Agricultural and Rural Development (Senior) Specialist

We improve lives

The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment.

About this position

The IDB's country strategy for Haiti identifies six priority sectors that have the potential to transform substantially and sustainably Haiti’s economy and society: Education; private sector development; energy (particularly electricity); water and sanitation; agriculture and rural development, and transport. The strategy anticipates the promotion of inter-sectorial coordination as well as enhanced national ownership, strengthened institutional capacity, a substantial participation of all private sector windows of the Bank, strategic donor coordination, integrated investments, and partnership alliances. The Bank's country strategy calls for a technical cooperation and knowledge program consistent with the country's priorities as well as complementary to and supporting of the Bank's operations.

The Agriculture and Rural Development Division (PTI/ARD), as part of Productivity, Trade, and Innovation Sector (PTI/PTI), spearheads the design and execution of operations (loans, technical operations, investment grants) and policy dialogue of the Bank in Haiti in the areas of food security; sustainable and resilient rural development; agri-food systems; and land, soil, and forest management.

In this context, IDB is looking for a dynamic and energetic teammate, with strong skills and experience, to lead the Bank’s technical and policy dialogue and portfolio development in the areas un the purview of the PTI/ARD division in Haiti

What you’ll do

In strong coordination with the Bank’s Country Office Representative in Haiti, Chief of Operations, fiduciary, environmental and social specialists, and other specialists from other Bank’s divisions/units/entities according to needs (e.g., climate change, biodiversity, disaster risk management, education, labour markets, financial markets, trade, water, BID-Lab, BID-Invest):

Project Portfolio Supervision:

• Supervise the implementation of operations and technical cooperations, managing risks and promoting results and development effectiveness of operations throughout the project life, while ensuring compliance with parties’ contractual commitments. Lead the preparation and implementation of supervision plans and budgets, in contribution to country-specific planning/work program.
• Lead and/or participate in the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities. Prepare analytical knowledge products on operation's effectiveness and lessons learned.
• Lead and/or participate in the origination, design and preparation of investment projects and technical cooperations that respond to client’s priority and Bank’s priority areas, in close collaboration with the Country Office Representative. Lead the dialogue with the government authorities and coordinate with multisectoral teams (technical, fiduciary, socioenvironmental and operational) to design sectoral operations according to the Bank’s policies.

Technical Sector Dialogue and synergies:

Lead policy dialogue in the technical areas under the purview of the Agriculture and Rural Development Division.  Contribute to the sector dialogue with government and key partners, identifying potential areas of Bank support to further enrich the sector’s sustainable development. Actively participate in donors’ coordination to maximize synergies. Actively prospect opportunities for technical and/or financial collaboration with donors and other stakeholders, including concessional funding with other organizations. Promotes public-private initiatives, dialogues, networks, and coordination.

Economic and/or Sector Work & Development:

Contribute to the preparation of sector and country strategies and policies, consistent with country needs and sustainable development objectives. Conduct sector-relevant analytic work to inform country dialogues, investment operations and technical assistance programs.

Knowledge Management and Dissemination:

Optimally share and disseminate sector-relevant knowledge and best practices to enhance the relevance of the IDB in Haiti. Build and maintain internal and external networks that facilitate knowledge sharing.

Team management.

Actively collaborate and coordinate the portfolio management with the national Agriculture and Rural Development Specialist in Haiti. Identify and supervise technical and operational consultants that contribute to portfolio management and policy dialogue. 

What you'll need

• Education: Master's (or equivalent Advanced degree) degree in agriculture, sustainable rural development, agricultural economics, natural resources management, economics or related fields.
• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience and will be required to demonstrate proven experience in the management and / or supervision of investment projects in agriculture and/or rural development, particularly in LAC countries; experience in these areas in the context of fragile States will be positively valued. Experience with multilateral / multi-donor funding desirable. Experience in design, supervision, and implementation of multi-sectorial projects; in fostering strategic alliances with private sector; and in securing concessional funding to finance sustainable development projects will be positively valued.
• Language: Proficiency in French and English, spoken and written, is required. Additional knowledge of Spanish and Portuguese is preferable.

Requirements

• Citizenship: You are a citizen of one of our 48-member countries. We may offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your eligible dependents.
• Consanguinity: You have no family members (up to fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouse) working at the IDB, IDB Invest, or IDB Lab.

Type of contract and duration

International staff contract, 36 months initially, renewable upon mutual agreement

Haiti is a non-family post. Non-family post is defined as a Country Office whose location the Bank designates as “critical”. In such countries, the staff member's family may not reside nor visit. The selected candidate must comply with the terms, conditions and restrictions that may apply according to Bank regulations

The IDB Country Office is temporarily located in Cap-Haitien

What we offer

The IDB Group provides benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee’s life. These benefits include:

• A competitive compensation package, including an annual base salary expressed on a net-of-tax basis.
• Leaves and vacations: 24 days of paid time off + 8 personal days + sick leave + gender- neutral parental leave.
• Health Insurance: IDB Group provides employees and eligible dependents with a robust medical benefits program that covers medical, dental, vision, preventive care, and prescription drugs.
• Pension plan: defined benefit pension plan that provides financial security and support employees in planning for their future.
• We offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your family when it applies.
• Hybrid and flexible work schedules.
• Health and well-being: Access to our Health Services Center that provides preventive care and health education for employees.
• Development support: We offer tools to boost your professional profile, such as mentoring, 1:1 professional counseling, training and learning opportunities, language classes, mobility options, among others.
• Other perks, country specific: Lactation Room, Daycare Center, Gym, Bike Racks, Parking, Spouse Career Program, and others.