Individual Consultant Trade Finance Business // Abidjan 27.10.2026
AFDB1JP00001601
Open Job
Status
Not Applied
Next Step
Apply
Posted On
2026-10-12
Period
2026-12-01 to 2027-01-25
Job Type
Temporary Full Time
Location
Abidjan 01CIV
Category
Business Professional
Description
Application Close Date
2026-10-27
Engagement Type
Individual Consultant
Job Family
11.Finance
A. Background Objectives
The African Development Bank Group is a multilateral development finance institution whose mission is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in Africa. Trade finance is one of the Bank’s flagship instruments for supporting intra-African and international trade, delivered principally through the AfDB Trade Finance Division, which has since 2013 provided lines of credit, guarantees, risk participation agreements and other risk-mitigation products to commercial banks, soft commodities aggregators and other financial institutions across the continent. Since the launch of the TFP in 2013, the trade finance landscape in Africa and globally has changed substantially, shaped by the coming into force of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), evolving correspondent banking relationships, the growth of fintechs and digital trade platforms, regulatory and compliance changes, emergence of trade risk distribution as a core activity of commercial banks, greater participation of the insurance market and greater adoption of Supply Chain Finance as a tool to increase access to finance for SMEs etc. Against this backdrop, it is timely for the Bank to undertake a comprehensive review of its trade finance instruments and operating model to ensure they remain fit for purpose, additional, competitive and responsive to the needs of clients and the market in general. The objective of this assignment is to undertake an end-to-end review of the Bank’s trade finance business; assess the performance, relevance, additionality, competitiveness and strategic positioning of each instrument; and benchmark against peer MDBs and market needs. The review shall identify product, process, systems and capacity gaps, and recommend adjustments that would enable the Bank to realign its business model with those of its peers and respond more effectively to market needs.
B. Scope of work
The consultant shall conduct a comprehensive review of the Bank’s trade finance business, covering, but not limited to: (i) a desk review of product design in terms of appropriateness, relevance and pricing competitiveness; (iii) a review of the operating model, project/transaction approval processes within PIFD.3 and the wider trade finance ecosystem, including credit risk analysis, legal, Integrity Due Diligence (IDD), Environmental & Social (E&S) assessment, back office operations involving portfolio management, finance/accounting and treasury operations (SWIFT management) functions. The assignment shall include both internal and external stakeholder consultations with Bank staff (including PIFD.3, credit risk management, legal and operations), peer MDBs, sample of partner clients including regional DFIs, global banks, regional banks, local banks and soft commodity aggregators.
C. Deliverables Expected
The consultant will deliver high-quality reports in editable formats, in English or French. Expected deliverables include: - Inception Report within a week, setting out the detailed work plan, methodology, review approach, stakeholder mapping, data collection tools and consultation plan. - Draft final Report within six weeks, presenting preliminary findings on areas of improvement in the trade finance division in general, systems and product offerings including possible new instruments such as supply chain finance and risk distribution, peer MDB comparison in terms of approval processes, internal ecosystem support, product features and recommendations for process improvement, including delegation authorities. - Prepare presentation decks and deliver presentations on the draft report to various teams in the Bank and use the feedback to finalize the reports. - Deliver the final Report, within two weeks of the presentation of the draft report, including an executive summary, the main report, recommendations and annexes - Draft Board paper making a strong case for changes to the trade finance operating model of the Bank and outlining the proposed changes and resource implications in line with peer group’s best practices. - Where primary research is conducted, the consultant shall submit interview guides, survey instruments, anonymized datasets, peer MDB benchmarking data and a list of stakeholders consulted as annexes.
D. Duration and Timetable for the Assignment
The services of the individual consultant will be required for no more than 8 weeks from effective start date, with the possibility of extension based on deliverables and AfDB requirements.
E. Bank Contribution and Institutional Arrangement
The Trade Finance Division of the Financial Sector Development Department (PIFD) invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested consultants shall provide information demonstrating their qualifications and experience, including references to comparable assignments, The assignment will be implemented under AfDB’s rules and procedures for the use of consultants, using Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS). The Bank will provide the consultant with all the required support for the successful completion of this assignment. In particular, the Bank, through the Trade Finance Division (PIFD.3), will: - provide access to the documents and data relevant to the review, including policies, strategies, product documentation, process manuals and portfolio information, subject to the Bank’s confidentiality requirements; - facilitate consultations with staff of PIFD.3 and of the other Bank functions involved in the trade finance business, including credit risk, legal, Integrity Due Diligence (IDD), Environmental & Social (E&S), portfolio management, finance/accounting and treasury; - facilitate introductions to peer MDBs and to a sample of partner clients for the external stakeholder consultations; - facilitate the consultant’s missions to the Bank’s Headquarters in Abidjan, in line with the applicable travel rules; and - review the deliverables and provide consolidated feedback on a timely basis. The consultant is expected to provide his/her own computer, unless otherwise sanctioned by the Bank.
F. Duty Station
The assignment will be home-based, with a requirement to travel to AfDB headquarters in Abidjan, Ivory Coast for some time during the assignment and a possibility of other travel for stakeholder consultations, subject to AfDB approval and applicable travel rules.
G. Essential Specialized Skills/Knowledge/Competencies
Minimum qualifications and experience of the individual consultant : The consultant must demonstrate a strong track record in comparable assignments for multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, commercial banks or other relevant financial sector actors. Required technical capabilities: - Strong knowledge of trade finance instruments offered by MDBs and very good appreciation of process review/design - Ability to conduct comparative institutional benchmarking and to translate findings into practical recommendations. - Experience in reviewing operating models, organizational structures, staffing, processes and systems, including business origination, product development, Back-Office operations, risk assessment, legal and operations functions.
H. Supervisor
The consultant will be supervised by an identified task manager, with ultimate reporting responsibility to the Manager, Trade Finance Division. A Technical Reference Group will provide guidance, review deliverables and participate in progress discussions. The consultant will organize weekly progress meetings
Consultancy Input Days
40.00
Qualifications
Qualification
Assessment
Regular Consultant
Less than 32 years old at the time of signing the contract and during contract execution
