Director, Asia and the Pacific

Job Profile:

The Regional Director leads, establishes and cascades regional goals, key results and targets in line with the business plan, and the organizational strategic framework, ensuring compliance with OPEC Fund policies. The role provides strategic leadership in developing regional best practices, policies, and strategies, and assumes accountability for the regional work program and associated budget within approved parameters, ensuring the achievements of the departmental objectives and targets. Moreover, the Regional Director leads strategic coordination and ensures effective cross-functional collaboration with other regions, departments, and internal stakeholders to achieve regional objectives, as well as governments and development partners, and delivers high-level strategic solutions to complex operational challenges in support of the implementation of the OPEC Fund strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Policy development and implementation

• Lead, establish and cascade the regional goals, key results and targets in line with the Business Plan, and Strategic Framework, in compliance with the OPEC Fund Policies
• Lead the development of an annual strategic regional business plan for benchmarking the region’s targets, and supporting the achievement of the departmental KPIs
• Lead the planning, implementation and supervision of the regional work plans, and monitors the quality of outputs, their compliance with OPEC Fund policies, and ensuring the achievement of the annual objectives of the region
• Develop policy and strategy documents to ensure the realization and implementation of the Strategic Framework as well as support institutional matters
• Lead consultations with high-level government authorities to review ongoing cooperation and operations portfolio and to negotiate a multi-year Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), enabling countries to include the OPEC Fund in their operational financing plans at the early stages of project design and formulation
• Lead and assume accountability for the regional annual work program and budget management within approved parameters
• Perform any other tasks assigned by Vice President, Public Sector Operations (VP PSO)

Operations Management  

• Oversee and ensure the strategic development of a robust project pipeline of quality projects for the region, aligned with institutional priorities
• Lead in providing advice and recommendations to the team, to ensure achieving successful outputs throughout the internal approval process. This includes project identification, preparation, concept and terms clearance, due diligence and appraisal, including interface with technical and loan committee, as well as the Governing Board
• Lead in providing support in project appraisal, including technical, economic, development effectiveness E&S safeguards, procurement and financial management aspects as well as project’s institutional arrangement
• Ensure effective program implementation, providing inputs to the Portfolio Management team as and when necessary
• Lead the effective day-to-day relationship management and business development activities and provides guidance on operational issues, significant developments, emerging opportunities, and challenges; to ensure successful delivery of the Regional workplan
• Lead and facilitate effective coordination and cooperation with other regions, OPEC Fund departments and internal stakeholders
• Lead regular assessments, to develop practical and innovative business solutions, especially for fragile and conflict countries, as well as those in arrears; and aligns the developed strategies in coordination with partners and other donors.
• Lead in streamlining documentation requirements for all types of project proposals during both the concept review and project summary review.
• Provides leadership in professional and operational matters, taking the initiative in contributing new and best practices approaches to enhance efficiency and support product development and innovation.

Capacity Building, Knowledge Sharing and Supervision

• Form and lead multidisciplinary teams comprised of the regional team, other OPEC Fund staff members as well as from other DFIs or external consultants (as needed) to ensure the overall quality
• Provide effective leadership to the staff by giving clear direction and guidance on operational issues and OPEC Fund policies, supervising and monitoring performance, and promoting their engagement and professional development. Contributes to institution building and maintains and shares knowledge through active participation in task force groups and other meetings
• Lead activities for advocacy, dissemination, and knowledge building relating to the strategic framework and the organization’s policies
• Lead in providing inputs and recommendations on how to streamline processes and improve the Management Information System (MIS/ SAP/ EDMS)

Partners and Relationships Management

• Provide support for relationship management and coordination with other Regions, Departments, Senior Management, and the Governing Board.
• Represent the OPEC Fund in high-level governmental and institutional engagements to foster strategic partnerships and advance the Fund’s development mandate
• Provide support for relationship management, consultation and coordination with governments and development partners, providing high level problem solving in support of the implementation of the OPEC Fund strategy

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop the team, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration
• Oversee talent development, performance management, capacity building and succession planning, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives

Innovation and Digitalization  

• Drive process improvements and support the digitization of workflows, monitoring, and risk management systems to ensure the Fund remains at the forefront of innovation

Performs any other related tasks as assigned by the Vice President to contribute to the success of the Unit.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Economics, Finance and Banking, Business Administration, Engineering or a (closely) related field
• A minimum of 15 years of relevant professional experience, including a minimum of (five) 5 years at a senior level, preferably gained in a major international development finance institution or commercial/investment bank
• Demonstrated ability in engaging senior government officials and development partners to secure agreements
• Expertise in managing projects from identification through implementation and evaluation
• Ability to identify and mitigate operational and financial risks in regional portfolios
• Proficiency in interpreting financial statements, budgeting, and resource allocation
• Capacity to support and mentor staff and build strong a team
• Fluent in English. Good working knowledge of Arabic, French or Spanish is an added advantage

Competencies:

• Collaboration and Teamwork - Ability to effectively collaborate with colleagues, stakeholders (internal and external), and partners from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to achieve shared goals.
• Effective Communication - Ability to articulate ideas and information clearly and persuasively across various channels and audiences, integrate communication best practices, and ensure messages are tailored, culturally sensitive, and impactful, promoting active listening and feedback mechanisms.
• Results-Orientation - Ability to effectively achieve results through proactive ownership, decisive action and strategic planning. ensuring goals are met within specified timeframes and in alignment with OPEC Fund’s strategic direction
• Learning Agility and Adaptability - Ability to swiftly learn, unlearn, and adapt to changing circumstances and emerging challenges, with a commitment to continual growth through embracing new ideas, technologies, updating functional expertise, and facilitating organizational resilience
• Stakeholder and Impact Focus - Ability to prioritize and address the needs and expectations of diverse stakeholders to achieve sustainable impact through stakeholder mapping, ensuring effective relationship management, transparent and timely communication, and aligning their contributions with OPEC Fund’s mission to deliver long-term, positive outcomes
• Accountability - Ability to take responsibility for one's actions, decisions, and their outcomes, demonstrating integrity and reliability, adhering to established internal controls, setting clear expectations, and maintaining a high standard of ethical behavior.

Leadership Competencies:

• Inclusive Leadership & People Management - Ability to lead and manage diverse teams effectively, fostering an inclusive culture where every team member feels valued and empowered, cultivating a collaborative environment, driving team performance, and supporting professional development through mentorship and equitable opportunities.
• Cultural Sensitivity - Ability to lead teams by understanding, respecting, and adapting to cultural differences in a global organization, fostering inclusive communication, collaboration, and relationships while strategically leveraging cultural insights to enhance organizational effectiveness and drive success.
• Strategic Planning and Execution - Ability to develop and implement effective strategies that align with OPEC Fund’s long-term goals, utilizing relevant tools to set clear objectives, allocate resources efficiently, and monitor progress to ensure the successful execution of strategic initiatives, driving organizational growth and sustainability.
• Managerial Accountability and Responsibility - Ability to take ownership of decisions and actions, ensuring alignment with OPEC Fund’s values and objectives, applying relevant principles to establish clear accountability structures, set performance standards, and maintain transparency in reporting and decision-making processes.
• Ethical Decision-Making - Ability to make decisions that uphold the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct, adhering to OPEC Fund’s code of conduct, and ensuring that choices are principled, transparent, and aligned with the Fund’s mission and values, fostering a culture of trust and responsibility.
• Conflict Resolution - Ability to effectively manage and resolve conflicts to maintain a harmonious and productive work environment, using relevant strategies to identify underlying issues, and facilitating mutually beneficial solutions, ensuring that conflicts are resolved constructively and relationships are strengthened.