Context:
The role of agri-small and medium enterprises (agri-SMEs) and their critical importance to meeting the Feed Africa Strategy goals are well recognized. Eighty percent of all food consumed across the continent is produced, transported, processed and sold by SMEs. SMEs also constitute up to 70% of formal employment in Sub-Saharan Africa and up to 90% in the informal sector. Despite this, agri-SMEs in Africa are critically underfunded with an annual financing gap of approximately $100 billion for enterprises with financing needs between $25,000 and $5 million. This gap has been further exacerbated by Covid-19 and the pressure it has put on SMEs operating within agri-food supply chains.
To advance and accelerate the Feed Africa Strategy, there is a growing commitment to enhance support to agri-SMEs financing and business development. Consistent with a Bank-wide effort to increase investments in SME programs and their impact across sectors, the Feed Africa team aims to (i) mobilize concessionary impact capital from donors to flexibly deploy it in targeted blended financing structures attractive to SMEs, (ii) support targeted advisory and business development to increase investments in bankable agri-SMEs, (iii) build partnerships that could lead to impactful largescale agri-SME support projects through either private operations, or integrated into public operations or through innovative Public-Private Partnership projects, (iv) coordinate and manage the activities necessary to structure a fund to invest in agri-SMEs, and (v) ensure monitoring of key performance indicators and capitalize on lessons learned.
Across the Bank ecosystem, there is a growing number of targeted funds, facilities and specialized programs that share complementary objectives (e.g., Horn of Africa; Entrepreneurship Establishment Program; Affirmative Financing Action for Women in Africa; Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank; Climate Smart Agriculture; Multi-sectoral Nutrition Action Plan and others) that can be leveraged to systematically enhance our support to agri-SME financing and development across targeted Bank operations. Similarly, outside the Bank, a growing number of countries, development organizations, international finance institutions, foundations, and private sector companies are dedicating increasing resources to support SME initiatives across the agri-food value chain as a means to delivering on inclusive job provision and impactful Agricultural transformation.
In that context, the objective of the assignment is to support the delivery of internal and external communication and outreach efforts to raise the profile and visibility of the two following initiatives within the Department:
a. The Agri-SME program: Supports the development of agri-SMEs and helps address the significant financial gap characterizing the African agri-business sector, by operationalizing innovative financial instruments and providing expertise to generate bankable projects in the agri-SMEs sector. The program will ensure that impact-oriented development outcomes are met, particularly agri-SMEs that are climate resilient and gender balanced.
b. The Agri-SME Catalytic Financial Mechanism (ACFM Special Fund): The Bank in collaboration with the Canadian Government is establishing the Agri-Food Catalytic Finance Mechanism (ACFM). This is a 100 million CAD, blended finance facility hosted at the Bank which provides long-term concessional capital, alongside technical assistance to catalyze financing and de-risk investments in agri-SMEs servicing the agri-food ecosystem in the Bank’s regional member countries. The ACFM aims at leveraging private capital investments through commercial intermediaries to support inclusive and green growth, by investing in a portfolio of gender-oriented and climate resilient agri-SMEs along the agri-food value chain.
1. Duties and Responsibilities: Communication, drafting and editing written materialsThe successful applicant will support the Department’s objective to develop and lead the execution of a communication strategy that outlines the work and achievements of the agri-SME programme and the ACFM Special Fund in addressing the agri-food financing gap in Africa.
The key tasks and deliverables to achieve the objectives of this assignment will include but may not be limited to the following:
1. Support the development of a multiplatform communication strategy for the ACFM Special Fund and the agri-SME programme, in collaboration with the Front Office of the Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development (or AHVP Complex, where the Department is housed) as well as with the Bank’s Communication and External Relations Department.
2. Identify communication opportunities within the Bank, its partners, and at regional member country levels that the Department may leverage and/or co-lead on.
3. Support the delivery of internal and external communication and outreach efforts to strengthen awareness of the agri-SME program activities, as well as raise the profile and visibility of the ACFM Special Fund, with a particular attention to gender equality and climate resilience along the agri-food value chain.
4. Drafting and editing of written materials relevant to the ACFM Special Fund and the agri-SME program including proposals, briefings, web stories, video scripts, press releases, newsletters, external and internal reports, social media posts, project documents and impact stories.
5. Provide support to ensure coherent and consistent branding of the above initiatives across all promotional materials, knowledge products, multimedia/digital content, feature/news/success stories, project documents, press releases, events (virtual and in person) and reports.
6. Establish a dedicated web presence for the ACFM Special Fund, and build it as a portal for stakeholder engagement, including for resource mobilization, knowledge dissemination, impact stories and reporting. Support the updating and upgrading of the web presence in line with the broader AHVP Complex and Bank communication strategy and adhering to Bank guidelines.
7. Disseminate key messages, multimedia content, knowledge products through communication channels including social media, content marketing, emails, digital marketing, website and other relevant channels to targeted audiences including donors, general public, other multilateral development banks, agri-SME stakeholders and internal Bank departments.
8. Co-lead in the planning and execution of agri-SME themed communication events.
9. Be responsible for modern and accurate filing, archiving Special Fund-related photos, video and press contacts to databases managed by AHFR as well as PCER.
10. Liaise with the AHVP Front Office and Bank Communications Department (PCER), to align with the wider Bank’s media efforts. The Consultant will make sure that deliverables conform to PCER guidelines.
11. Assist in fact-checking and copy-editing all related written and digital communication.
12. Perform any other job-related duties as assigned by the Manager.
2. Deliverables1. Deliver and execute a clear, coherent, and concise multiplatform communication strategy for the ACFM Special Fund and the broader agri-SME initiative within 8 weeks of the start of the assignment.
2. Lead in the creation the ACFM Special Fund web presence and create relevant content for it. Provide timely updates as required.
3. Monthly reports outlining achievements in implementing the strategy and reaching partners and beneficiaries. This will include monthly statistical analysis on Web use, client engagement through the various social media channels, observations and recommendations to improve outreach and client engagement, etc.
4. Timely and targeted dissemination of publications, promotional materials, and briefings in relation to both the ACFM and the agri-SME initiative.
5. Tracking impact and usage of content across communication channels to support monitoring and evaluation of internal and external communication activities.
6. Develop an events calendar and workplan for key Fund initiatives.
7. Support communication efforts for the broader Department and Complex as required.
3. Qualifications and Experience RequiredThe Consultant shall demonstrate appropriate qualifications and skills necessary for the assignment as described below:
· A minimum of a Masters’ degree in the field (e.g. communication/journalism, international relations, political science, economics, development, etc.).
· A minimum of ten (10) years working experience in communication, journalism, writing and editing preferably in the area of communication for development, ideally within recognized international development institutions.
· Client and results-oriented with strong analytical and communication (verbal and written) skills, sense of accuracy and attention to detail;
· Ability to deal with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and to build effective working relations with colleagues;
· Understanding of the newsgathering and media storytelling process. Solid knowledge of online marketing tools and best practices.
· Familiarity with Adobe Edit Suite: knowledge of multimedia applications like Final Cut Pro, Canva, Quik or iMovies a distinct advantage.
· Fluency in social media and social media management platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.);
· Experience leading the production of, or overseeing the production of, innovative and contemporary digital story telling. Submit sample(s) of past communications materials, including articles, press releases, video scripts, social media posts, etc. in application;
· Competent in the use of standard software applications (MS Word, Power Point, Excel), advance Power Point and layout/design skills will be a distinct advantage;
· Demonstrable skills in writing and editing of impact stories, briefs, development project documents, project reporting, website content, promotional content etc..
· An understanding of communications strategy and the role of development institutions in the global aid architecture, knowledge issues within the African agricultural sector is an advantage.
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and/or French, and working knowledge of the other language.
· Proven ability to manage and deliver products in a timely manner and handle multiple tasks at the same time, at times under high pressure and in time sensitive situations and
· Be a member of a member country of the African Development Bank Group
The Bank:
Established in 1964, the African Development Bank (the “Bank”) is Africa’s premier development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). The Bank’s development agenda is to deliver financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth. In order to sharply focus the objectives of the Ten-Year Strategy (2013 – 2022) and ensure greater developmental impact, five Bank priority areas (known as the High 5s) have been identified for scaling up, namely; Light up & Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.
The Hiring Department:
The Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department works closely with the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department and the Regional Directorates to provide support for the delivery of the Feed Africa Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016-2025.
The core mandate of the Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department is to develop the strategy of the Bank, related to agricultural and rural finance and rural development, execute sovereign and non-sovereign operations for the transformation of agricultural value chains, represent the Bank with external stakeholders, provide sector expertise to the regions by gathering experts who can be consulted by operations and closing the financing gap for private sector-led development of agricultural value chains. The Department is to mobilize and deploy the required expertise and provide support for the design and implementation of Agricultural finance and rural development operations for key commodity value chains. The Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department has two divisions: (i) Agriculture and Rural Finance Division; and (ii) Rural Infrastructure Development Division.
