The Young Professionals Program offers you a platform to build an exceptional and fulfilling career in the Bank. This development program spans 36 months and is structured under the Young Professionals Learning Academy.
It is delivered in batches of 6 months each, to deepen knowledge and build technical and leadership skills necessary for future roles.
The learning will immerse you into different functional areas of the Bank where you will have hands-on experience in projects and various work assignments. Partnerships with experts from recognized institutions support us to deliver training such as leadership development.
We target that majority of your learning and development is experiential as you continue to be supported by coaches, mentors and colleagues.
Our focus areas
The specific disciplines and specialist professional areas that are aligned to our Ten-Year Strategy (TYS) and our gender strategy are the following five high priorities (Hi-5s) of the Bank’s operations:
- Light Up and Power Africa:
Power systems development (grid base power system, power utilities), Climate change and green growth (climate finance, climate adaptation), Energy statistics, policy and regulation (energy statistics), Renewable energy (off grid energy access), Energy partnerships (energy partnerships and stakeholders engagement, energy markets).
- Feed Africa:
Agriculture & agro-industry (agribusiness development, agriculture research, production and sustainability), Agricultural finance & rural development (agricultural and rural finance, rural infrastructure development).
- Integrate Africa:
Development research (macroeconomic policy, debt sustainability and forecasting, microeconomic, institutional and development impact), Governance and public financial management (program development, policy management), Statistics (economic and social statistics, statistical capacity building).
- Industrialize Africa:
Private sector development (strategy and new product, portfolio asset management, special operations), Financial sector development (financial institutions, financial inclusion), Infrastructure, cities & urban development (transport and logistics, ICT), Industrial and trade development.
- Improve the lives of the people of Africa:
Water, human and social development (education, human capital and employment, sanitation and public health.
YPP Support Mechanisms
- Coaching: During rotations, your coach will identify development areas for you in your current role.
- Mentoring & Sponsoring: Mentors &Sponsors will be selected from Vice-Presidents and Directors depending on the different domains that the Mentees wish to evolve This Program will also help build women in leadership which is a priority for the Bank. Through mentoring and sponsoring, the Talent Councils will identify YPs who need to be fast tracked for the succession plan for VPs and Director’ positions, decide on the projects to be conducted. There is a need to define implementation guidelines: TORs, work plan, etc.
- A “Buddy-System”: You will be assigned a “Buddy” from the previous YP cohort, who will serve as a source of information and support during your familiarization with the Bank and country of assignment.
- YPP Coordination Team: the YPP team is dedicated to the recruitment, training, performance evaluation and rotation management of the YP cohorts to ensure their successful completion of the Program.
- YP Liaison Team (YPLT): two representatives are selected from the YP cohort and serve as active link between all YP cohorts and the YPP Coordination team in the HR Department. The YPLT serves one year and also sits on the YPP Steering Committee.
Apply for African Development Bank Young Professionals Program 2020
- Be a citizen of a member country of the Bank.
- Be 32 years of age or younger by 1st May 2020.
- Possess a Master’s degree or equivalent in any discipline that is relevant to the business of the Bank, with outstanding academic credentials.
- Have at least 3 years work experience in the areas related to the high priority areas (Hi-5s) as mentioned above.
- Interested candidates with coding, e-development, animation and platforms designs and maintenance are required this year.
- Demonstrable hands-on experience on the African continent and/or in other continent’s developing countries is a necessary requirement.
- Have passion for Africa’s Development
- Able to leverage knowledge, share and coach others. Work effectively in teams with displayed high adaptability to a diverse environment.
- Strong analytical skills, an entrepreneurial drive, results- orientation and problem-solving capability.
- High business acumen and innovative mindset.
- Be proficient in the Bank’s working languages, either English and/or French.
- Have skills that enable you work in a digital environment and embrace technology as it evolves.
- Be willing to live in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire the Bank’s Headquarters, and any other country in Africa where the Bank may require your services.
Please note that application for admission to the AfDB YPP is an online process. The YPP is highly competitive program and you are advised to provide as much relevant information as possible.
Applicants with dual nationality are advised that the Bank recognizes only one nationality from a member country; as such, kindly indicate the nationality you wish to declare.
Successful candidates from the selection process will be appointed YPs under their declared nationalities for the duration of the Program and any continuing contract with the Bank.
Application Checklist
The application checklist is meant to facilitate your application experience.
- Provide an email address; and an alternative one. Fill in correct e-mail address since this will be the main means of communication
- Answer all the questions
- Provide the most current contact information. Ensure that you email us with updated data, should your contacts change during the recruitment process
- Complete phone number (country code + city code + number)
- Upload the following required documents (mandatory):
– Maximum two page Curriculum Vitae in Microsoft Word version.
– Copies of Academic Certificates/Transcripts.
– PhD Dissertation/Master’s Thesis topic (short summary), if applicable.
For more info visit AFDB YPP