Job Description

Managing Director, Research & Group Chief Economist

Reports to: President and Chairman of the Board of Directors Location: HQ (Cairo, Egypt)

Job Summary

The MD Research & Group Chief Economist leads a team of initiative-taking professionals to foster and produce innovative analytical research to inform policy and sustain balance sheet expansion and financial soundness while enhancing the development relevance of Afreximbank Group in its member countries and throughout Africa;

The MD Research & Group Chief Economist supports Afreximbank Group’s mission of stimulating a consistent expansion, and diversification of African trade so as to rapidly increase Africa’s share of global trade while operating as a first-class, profit oriented, socially responsible financial institution and a centre of excellence in African trade matters;

The MD Research & Group Chief Economist serves as the leader in economic research, development economics, and finance across Afreximbank Group. As such he/she is expected to contribute thought leadership and foster a healthy workplace culture which supports professional development, staff wellbeing and the transformation of African economies through trade;

The MD Research & Group Chief Economist leads the development of expertise for frontier thinking and operational competence in the areas of economic research, commodity research, model development and forecasting, knowledge management and curatorship to shape the African development narrative and the history of African trade and trade finance;

The MD Research & Group Chief Economist supports Afreximbank Group Executives in their drive to deliver the vision, mission and strategic objectives and increasing its development relevance and impact through capacity building and sustained engagement with key stakeholders on strategic issues with significance for the continental its Diaspora.
Duties and Responsibilities
i. Leadership and Strategic Direction
Provide intellectual leadership and support in the design of Afreximbank Group Strategy and work with Executive Management to ensure its successful implementation;
Provide overall guidance, leadership support and strategic direction in the execution of the Afreximbank Group strategy;
Oversee the development and implementation of the Research Division’s overall annual and mediumterm strategic plan;
Develop and manage an appropriate management structure within the Division and provide the required leadership to teams of high-achieving professionals;
Utilize a deep and broad network of relationships to help Afreximbank Group achieve its mandate across the African continent and beyond;
As intellectual leader and field expert, work closely with Senior Executives to articulate the Group strategic vision and mobilize global support for a smooth implementation;
Build and maintain relationships with relevant authorities, including leaders of the Bank’s subsidiaries and offshoots, senior government officials, borrowers, investors, partners, Board members and shareholders;
Attend Afreximbank Group Board and general meetings as may be required
Lead the process of attracting, developing, and retaining top specialist talents as required to ensure that the Division performs according to set expectations;
As a strong communicator, work productively with Executives and Senior Management of Afreximbank Group and the Board of Directors to plan, manage, and motivate staff to consistently deliver the required business results and sustain the Group on a high-performance track record;

ii. Development Research
Establish, robust institutional and analytical framework to lead development of various theoretical and applied economic research to sustain Afreximbank Group’s mission as a centre of excellence in African
Trade matters;

Provide reasonable assurance to Group Executives, Management, the Board and other key stakeholders on the soundness and originality of Bank research;
Develop and implement appropriate research management tools to monitor research output with the view to ensuring that it does not expose Afreximbank Group to reputational risk and instead further strengthens the support from shareholders and member countries;
Work with Senior Management to promote the culture of research and innovation across Afreximbank Group with the view, among others, to enhancing ownership of innovative ideas and facilities and further strengthening the Bank global leadership as a centre of excellence in African trade matters;
Work with Senior Management to oversee a successful implementation of Afreximbank Group Research and Publication Framework;
Lead Afreximbank Group institutional mandate and vision to boost capacity in trade and economic research by building and strengthening partnerships with African academic institutions both within the continent and diaspora, especially in the Caribbean and North America;
Build a strong research team of initiative-taking staff and frontier thinkers to reclaim the African policy space and strengthen Africa’s ownership of its development process;
Work with Afreximbank Group Senior Executives to contribute to ongoing efforts to close Africa’s intellectual and operational gap in the critical areas of commodity research and trading with the view to realizing the Bank Strategy to accelerate export diversification through commodity-based industrialization;
Lead the preparation of timely and comprehensive reports to Afreximbank Group Executives;
Work with Afreximbank Group Executives to ensure that the Bank’s flagship report, the African Trade Report (ATR), remains the most highly sought and globally impactful;
Provide guidance and strategic directions to ALCO and RISTRAC on all trade, financial and economic related matters; Lead ongoing efforts to position Afreximbank Group’s key research outlets, the Journal of African Trade (JAT) and Contemporary Issues in African trade and Trade Finance (CIAT) as the most authoritative in African Trade and economic development;

iii. Data Group
Develop and lead the implementation of Afreximbank Group framework for data collection and management;
Work with colleagues within the Bank to ensure consistency in the production and management of data across Afreximbank Group;
Build a formidable team of highly innovated staff to develop in-house expertise in macroeconomic, trade and financial modelling;
Consistently lead the management and update of Afreximbank Trade and Development Indicators (AfTDI) to ensure that it meets global best-practice standards;
Engage key African institutions including universities, and the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) to strengthen analytical foundation and modelling skills for evidence-based policymaking;

IV. Knowledge Management and Corporate Museum
Work with Senior Management to lead the implementation and regular updates of Afreximbank Group Record Management Policies and Procedures (REMAPP);
Lead the establishment and management of state-of-the-art institutional Library with strong connection to Branch Libraries to sustain high returns on knowledge management investment and deliver Senior Management’s vision of One-Bank;
Work with Senior Management to establish a state-of-the-art Corporate Museum that reclaims the narrative of the history of African trade to inform developments in African trade, while further enhancing Afreximbank Group vision as the centre of excellence in African trade matters;
Keep the Afreximbank Group Board and Executives regularly informed on all the Division’s activities through regular reporting;
Any other duties as may be assigned by the President;

V. Risk and Compliance
Ensure the Division’s business risks are identified and managed within the laid down guidelines and are regularly monitored for compliance;

Oversee establishment of satisfactory risk systems and control procedures for all identified risks within the Research Division;

Eligibility Criteria
National of an African Country or Caribbean Countries;
Relevant post graduate degree from a reputable university. A PhD degree in a relevant field from a reputable university is a very strong added advantage;
Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in development economics, investment, and financial industry with a demonstrable track record in the banking and financial industry at senior management level;
A track record in research, development economics and finance and publications;
Knowledge of and experience of leading and managing trade related challenges, coupled with strong knowledge of the African financial and trade environment;
Excellent communication, business presentation and analytical skills with very good knowledge of economics, finance, and trade;
Strong business acumen, maturity, and tact, including experience working in multicultural environments, with the ability to relate with highest levels of people in government and the private sector;
Relevant stakeholder management experience along with strong decision making and problem-solving skills;
Strong intellect and diplomatic skills to constructively engage Executives and leaders with a view to consistently advance the African trade and development agenda even in a less conducive environment.
Skills & Competencies

Commitment to Africa: Commitment and passion to Africa’s socio-economic transformation by displaying comprehensive knowledge of the continent’s political, economic and trade landscape and the ability to champion Afreximbank’s mission and values across the organization and externally;

Leadership and Management Skills: Be able to provide exemplary leadership with integrity, empathy, and the ability to inspire others towards desired results through appropriate strategic planning and implementation;

Interpersonal Skills: The ability to initiate and manage a wide range of relationships at all levels and to lead negotiations with organisation wide impact and to lead delegations to represent the Bank at third party events and meetings;

Problem Solving & Business Impact: The ability to proactively identify and resolve complex problems and business challenges with courage, flexibility, and innovativeness;

Change Managers: The ability to lead team adaptation to rapid changes in the business environment while maintaining the required pace to manage
THE GROUP IS CURRENTLY RECRUITING FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:

MANAGING DIRECTOR RESEARCH & GROUP CHIEF ECONOMIST

Job Summary:

Reporting to the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, The MD Research & Group Chief Economist leads a team of initiative-taking professionals to foster and
produce innovative analytical research to inform policy and sustain balance sheet expansion and financial soundness while enhancing the development relevance of the
Afreximbank Group in its member countries and globally.