Appointment to Roster of Experts for the

Independent Review Mechanism

of the African Development Bank Group

Applications are requested from individual experts/consultants to be nominated as members to the Roster of Experts of the Independent Review Mechanism of the African Development Bank Group.

The Independent Review Mechanism, which consists of a combination of problem solving and compliance reviews, was approved by the Boards of the Bank Group in 2004. The Mechanism is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU) set up with a Director, a Compliance Officer and secretarial services at the Bank’s Temporary Relocation Agency in Tunis.

The members of the Roster of Experts will be working part time participating in Independent Compliance Review Panels authorized by the Bank Group’s Boards of Directors or the President to investigate alleged violations of the Bank Group’s policies and procedures that have resulted, or are likely to result, in direct adverse material harm to people affected by a project financed by the Bank Group. The Panels will make recommendations to the Boards of Directors or the President.

The Operating Rules and Procedures of the African Development Bank Group’s Independent Review Mechanism are available on the Bank’s Internet web site

The Role of the Experts:

The members of the Roster of Experts will be appointed by the Boards of Directors upon the recommendation of the President.

Specific responsibilities shall include:

  • undertaking, as members of compliance review panels, such compliance reviews as may be authorized by the Boards of Directors or the President;
  • engaging with all stakeholders, including Bank Management and staff, complainants, executing agencies, governments or private project sponsors in obtaining a thorough understanding of the issues of a project undergoing a compliance review;
  • conducting extensive, objective and independent reviews of policy compliance;
  • undertaking site visits to affected projects as appropriate, including rural areas in Africa;
  • preparing and issuing compliance review reports to the Boards of Directors or the President with findings and recommendations;
  • in cooperation with the Director CRMU, preparing annual reports that provide lessons learnt from matters considered by the mechanism; and
  • liaising with independent review mechanisms of other institutions.

The Requirements:

The Experts shall have

  • excellent skills in analytical work, and demonstrated independence and integrity;
  • relevant, solid and broad academic background (minimum Master, preferably PhD) with practical experience in development, particularly in environment, social, resettlement, economics, human rights, and legal issues in the public and/or private sector fields;
  • at least ten (10) years of experience in the filed of compliance review or a related field, including the ability to deal thoroughly and fairly with complaints and redress;
  • highly developed interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate effective interaction internally with staff, Management and the Boards of Directors, and externally with borrowers, member states, other international institutions, civil society and non-governmental organizations;
  • outstanding capability for team work;
  • excellent command both oral and written of one of the Bank’s official languages (English and French) and a good working knowledge of the other;
  • ability and willingness to travel to countries in Africa, including rural areas;
  • exposure to development issues and living conditions in developing countries; and
  • knowledge of and experience with the operations of multilateral development banks or international financing institutions.

To be eligible, the Experts shall:

  • be nationals of a member state of the African Development Bank, or of a State participant of the African Development Fund;
  • not having worked for any of the African Development Bank Group institutions in any capacity whatsoever for the period of at least two (2) years prior to his or her appointment to the Roster of Experts.

The selection process for the Roster of Experts will take into consideration to maintaining a reasonable degree of diversity of expertise, experience, nationality, and gender.

Terms and Conditions of Appointment:

The Roster of Experts for the Independent Review Mechanism will comprise three members. The first three members will be appointed on a staggered basis, by lot, for a non-renewable term of three, four and five years respectively. One of the members will be appointed to serve as chairperson of the Roster of Experts. The members will be required to spend at least five working days each calendar year at the Bank to attend meetings and to familiarizing themselves with the Bank Group’s policies, procedures and operations.

The Experts will be paid a retainer for the duration of their term on the Roster of Experts, and in addition a daily fee when undertaking an assignment for the independent review mechanism. The retainer and fee shall be determined by the Boards of Directors. The Experts will be reimbursed travel and accommodation expenses in accordance with the Bank’s policy for similar functions within the Bank Group.

Any Expert who serves on a compliance review panel or is otherwise called upon to work for the mechanism during his or her term shall not be eligible to work for any African Development Bank Group institution for a period of two (2) years after the expiry of his or her term.

The Selection Process:

  • Interested consultants/experts shall send an Application for becoming a member of the Roster of Experts with a CV providing details of education and relevant experience, to:

Director, Human Resources Management Department

African Development Bank, Temporary Relocation Agency (TRA)

BP 323, 1002 TunisBelvedere, Tunisia

or by email to:

  • Applications shall be marked “Roster of Experts for the Independent Review Mechanism”.
  • Applications shall be received at the above address by no later than 6October, 2006.
  • An Evaluation Panel will be set up for evaluating the applications. Additional information may be requested, and candidates may be called for interviews.
  • The Experts will be appointed by the Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank Group upon the recommendation of the President.
  • Upon the Boards of Directors’ appointments, the African Development Bank will offer the experts a contract in line with the Boards resolutions made for the establishment and operations of the Independent Review Mechanism.