Senior Private Sector Development Specialist

As a (Senior) Private Sector Development Specialist, you will lead PARD’s efforts to accelerate private sector development including investment in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) public-private partnerships (PPP) through all modalities of ADB assistance including sovereign financing, non-sovereign financing, and advisory operations. The position will be involved in (i) the development of country partnership strategies and project pipeline with PSD components for sovereign operations, (ii) the conceptualization, screening and identification of opportunities for private sector involvement and PPP in ADB’s assistance program, (iii) the support to ADB’s PSD operations including PSD-related capacity building, creating enabling environment for the private sector, project preparation and transaction advisory services, and non-sovereign financing, (iv) the upstream works of creating long-term value and bankable projects for ADB’s advisory and non-sovereign operations including providing private sector feedback for policy reforms supported by ADB’s sovereign operations, (v) the support to ADB’s knowledge services from the perspective of investment climate, private sector development, and PPP, and (vi) the development and management of relationship with existing and potential clients in the public and private sector

The incumbent reports to the Regional Head, Private Sector Development of the Pacific Department and supervises National and Administrative staff

Strategy and Planning:

• Contribute to the development of strategies and policies for ADB’s developmental goals for the private sector in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinate work with other departments on strategy and policy related matters.
• Lead PSD-related inputs to Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), Pacific Approach, and annual business plans, including the development of private sector assessment and PSD roadmap, with a focus on the coordination and collaboration across sovereign, non-sovereign and advisory operations.

Business Development:

• Monitor the development needs for private sector and identifies opportunities for ADB’s assistance to PSD through its sovereign, non-sovereign, and transaction advisory service operations.
• Assist in identification of suitable activities for capacity building and creating enabling environment for PSD through upstream policy/regulatory/institutional reform that ultimately facilitate private sector intervention and/or PPP activities.
• Assist in origination of project preparation support and transaction advisory services in key sectors with effective and efficient marketing, negotiation and due diligence of market development and PPP-related issues and projects.
• Facilitate and coordinates the sourcing of new investment opportunities and builds a high-quality investment pipeline, including by leveraging personal networks and relationships.
• Lead the identification of opportunities for collaboration between public and private sectors, between ADB, development partners, and/or private sector investors, and between ADB’s sovereign, non-sovereign, and transaction advisory service operations.

Investment and Operation:

• Provide the preliminary evaluation of investment opportunities, and the assessment of investment risks, including analyzing financial data and performing business and investment valuation.
• Conduct policy dialogue with governments, development partners, the private sector, and other stakeholders to identify and address challenges to scaling up private sector development and PPPs.
• Coordinate with Sectors Group, Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD), Office of Markets Development and Public-Private Partnership (OMDP), and other relevant departments and/or offices for project processing and implementation.
• Support, guide, and co-lead as required ADB’s sovereign and/or non-sovereign project teams in the life-cycle investment due diligence, approval and closing process, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Lead coordination with Country Operations Heads, PSOD and OMDP, with a focus on PSD including non-sovereign and PPP operations, and the development of systems and tools for overall pipeline and portfolio monitoring and management.

External Relations and Coordination:

• Establish and manage effective relationships with relevant government agencies, development partners, civil society, and other key stakeholders in the public sector.
• Network and interact with entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and other key stakeholders in the private sector, and builds relationships with major commercial lenders, institutional investors, insurers, and the commercial arms of multilateral and bilateral agencies.

Knowledge Services:

• Lead or assist ADB’s knowledge services related to private sector development, public-private partnership, investment climate, market trends, and other relevant topics to accommodate issues and challenges related to private sector investment and PPP with innovative solutions.
• Maintain and share knowledge of emerging best practices in the market including the regional and global markets.
• Prepare, review, and/or provide comments on policy, knowledge, and/or project papers related to private sector development, PPP and other ADB operations.
• Organize, participate in, and contribute to relevant knowledge-sharing events.

Staff Supervision and Team Building:

• Leads the establishment of a task team on private sector development and public-private partnerships and takes the role of task team leader.
• Develops and implements a capacity development program.
• Supervises the performance of reporting staff, provides clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.
• Ensures the on-going learning and development of reporting staff.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in business, finance, accounting, marketing or other related areas. Engineering or other related specialized fields; or University degree and at least 5 years specialized experience relevant to the position can be considered.
• At least 8 years’ relevant experience in project and/or corporate finance, and sovereign and/or non-sovereign portfolio management.
• Experience in building and managing new teams, including setting-up and capacity development processes.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and strong interpersonal skills
• Diversified international experience working in the development sector/institutions (e.g., development finance institutions, development agencies, and/or commercial banks etc.) in several countries.
• Please refer to the links for ADB Competency Framework for International Staff Level 4 and 5.

Source:  https://www.adb.org/careers/240270