Call for interest -Temporary Assignment: Regional Specialist

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 Programme Management Department (PMD), under the leadership of an Associate Vice-President, 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). In the regional division, under the overall policy and management guidance and direct supervision of the Lead Regional Economist or Lead Portfolio Advisor, the Regional Specialist leads and provides support to corporate activities including but not limited to knowledge management, quality enhancement for project designs and Results-based country strategic opportunities programme (COSOP) as well as Country Strategy Notes (CSNs), grants management, portfolio management, supervision/implementation support, monitoring & evaluation and results reporting activities within the region. The Regional Specialist ensures a high degree of inter-connectedness across these activities, in particular, to enhance how lessons, experience, and evidence support improved portfolio management and performance. The Regional Specialist promotes systematic learning from the experience and knowledge exchange in the region and across regions and proposes creative solutions for using lessons to inform corporate initiatives, including global engagement and knowledge products. The accountabilities/key results include:

• Regional Knowledge Management Support
• Support to Quality Enhancement for Project Designs and COSOPs/CSNs
• Grants Management Support
• Portfolio Management and Supervision/Implementation Support
• Monitoring & Evaluation and Results Reporting
• Managerial Functions

The Regional Specialist works collaboratively with staff of WCA division, including in the regional knowledge hub, and with the regionally-mapped technical specialists to ensure knowledge sharing and consistent and cohesive programme development support. S/he is the division's representative on the corporate knowledge Management Coordination Group (KMCG).

Key results expected / Major functional activities

1. REGIONAL KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT: The Regional Specialist advocates and enables good knowledge management practices and contributes to the building of a knowledge sharing culture in collaboration with the Strategy and Knowledge Department (SKD) in order to facilitate the creation, sharing and utilization of knowledge among internal teams and external partners. S/he acts as the Knowledge Management champion for the division and will be focal point for South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC).  S/he also contributes to preparation of technical briefs and other knowledge products required at Divisional, Departmental or Corporate level. S/he systematically promotes learning from the experience and knowledge gained from the loans and grants programmes (e.g. using information derived from Project Supervision Reports, Project Completion Reports and Project Evaluations), through knowledge publication and/or learning events. S/he promotes use of lessons and experience in design, and uses information and lessons derived from supervision to improve portfolio performance across the region, and to support technical specialists in proposing solutions and connecting projects to technical support.

In addition, the Regional Specialist builds and advises on communities of practice and networks, facilitates knowledge flows and linkages across country programmes and the regional hubs, and coordinates with internal and external users of knowledge about rural poverty generated by regional divisions' loans and grants. S/he will also facilitate knowledge flows in support of IFAD's SSTC initiatives, partnership development and policy dialogue.

The Regional Specialist provides technical support, including advice and capacity development to projects (loans and grants) and to staff in country offices and regional hubs, including the development of KM plans, lessons learning approaches and tools, documentation, data collection and reporting processes. S/he co-ordinates and ensures effectiveness of knowledge sharing activities by analysing information, and knowledge management activities, monitoring their use and measuring and reporting on their effectiveness, results and impact, in line with corporate KM monitoring and analysis.

2. SUPPORT QUALITY ENHANCEMENT FOR PROJECT DESIGNS AND COSOPS/CSNS: As part of the regional team, the Regional Specialist reviews project concept notes, project design reports and country strategies (COSOPS/CSNs), to ensure consistency with corporate standards and policies, as well as providing quality enhancement in areas including, among others, innovations, knowledge management and communications, monitoring & evaluation, log frames and scaling up. Active participation in select Country Programme Management Team (CPMT) meetings is expected as well as on-demand support by participation in select design missions.

3. GRANTS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT: In collaboration with the regional team, the Regional Specialist supports the process of ensuring adequate mechanisms for competitive screening of grant proposals and coordinates with pertinent units and divisions. The Regional Specialist contributes to the quality enhancement of regional and country-specific grants, including from other divisions as required. The Regional Specialist coordinates a more effective system for documentation and dissemination of grants knowledge, learning and results and identifies entry points for improving the links between grants and the country-based loan portfolio. In addition, the Regional Specialist supports the regional team in the design of new regional grants together with grant recipients, review of grant submissions and input to the Operational Strategy and Policy Guidance Committee (OSC), development and coordination of regional grant pipeline. 

4. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION/IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT: The Regional Specialist supports the regional team in portfolio management activities. This includes, among others, reviewing the quality of supervision reports (incl. Management Letters), Project Completion Reports (PCRs), COSOP Results Reviews, COSOP Completion Reviews, to ensure adherence to corporate standards/performance rating guidelines, and monitor timely disclosure and publication in line with IFAD’s transparency commitments. This also includes supporting the regional team in providing advice to country teams on implementation matters, as well as providing implementation support as required.

5. MONITORING & EVALUATION AND RESULTS REPORTING: The Regional Specialist supports the regional team with portfolio performance monitoring and results reporting as required for Divisional, Departmental and/or Corporate needs. This includes portfolio data analysis, preparing portfolio performance reports/updates, as well as preparing and/or delivering presentations. The Regional Specialist supports country teams in the area of monitoring and evaluation and results reporting notably through Operational Results Management System (ORMS). The work also includes supporting the regional team in reviewing and responding to independent evaluations related to the region and collaborating with OPR on departmental or corporate initiatives.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Assignments require the provision of solid technical expertise and input for the area of his/her responsibility as well as in knowledge sharing with peers and counterparts. The work involves in-depth technical analysis and synthesis, and substantive inputs to the development of knowledge products, portfolio reviews of supervision and implementation reports and support, effective mechanisms for assessment of loans and grants proposals, and effective regional portfolio performance monitoring through lessons learnt and best practices.

Representation / Work relationships

In the context of programme development and delivery, the Regional Specialist ensures the direct dissemination of targeted knowledge as well as other relevant products to internal and external audiences, including organizing knowledge sharing events and builds and maintains collaborative working relationships, both within the department, and with other relevant IFAD divisions.

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)

Technical/Functional

• Demonstrated experience in capturing learning and documenting Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Knowledge of rural project management and market development.
• Capacity to communicate fluently with different counterparts (civil society, government authorities, local communities, project staff) to align parties and build networks.
• In-depth knowledge of corporate standards and performance rating Guidelines, Operational Results Management System, monitoring and evaluation methods, metrics, statistical applications and reporting systems, and Grant Policy and Procedures.
• Practical knowledge on how monitoring data is collected, compiled, analysed and presented for management decisions, programme adjustment and donor reporting.
• Strong statistical analysis (both qualitative and quantitative) skills to assess agriculture-related data.
• Writes clearly, succinctly and convincingly listens and communicates effectively to engage others.
• Computer skills: Full command of office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and ability to work with other relevant technology and procedures (e.g.: web-based databases and other statistical applications) to collect, organize, share and use information.

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education: 

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in communications, business administration, management, social policy research and analysis, rural development, international relations, public policy or related disciplines.

Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively relevant experience is required. Experience in knowledge management, communication, research or development project design/implementation within an international financial institution, development cooperation agencies and/or the United Nations system is highly desirable. In addition, qualifying experience in drafting analytical documents, producing reports on tight deadlines would be an asset.

Language requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and French. Working knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Other information

It is being advertised as a Temporary Assignment and should an external candidate, i.e. consultant or external applicant not meeting HRIP definition of internal be selected, the contract type would be that of a short term professional (TPO). In the event an IFAD staff member, holding a FT/continuing contract be selected, the movement would be implemented as a temporary assignment through the applicable HRIP provisions.

Candidates who are interested in being considered should create their personal history form and apply to this VA. 

Internal candidates, holding a FT/continuing contracts, should verify and obtain their supervisors' support release them in the event they are selected.