on development effectiveness matters.
• Advocate IFAD's policy positions externally, expanding the Fund's visibility and positioning on issues of rural poverty, food security, agricultural development and development effectiveness at international, national and local levels.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key member states, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, UN agencies, international financial institutions, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions, with a view to advancing IFAD's effectiveness agenda and contributing to resource mobilisation where appropriate.
• Build and sustain organisational networks with peers in major private, public and international institutions to advance evidence-based policymaking and strengthen IFAD's external positioning.

The following six indicators define the outcomes against which the Managing Director, ODE's performance is assessed annually.

1. Corporate Strategy and Policy: Corporate strategy monitoring reports, replenishment commitment updates and evidence-based assessments of IFAD's business model are delivered to governing bodies and senior management on schedule, free of material error and demonstrably inform institutional decision-making.
2. Quality Assurance and Development Effectiveness: Quality-at-entry reviews for country strategies and operations are completed within agreed timeframes, with findings that are independent, rigorous and demonstrably acted upon in subsequent project design and implementation.
3. Results, Resources and Operational Integrity: Corporate results reports, PBAS allocations and BRAM coordination are delivered on schedule and in full compliance with governing body decisions and fiduciary standards, with results data actively informing EMC and PMC deliberations.
4. Innovation, Knowledge, Evidence and Capacity Development: ODE's knowledge and evidence products demonstrably inform country dialogue, thematic development and project design, and project management units of IFAD-supported projects show measurable improvement in M&E capacity and practice following ODE support.
5. Corporate Governance and Team Leadership: OSC secretariat functions are delivered to a standard assessed as satisfactory or above, with decisions consistently translated into operational guidance; ODE operates as a cohesive, high-performing team with staff engagement at or above the IFAD institutional average.
6. External Representation and Strategic Partnerships: IFAD's positions on development effectiveness are represented credibly in designated international fora, with the Fund's positions reflected in joint statements or partnership frameworks, and strategic partnerships yield knowledge products or innovations adopted within IFAD's programme of work.

    
Managing Directors are responsible for building and maintaining strong working relationships both within and outside of IFAD. Internally, they provide strategic advice to the President and Vice-President and collaborate with other departments, offices and divisions to ensure effective coordination of programme planning and activities. Externally, they develop strategic partnerships with a range of institutions, including borrowers, development agencies, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations, for the purpose of programme cooperation, knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, and resource mobilization. Managing Directors also represent IFAD in official committees, meetings, and conferences, and build organizational networks with peers in major private, public, and international financial institutions.  

As a member of IFAD's senior management, the Managing Director, supports the President and Vice President in providing vision and oversight, as well as reporting to governing bodies.

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 environment

Education:

• Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://whed.net/home.php in economics, development economics, agricultural economics or related field is required (*). Preferably a PhD.
  (*) Note:  For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD's Human Resources Implementing Procedures. 
• Relevant certifications (ICCE) would be an asset. 

Experience:

• At least 15 years of substantive relevant experience at an international level in an institution, which could include multilateral development banks and/or international financial institutions, UN agencies or other development finance-related organizations. 
• Demonstrated leadership experience with strategic vision and proven skills to manage a complex organization with staff of diverse cultural backgrounds in multiple locations. 
• Extensive and proven managerial experience with a focus on people management. 
• Progressively responsible management experience in senior level positions. 

Languages:

• Required: English and one other IFAD official language (4 - Excellent)
• Desirable: Other IFAD official languages: Arabic, French, Spanish (3 - Good) 

Skills:

• Economic evaluation: Know-how relevant to specific role in Evaluation roles (e.g. Monitoring and managing evaluation processes and methodologies, carrying out Programme/Project evaluation, Impact evaluation, Corporate-level evaluation)
• Evidence-based policy: Know-how in the formulation of concrete and actionable policy recommendations based on hard evidence (going beyond simple data interpretation)
• IFAD governance & mandate: In depth knowledge of IFAD`s governance structure, mandate, strategic priorities and technical work
• IFAD partners: Knowledge of IFAD's partners' functioning and mandate , such as the public sector (e.g. governments and policy, institutions and system), non-state actors (NGOs, CSOs, Foundations, etc.) and private sector actors
• Policy dialogue: Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts - like ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society
• 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
• Strategy implementation: Ability to lead and manage the development and implementation of medium to longer-term strategies for IFAD / for respective divisions
• Change management: Role modelling, anticipation of key risks & conflicts and formulation of contingency plans/solutions, action-oriented
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Establishes self and division as trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by maintaining high level of discretion and confidentiality in assignments; demonstrates sound judgement when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters; drives good governance and is a "Culture Carrier" demonstrating IFAD institutional conscience through his/her work.
• Corporate approach: Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work (e.g. budgeting going beyond simple budgetary considerations, taking into account strategic priorities)
• Integrity and ethics: Strong emphasis on acting with honesty, not tolerating unethical behaviour, demonstrating equity, impartiality and sensitivity in exercising authority and interacting with staff, and other  stakeholders. Conduct must be guided by IFAD core values, the Code of conduct and a high sense of ethics.
• Leadership: Group thought leader, sought out by others and providing mentorship and effective guidance to others; Ability to build trust, inside and outside the organization by acting as a role model for IFAD's core values and competencies, and to provide a clear sense of direction, mentorship and effective guidance to the team, strategizing the IFAD's goals, giving the vision, empowering the team and ensuring a positive environment for all.
• Political acumen: Ability to conduct sound political analysis and understand complex environments, providing options and advice
• 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 sector
• Social & Environmental Safeguards: Know-how in Social & Environmental compliance as specified in the IFAD's Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP)
• Policy making: Ability to provide expert guidance on IFAD's strategic direction and contribute to corporate and operational policy discussions
• Quantitative skills: Significant understanding of the collection and quantitative analysis of impact assessment and operational data
• Operational experience: Significant experience in working with operations in the context of an International Financial Institution
• Results management: Strong understanding of managing for results in the context of an International Financial Institution

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