Deputy Director General Asian Development Bank Experience: 3 to 5 Years Manila, Philippines Apply By: 02-02-2025

As a Deputy Director General, you will support the Director General in overseeing ADB’s regional operations, working to position ADB as the premier development institution in the region. This should be done by maximizing ADB’s development impact and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling the vision of Strategy 2030. The Deputy Director General should demonstrate ADB’s core values of being client-centric, trustworthy, and transformational. In supporting the Director General, you will be expected to: (i) deliver ADB’s strategic agenda in the region, providing leadership in enhancing the development impact of ADB’s engagement with the department’s developing member countries (DMCs); (ii) develop ADB’s relationships with DMCs, key regional organizations, development partners, and other regional stakeholders; (iii) coordinate internal efforts to advance the integrated delivery of ADB’s full suite of sovereign, non-sovereign, and advisory solutions; (iv) drive changes required for the implementation of the new operating model, partnering with solutions and operations services departments to establish effective regional and country management teams operating under matrix and other arrangements; and (v) set priorities and ensure an integrated and holistic viewpoint across regional operations.

You will:

The Deputy Director General will support the Director General across the entire scope of leading the Department.

Strategic Leadership:

• Provide strategic leadership to ADB on operations in the region and the regional development agenda. Lead policy dialogue in alignment with ADB’s strategic objectives with DMCs to promote improved development outcomes. Oversee regional initiatives and business development in the region.
• Build strategic partnerships to promote ADB’s strategic objectives in the region. Identify opportunities for collaboration and cofinancing.
• Oversee the monitoring of economic, social, and political situations of the region and DMCs, regularly informing Management of significant developments, opportunities, and challenges, and providing timely recommendations accordingly. Support ADB’s corporate external dialogue on development issues key to the region. Support innovation, fit-for-purpose solutions, and inclusive approaches.
• Oversee or guide the preparation of corporate documents around budgeting, operation planning, development outcomes and impact, and others, with a view of promoting ADB’s strategic objectives, and aligning resources and operational needs.

Client Focus:

• Oversee and support resident missions in developing and maintaining strong relationships with DMC governments and regional or country-based clients and stakeholders, development agencies, development partners, and sources of private sector finance in DMCs.
• Oversee quantity and quality of assistance to countries and the region to align with country needs and priorities, as well as absorptive capacity.
• Oversee the department’s knowledge initiatives and associated knowledge products, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement.
• Enhance ADB’s visibility in the region, in partnership with Department of Communications and Knowledge Management to DMCs, development partners, (potential) cofinanciers, and other stakeholders.

Operations Planning:

• Oversee resident missions and their country management teams to effectively (i) develop high quality country and sector diagnostics, country partnership strategies, and sector roadmaps; (ii) identify business opportunities, program and oversee the conceptualization of ADB sovereign operations and knowledge services, and guide origination priorities for non-sovereign and advisory operations; (iii) review country portfolios of sovereign operations; and (iv) support operations processing and implementation.
• Ensures that the Country Partnership Strategies (CPS), the Pacific Approach in case of PARD, and their implementation plans align with ADB’s strategic agenda and contribute to the delivery of regional Key Performance Indicators (KPls).
• Coordinate the regional management team (RMT) review of CPSs, programs, and operations for consistency with corporate priorities and targets, and for the appropriateness of the selected modality.
• Oversee the planning of the regional work program in coordination with the solutions departments and selected operations services functions, and review and advise on their staffing plans. Help resolve issues, being the final decider on operational programming and country business plans.
• Allocate sovereign lending, grant and technical assistance resources to country programs.
• Engage in ADB internal dialogue and provides feedback and suggestions on potential improvements and streamlining of operations planning processes and systems.

Operations Delivery:

• Oversee the implementation of the regional work program in coordination with the solutions departments and selected operations services functions; coordinate them regionally; and review and advise on staffing plans.
• Lead and motivate the RMT to take responsibility for achieving regional objectives and preparing and implementing ADB’s regional work program.
• Provide oversight to regional pipeline and portfolio management, working with resident missions, regional managers and focals from solutions departments and operations services, to resolve issues and achieve common regional delivery KPls.
• Oversee regional cooperation and integration programs and private sector development activities in the region. Ensure that country programs and upstream activities lead to tangible midstream and downstream outcomes.
• Facilitate the matching of DMC needs with effective development solutions from solutions departments.
• Engage in ADB internal dialogue and provide feedback and suggestions on potential improvements and streamlining of operations delivery, including products and modalities, operational guidance, monitoring and evaluation, and balancing of cross-cutting issues.
• Promoting Quality Solutions
• Monitor performance against regional programs, provide inputs into the performance assessment of regional managers and focals, and provide feedback to solutions and services departments on the quality of their services.
• Decide, endorse, or advise (as a committee member) on projects and transactions and their documentation, in accordance with applicable business processes, to ensure that solutions are effectively delivered according to DMC needs and local context.
• Coordinate certain operations services (e.g., safeguards, procurement, financial management), partnering with the management of concerned departments to ensure adequate support to regional operations.

Human Resource Development and Management:

• Build and maintain a highly motivated workforce within the department, in line with ADB’s core values (“client centric,” “trustworthy,” and “transformational”) and the goal to maximize ADB’s development impact. Delegate decision-making and empowers teams, and proactively build and promote staff leadership and management capabilities.
• Develop, in partnership with solutions departments and other relevant departments and offices, a regional decentralization plan that meets the region’s business needs, and coordinate implementation efforts across departments.
• Support cross-departmental corporate initiatives to effect positive change within ADB.
• Create and lead multi-disciplinary teams, and ensure the overall quality of their work.
• Manage the performance of teams and individuals, providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to teams and individuals and encourages on-going learning and development.

Qualifications:

You will need:

• Master’s Degree, or equivalent, in Economics, Finance, Engineering, Business Administration or related fields. University degree in Economics, Finance, Engineering, Business Administration or related fields and at least 10 years specialized experience in similar organization/s, can be considered.
• At least 15 years of relevant senior-level experience within the field, including the management of large teams, with extensive knowledge of the Asia Pacific region. International experience working in several countries; Experience specifically in the regions is beneficial.
• Demonstrated experience in managing large and diverse teams of professionals in various aspects of development.
• Proven strength and experience in the operations of ADB or similar multilateral development organizations.
• Sound operational experience, including thorough knowledge of ADB policies, programs, products, and procedures, exposure to knowledge work and both sovereign and nonsovereign activities.
• Preferred experience as manager for both country and sector or private sector operations, in more than one region, and with high corporate exposure.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, link macro and sector strategies and lending and non-lending assistance within a consistent development framework, develop innovative solutions to meet client’s needs, and undertake high-level dialogue on strategic and policy issues.
• Proven senior management experience managing and leading change in a large and diverse organization.
• Proven managerial skills in building highly performing and collaborative teams with strong client orientation.
• Strong partnership building skills to connect with various stakeholders and create opportunities to collaborate and innovate.
• Excellent capabilities in people management and leadership, strong client and impact orientation, effective communication, and technical acumen.

Source: https://www.adb.org/careers/250041