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13 January 2025-23:59-GMT+02:00 South Africa Standard Time (Johannesburg)

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* French version of Job Description can be found below. | La version française de la description de poste se trouve ci-dessous.

African Risk Capacity Agency, Johannesburg, South Africa (and later Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire)

Location: ARC Headquarters is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa, but is expected to be relocated to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The position will be initially based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and expected to relocate to Abidjan within contract period. The selected candidate will be expected to relocate accordingly. {1}

The African Risk Capacity (ARC) was established in 2012 as a Specialised Agency of the African Union (AU) by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries to help the AU Member States improve their capacities to better plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters. The objective of the ARC Agency is to assist the AU Member States to reduce the risk of loss and damage caused by extreme weather events and natural disasters affecting Africa’s populations by providing targeted responses to disasters in a more timely, cost-effective, objective and transparent manner.

In accordance with the Agreement for the Establishment of ARC Agency, which authorizes explicitly ARC Agency to establish and operate an insurance subsidiary or affiliate, ARC Agency Conference of the Parties, the supreme decision-making organ for ARC, established the Africa Risk Capacity Insurance Company Limited (“ARC Ltd”), in 2013 supported by seed funding from donors. {2} The African Risk Capacity Insurance Company Limited (ARC Ltd) is a financial affiliate of the African Risk Capacity, incorporated and licensed initially in Bermuda as a ‘hybrid mutual’ Class 2 insurance company. ARC Ltd was established to carry out insurance and other risk transfer programs providing direct or indirect coverage for participating ARC Members, against extreme weather events and natural disasters. The Company is headed by a Chief Executive Officer reporting to the ARC Ltd Board of Directors.

ARC is a ground-breaking public-private partnership that focuses on facilitating economic development in Africa and empowering African governments to protect vulnerable people through proactive risk management frameworks that promote resilience and food security in the wake of extreme weather events and natural disasters. Its financial affiliate, ARC Ltd is a mutual insurance company that will eventually be owned and controlled by African sovereigns.

Since its establishment, ARC Agency has exclusively been supported by a variety of donors. The Conference of the Parties have not yet decided on the payment modalities of financial contributions/membership fees by ARC members due to the still below critical number of ratifications of the ARC Treaty.

After five years of operations and based on lessons learnt, the Boards of ARC Agency and ARC Ltd (collectively, “ARC Group”), launched a review of the governance structures and the impact on the operations of the Group, particularly to confirm the adequacy and effectiveness of ARC. The review concluded in a refreshed governance structure, which was later approved by the Conference of the Parties. ARC is now headed by a Group Director General who has broadened responsibilities reporting to a Group Board which in turn reports to the AU Conference of the Parties to the Treaty (CoP) as the supreme governing body.

ARC is thus seeking a Group Director General (GDG) to play a critical role in strategically guiding and overseeing the performance of ARC Group. In line with the renewed governance structure, the GDG will focus on playing a leadership role of the ARC Group, ensuring that the mandate, objectives of ARC and the common interest of African people are met.

The GDG will lead a team that is making strides in empowering African sovereigns to build resilience against the catastrophic effects of climate disasters; a first for Africa. Working under the strategic guidance of the ARC Group Board (the ARC Board), the GDG defines the institution’s strategic vision and is accountable for its implementation and the developmental and financial results.

The GDG is expected to bring sound expertise, pertinent experience, broad knowledge and dependable networks that enable charting of new avenues towards credible strategies and reliable partnerships that will continue to place ARC as a leader in disaster risk management and as a true partner to Africa’s people and Governments in mitigating and alleviating the impact of natural disasters.

The GDG is an ex-officio member of each of the affiliates managing organs, including the Board of Directors, and is responsible for ensuring that activities of each affiliate are aligned to the overall ARC Group strategies. Additionally, the GDG co-ordinates the ARC Group’s senior management team, known as the Executive Committee (Ex-Co) comprising the ARC’s substantive affiliate heads in establishing and realizing ARC’s strategic mission and objectives. The GDG outlines performance targets for the Ex-Co and guides its performance reporting to the ARC Board.

The Position

The position of Group Director General is of top executive nature and consequently the calibre of the candidate(s) is expected to be of such high profile. The critical parameters that will be taken into account during the recruitment will include high-level leadership skills, strategy implementation, ethics and integrity, public sector management, fund-raising skills, management experience of public-private institutions, amongst other considerations.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Group Director-General is appointed by the ARC Conference of the Parties (CoP) for a term of four (4) years. He/she may be reelected/reappointed for only one more term. The GDG’s primary responsibilities are as set out below.

Strategic Leadership and Delivery

• Provide oversight to the ARC Group (ARC Agency and its affiliates) and advises the ARC Group Board;
• Lead the development of ARC group strategy and its implementation;
• Prepare and submits for approval by the Group Board and CoP, the ARC Group Programme of Work and Budget;

• Lead the ARC Group in pursuing the strategic objectives defined by the CoP and the Group Board;

• Ably lead and monitors the operationalisation of the organisational structure, work programme, main policies and other business processes;

• Ensure that there are strong fiduciary controls in place to meticulously monitor the use of ARC resources;

• Develop rigorous management and communications systems to ensure the implementation of, and strict adherence to, CoP and ARC Group Board decisions and of other ARC policies in a timely manner;

• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation framework and process of ARC programmes and performance, are in place and the provision of accurate analysis and routine reporting on ARC’s activities;

• Manage the ARC Group and its interaction with the Member States, including the provision of technical services for the development of risk management, operational and contingency plans;

• Provide oversight to the Executive functions of the ARC Group, working harmoniously with the Chief Operating Officers of ARC Agency and its financial affiliate ARC Ltd, and other affiliates; and,

• Represent the ARC Group at the highest level in various platforms, regional and global, ensuring its role within the food security and disaster risk management communities is well understood.

Coordinating with Affiliates

• Provide oversight to ensure that ARC Group objectives are being met;

• Coordinate the Executive Committee (Ex-Co) ensuring consistency and performance of ARC Group’s objectives and targets with its overall mission;

• Sit on the Board of Directors of any ARC Group subsidiary or affiliated entity, as an ex officio member, and serve as a liaison between the Board of Directors of such subsidiary or affiliated entity and the ARC Group Board; and,

• Facilitate coordination between the ARC Group Board and the Boards of Directors of any affiliates, as well as of any subsidiary bodies of the Boards and/or joint committees.

Managing Finance, People and Systems

Operational management

• Exercise authority over personnel and human-resource matters and further strengthen performance management by tracking key performance indicators across the organisation;

• Where necessary, prepare Staff Rules and Regulations for approval by the ARC Governing Board and adoption by the ARC Conference of the Parties;

• Maintain a positive and conducive work environment that enables collaboration and information sharing and is conducive to attracting, retaining, and motivating diverse talent;

• Prepare evaluations of the operations of the ARC Agency Subsidiary or Affiliated Entities for consideration by the ARC Group Board.

Financial management

• Prepare the Financial Regulations and Rules of the ARC Agency for approval by the ARC Governing Board and adoption by the ARC Conference of the Parties

• Ensure the overall transparent, effective and efficient financial and accountability processes of ARC and its assets;

• Provide oversight over the assets/investment management in an ex-officio role in premium support or other funds that are linked to ARC Group; and

• Oversee the management and implementation of all ARC Agency contracts according to corporate procurement systems and practices that deliver value for money and focus on the primary work of ARC.

Official Representation

• Represent ARC before relevant authorities, in particular, the organs of the AU.

Partner Engagement, working with the Board and Mobilizing Resources

To safeguard and continually strengthen the effectiveness, reputation, and integral profile of ARC Group, the GDG will work closely with the Board and its committees to:

• Establish and maintain effective alliances and operational collaboration with relevant public and private partners, such as governments of implementing countries, United Nations agencies and other international organisations, bilateral donors, non-governmental organisations, the business sector, civil society actors, and communities negatively impacted by natural disasters;

• Engage with other regional groups of AU Member States and non-member states countries, communicating the ARC’s mandate, objectives and strategies, as well as seeking to secure their support.

• Represent the ARC and its work with external stakeholders in critical and strategic engagements related to disaster risk management in Africa;

• Build effective partnerships with public and private entities to support the work of ARC;

• Interact with governments at the highest political level to advocate for appropriate engagement with ARC; and,

• Maintain effective communications with all stakeholders.

Mobilising and sustaining resources

• Provide strategic guidance for resource mobilization and actively engage in fundraising for the Group;

• Oversee and advance the development of new funding streams for the ARC Group and affiliates, broadening the donor base and encouraging increased investment in programs; and,

• Ensure the highest level of confidence among public and private donors in ARC operations.

Change Management

• Manage and drive the organizational changes arising from amongst other things the de-hosting from the World Food Programme and the relocation of the ARC Headquarters to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
• Identify concerns of staff and key ARC stakeholders and develop a plan to address them; and,
• Provide regular information to the ARC Group Board and staff on the workstreams and road map related inter alia to de-hosting and the relocation of the ARC Headquarters

Working with the CoP and Group Board

• Prepare and submit reports to the CoP as required by the Establishment Agreement;

• Report to the Group Board on the operational, administrative, and financial aspects of the ARC Agency and the work of its Subsidiary or Affiliated Entities at each Governing Board meeting;

• Ensure that the Board is made aware, in a timely way, of critical strategic and other material operational challenges the Secretariat or affiliates is encountering in the course of carrying out its work;

• Represent the management of the Secretariat at Group Board Meetings, and ensure effective and timely preparation and distribution of all materials in accordance with the mandated policies and procedures of the Group Board;

• Assist the Committees of the Group Board, their advisory and technical panels and other support structures; and,

• Communicate Group Board decisions to the ARC’s staff, and other relevant stakeholders.

Contractual Arrangements and Grade of Post

The ARC Agency is currently hosted by the World Food Programme pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement signed between ARC Agency and the World Food Programme. As the Group Director General of an African Union Specialized Agency, the ARC Director General shall have the powers specified in the Establishment Agreement and shall be appointed at the level and with the remuneration commensurate with that of an Assistant Executive Director of the World Food Programme (at the level of UN Assistant Secretary General provided that the relevant approvals have been obtained), as is required to fulfil this position’s competencies.

The ARC Group Board took the decision that ARC Agency should take necessary steps to de-host from the World Food Programme by August 2027. The extension of the Administrative Services Agreement which is about to be signed is accordingly up to 31 August 2027. Subject to this, ARC Group will be undergoing significant organisational changes and as such, the grade level and remuneration may be adjusted accordingly depending on the contractual and institutional arrangements to be agreed upon.

Eligibility

The ARC Group Director General shall be a national of a Party to the ARC Establishment Agreement as stipulated in Article 17 (4) of the ARC Establishment Agreement. Only Nationals of State Parties to the Agreement for the Establishment of the ARC Agency are eligible to apply. The countries are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Education

• In person Masters degree (or equivalent professional qualification) in either economics, management, finance, disaster risk management, or business management. A PhD in any of the subjects listed above will be an added advantage.

Experience

ARC is seeking an individual with the following attributes:

• At least 15 years of, postgraduate, progressively responsible professional experience and must have at least 8 years of managerial experience at both the national and international level, with demonstrated professional competence and strategic leadership at a high level;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, prioritise effectively, mobilise resources and deploy them flexibly;
• Ability to translate broad strategies into specific objectives and action plans and align the organisation to support strategic priorities and ability to set strategic direction and ensure implementation;
• Proven experience in an intergovernmental or multilateral organization providing advice to governments. Established competence and experience in engaging countries at Head of State/Government level, ministerial level and with international development partners;
• Demonstrated leadership experience with strategic vision and proven skills in managing complex issues within organizations, such as an intergovernmental, national or international entities;
• Experience in managing complex change management programmes;
• Demonstrated ability to lead effectively and manage a large and dispersed team in a dynamic and multicultural environment; and,
• Experience in influencing/brokering and/or managing public-private partnerships.

Special desirable competencies

• Excellent written and oral communication skills to represent the ARC Group’s viewpoint publicly in global fora;
• Strong work ethic established professional credibility and unquestionable integrity;
• Experience in disaster management, food security, or a related field, will be an added advantage; and,
• Extensive Pan-African insurance and financial markets experience will be an added advantage.

Languages

Fluency in English and French is strongly preferred. Working knowledge of any other AU language will be an added advantage.