Regional Director

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Close relatives¹ of ADB staff, except spouses of international staff, are not eligible for recruitment and appointment to staff positions. Applicants are expected to disclose if they have any relative/s by consanguinity/blood, by adoption and/or by affinity/marriage presently employed in ADB.

¹Close relatives refer to spouse, children, mother, father, brother and sister, niece, nephew, aunt and uncle

This is a senior staff fixed-term appointment for a period of 3 years. This vacancy is open to internal and external applicants.

If the selected candidate is an external hire, the appointment may be extended for a period of up to 3 years per extension, or not renewed. In case of extension, staff may continue in the position for another term of up to 3 years, or be reassigned to any suitable position in ADB.

The same terms and conditions also apply to a selected internal candidate. In addition, if the staff selected has a regular appointment, staff will retain the regular appointment and his/her selection will be considered an assignment for an initial fixed period of 3 years. If the staff selected has a fixed term appointment, his/her appointment will cease, and he/she will be given a new fixed term appointment for an initial term of 3 years.

Fixed-term appointments or assignments are subject to Section 3 of Administrative Order (AO) 2.01 (Recruitment and Appointment) and Section 8 of AO 2.03 (Selection, Talent and Position Management) and its Appendices.

Whether the selected candidate is internal or external, and regardless of the type of appointment, any extension of staff beyond age 60 shall be subject to such terms and conditions determined by ADB, including, where relevant, those provided in Section 10 of AO 2.05 (Termination Policy) and its Appendices.

Overview

Asian Development Bank (ADB) is an international development finance institution headquartered in Manila, Philippines and is composed of 68 members, 49 of which are from the Asia and Pacific region. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. ADB combines finance, knowledge, and partnerships to fulfill its expanded vision under its Strategy 2030.

ADB only hires nationals of its 68 members.

The position is assigned in the Pacific Subregional Office in Suva, Fiji (SPSO). SPSO was established in 2004 and is responsible for country programming, processing, and implementation of projects for Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu. SPSO is also providing oversight for the administrative, financial, and country operations in the five pacific country offices in the South Pacific.

To view ADB Organizational Chart, please click here.Job Purpose

The Regional Director, SPSO will provide leadership for the full range of the Pacific Subregional Office’s (SPSO’s) work and will be the primary operational interface between ADB and Pacific developing member countries (DMCs) covered by SPSO. S/he will maximize the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of ADB operations throughout the Pacific region. The Regional Director, SPSO has the key field responsibility of implementing ADB’s strategic agenda and contributing significantly to its assessment/adaptation over time. S/he position will also provide staffing and operations oversight for the following country offices: Cook Islands Pacific Country Office (COO PCO), Kiribati Pacific Country Office (KIR PCO), Samoa Pacific Country Office (SAM PCO), Tonga Pacific Country Office (TON PCO), and Tuvalu Pacific Country Office (TUV PCO). The Regional Director, SPSO will place strong emphasis on leadership, policy dialogue, portfolio management, and donor coordination in view of the challenges arising from the prevailing economic situation in the Pacific region, including recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The incumbent will report to Director General, PARD and supervise International, National, and Administrative Staff.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategic Management

• Leads, establishes and cascades PARD’s vision, goals, development strategies and key result areas (KRAs) in support of ADB’s goals, departmental goals and in compliance with ADB policies.
• Provides leadership to SPSO staff; identifies, develops, and encourages excellence in day-to-day SPSO operations; and exercises effective management in the context of supervising SPSO staff, facilities, and resources.
• Leads the planning, implementation and supervision of work plans, as well as monitor the quality of output and achievement of long-term goals and annual objectives of SPSO.
• Leads the identification of priority work areas of SPSO, including in regional cooperation.
• Manages SPSO to achieve professional and operational excellence and leads in contributing new or innovative approaches to policy and operational issues.
• Under the One PARD Approach, collaborates and works closely with sector divisions for project development and cross-sectoral initiatives.
• Promotes and adopts a One ADB approach to support program/project development and delivery, working closely with sector teams, PSOD, OPPP, and other departments.

Country Partnership Strategies

• Supervises the formulation and periodic updating of ADB’s country strategies and programs for the Pacific DMCs covered by SPSO.
• Oversees the quality of support for the regional partnership strategy, country-specific strategies, and indicative country pipeline and monitoring reports; and updates and ensures the effective functioning of related teams and committees, including background work on thematic, economic and sector work relating to these.
• Reports on current economic and political developments, major policy and institutional changes, and the assesses the relevance of the country strategy and program for each Pacific DMC covered by SPSO.

  Project Preparation and Processing

  • Oversees the design and processing of loan/technical assistance (TA) projects, in coordination with sector directors, to ensure quality, implementability, innovation, results orientation, and compliance with ADB’s policies covering environment, resettlement, governance, and other safeguards.
  • Leads, monitors, follows-up, and undertakes loan/TA approvals and commitments, engagement of consultants, procurement, and disbursements.
  • Leads the administration of loan and TA projects, including regular fielding and at times participation in missions to monitor implementation progress.
  • Actively and creatively searches for new opportunities for effective and meaningful engagement with Pacific DMCs, particularly with respect to private sector development and nonsovereign operations, including public-private partnerships.

  Portfolio Management

  • Supervises the design and processing of loan and TA projects, as well as thematic and sector work that may be assigned to SPSO as well as assist with activities related to such processing to improve “quality at entry” and avoid delays in project implementation.
  • Supervises the administration of delegated loans and TAs and contributes to improving ADB’s portfolio performance and management.
  • Contributes to conceptualization of results-based portfolio reviews.
  • Participates in Country Portfolio Review Missions (CPRMs) to review country-specific project administration issues.

  Economic, Thematic and Sector Work

  • Conducts policy dialogue, particularly on macroeconomic issues and reform priorities, and provides high-quality and timely advice to HQ.
  • Identifies areas of economic, thematic and sector work, and leads strategic initiatives in these areas as well as to respond to policy concerns.
  • Identifies and lead opportunities to underpin policy dialogue with substantive economic, thematic and sector work.
  • Leads and manages knowledge products based on economic, thematic and sector studies and ensures their dissemination.

  External Relations and Coordination

  • Manages and provides support for relationships, consultations and coordination with governments, development partners, civil society, academics, and private sector groups in the Pacific DMCs covered by SPSO.
  • Maintains contact with domestic and international media to enhance ADB’s profile and information dissemination.
  • Liaises with regional organizations, international finance institutions, and other development partners to promote coordination, synergies, and promote cofinancing.
  • Assists in the coordination of ADB’s regional activities and represents ADB in various fora of governments, the private sector, civil society, nongovernment organizations, and academia.

  Internal Relations

  • Manages and provides support for relationships and coordination with the Board of Directors, senior Management, and other departments.
  • Participates actively as a key member of the Pacific Department (PARD) management team, providing guidance to Director General (DG), PARD and other senior staff on the full range of PARD products and issues.
  • Coordinates with PARD sector directors on activities in the SPSO countries and makes SPSO staff available to participate in such project teams.

  Operations Management

  • Leads day-to-day operations effectively and provides guidance on operational issues, policy dialogue, and ADB policies; and provides quality assurance.
  • Informs and provides recommendations to Director General, PARD on significant developments, emerging opportunities, and challenges in area of responsibility.
  • Leads and facilitates effective division coordination with other ADB departments and internal stakeholders.
  • Undertakes the performance management of SPSO staff, including providing constructive feedback to improve performance and career prospects, and provides inputs into the performance management of outposted staff.
  • Manages budget and resource allocation for the division.
  • Provides oversight in the areas of staffing, operations, and financial management for the South Pacific country offices (COO PCO, KIR PCO, SAM PCO, TON PCO, and TUV PCO).

  Staff Supervision

  • Creates and leads multidisciplinary teams and ensure the overall quality of their work.
  • Manages the performance of teams and individuals providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.
  • Provides coaching and mentoring to teams and individual staff and ensure their on-going learning and development.

  Qualifications

  Relevant Experience & Requirements

  • Master’s Degree, or equivalent, in Economics, Development Studies, Business Administration or related fields. University degree in Economics, Development Studies, Business Administration or related fields combined with specialized experience in similar organization/s, may be considered in lieu of a Master’s degree
  • At least 15 years of relevant professional experience; international experience working in development in several countries. Experience working in Pacific DMCs is desirable
  • Experience in leading complex client negotiations to achieve mutually agreeable outcomes
  • Experience in integrating projects and programs contributing to sector, country, and regional results
  • Experience in managing results by planning staff resources, implementing, monitoring, and reporting outcomes
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
  • Please refer to the link for ADB Competency Framework for IS7-8.

  General Considerations

  The selected candidate, if new to ADB, is appointed for an initial term of 3 years.

  ADB offers competitive remuneration and a comprehensive benefits package. Actual appointment salary will be based on ADB’s standards and computation, taking into account the selected individual’s qualifications and experience.

  ADB seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities to work in an inclusive environment. ADB encourages all qualified candidates to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities. Women are highly encouraged to apply.

  Please note that the actual level and salary will be based on qualifications of the selected candidate.