The advertised position is Co-terminus, i.e., subject to a limited duration and contingent on project funding. The successful candidate will be offered a co-terminus appointment, the duration of which is strictly limited to the period of funding for the specific project and/or assignment. Any extension, if applicable, will be contingent upon the continued availability of the same funding source, the continued existence of the position, and operational needs. Co-terminus appointments are also subject to a maximum total duration of seven years, including any contract extensions. This type of appointment does not carry any expectation, legal or otherwise, of conversion to any other type of appointment with IFAD, regardless of length of service.
Staff members holding an IFAD fixed-term or indefinite appointment are eligible to apply for this co-terminus position, with their terms and conditions of employment, including contractual status, remaining unchanged. Given that the funding of this position is strictly limited in duration and conditional upon the availability of supplementary funds, should the funding cease, the position will be abolished and the staff member concerned will be subject to the relevant provisions set out in the HR Implementing Procedures.
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 Department for Country Operations (DCO) oversees the origination, design and management of IFAD investments, including sovereign and non-sovereign operations, as well as the design and implementation of non-lending activities within country programmes, including policy engagement and SSTC. DCO is the department that primarily interfaces with governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to deliver IFAD's programme of work and to provide oversight to ensure quality of the portfolio.
DCO is led by an Associate Vice-President and is composed of five (5) regional divisions: Asia and the Pacific Division (APR), East and Southern Africa Division (ESA), Latin America and Caribbean Division (LAC) , Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN) and West and Central Africa Division (WCA), the Private Sector Operations Division (PSD), and two (2) units: the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Unit (SSTC) and the fragility unit (FRU).
The Private Sector operations Division (PSD) is led by a Divisional Director based in IFAD Headquarters in Rome, Italy. PSD is responsible for origination, structuring, delivery and portfolio management of IFAD private sector investments, or Non-Sovereign Operations (NSO), as well as for business development, which includes developing the NSO pipeline and supporting complementarity between NSOs and sovereign operations within country programmes. PSD is composed of a front office and two Units: the Investment Unit and the Trust Fund Management and Control Unit, which is responsible for the management and control of the Private Sector Trust Fund and other off-balance as well as the on-balance sheet funding (PSD financial resources). The Division works in close coordination with other divisions in DCO and other departments, offices, and divisions in IFAD. In alignment with the decentralised structure of the Fund, the division operates in a geographically distributed manner, including IFAD Headquarters and Regional Offices.
Position Specifics:
IFAD has structured and launched the Agri-Business Capital Fund (ABC Fund) as one of three pillars to drive inclusive smallholder and rural SME finance, as well as create employment opportunities for rural youth and women. Impact Fund investments are core to IFAD's NSO Investment Strategy for IFAD to pursue its objective to mobilize additional concessional funding for agricultural development in developing Member States. The ABC Fund is a blended capital vehicle anchored by the European Commission (EC), the African, Caribbean and Pacific Groups of States, the government of Luxembourg and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). It is supported by a technical assistance facility also managed by IFAD. By providing loans and equity investments, the ABC Fund aims at bridging the funding gap at the level of SMEs agribusiness companies, financial institutions and farmer organizations in Africa and other developing countries, while the technical assistance facility is expected to address their non-financial constraints.
The incumbent plays a key role in the fulfilment of ABC Fund activities as indicated in the relevant agreement between EC and IFAD. He/she works under the direct supervision of a Lead Investment Officer, PSD, and under the indirect supervision of the Director, PSD.
