ACET - President and CEO

President and CEO November 2023

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ACET | President and CEO

The African Center for Economic Transformation The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) is an Africa-based policy institute dedicated to the economic transformation of Africa within a generation.

Our mission is to help governments and the private sector deliver that transformation to improve the lives of all African people.

As a recognised and respected thought-leader in the field of economic policy, ACET advocates the benefits of an approach that delivers ‘Growth with DEPTH’ – that is, through the: • Diversification of production, • Export competitiveness, • Productivity increases across all sectors, including agriculture, industry and government, • Technological innovation and upgrades, and • Human well-being through improved livelihoods.

We undertake analysis, provide advice, drive African positions through targeted advocacy, and convene partners in pursuit of strong and sustained growth and transformation across the African continent. We run our programmes and projects in close collaboration with our

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ACET | President and CEO

key stakeholders – governments, agencies, private sector actors, civil society organisations and donors – and actively promote the ideas and best practice identified through our successful policies, innovations and examples to the public as well as governments to ensure they move into the policy mainstream. We are also increasingly focusing research on how to tackle the obstacles to that transformation, both internally and externally to Africa. As the global and local economic environment becomes more challenging, innovative thinking is more than ever necessary. ACET is at the forefront of that effort.

ACET was founded in 2008 by the eminent African economist Dr K.Y. Amoako, its President since then. Based in Accra, Ghana, it currently has an experienced and professional staff of 51, an international Board chaired by former South African Central Bank Governor and finance minister Tito Mboweni, and an annual budget of around $6-10 million.

With the retirement of K.Y. Amoako in mid2024, the Board are seeking to recruit a new President and CEO to take ACET on the next stage of its journey.

Introduction from the Board Since its foundation in 2008, under the leadership of K.Y. Amoako, ACET has become Africa’s most innovative and influential economic policy institute.

With his retirement as President in mid-2024, the Board are looking for a creative, experienced and dynamic individual to take on the role of executive President and CEO. The Board will be looking for someone who has both professional expertise and practical experience in economic policy-making who can continue building the impact and influence of ACET and who, given its pan-African role, can connect and communicate at an international level in Africa and globally.

Given the economic challenges that continue to face Africa, innovative and practical thinking and leadership were never more needed. ACET has a major role to play in providing that.

Thank you for your interest in this opportunity and we look forward to receiving your application.

Tito Mboweni Board Chair On Behalf of the Board of Directors, ACET

ACET | President and CEO

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The Role Role:

President and CEO

Location: Accra, Ghana

Job Summary The President and CEO will play the central leadership role in working with the Board to set ACET’s strategic direction and working with the Center’s staff and outside stakeholders to deliver that strategy.

The Board is therefore seeking a candidate of outstanding capability, a leader in their field with senior management experience who will command intellectual credibility across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and who will provide vision and leadership for the Board, management team and staff.

The President and CEO will report to, and be responsible to, the Chair and Board of ACET.

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ACET | President and CEO

Responsibilities Provide strategic leadership.

Set a clear direction for the Center’s work. Assess how the existing strategy of promoting ‘Growth with DEPTH’ needs to be applied or, where necessary, adapted to changing African and global circumstances and set out a compelling strategic narrative that will enable the Center to continue having a beneficial impact on Africa’s economic transformation.

Drive effective delivery.

Ensure effective delivery by the Center through inspiring, motivating and coaching as well as managing the senior leadership team and staff; ensuring the Center is wellstaffed and efficiently organised, and has the technological and physical assets to enable their work; and that adequate succession plans are in place for all key positions.

Build effective partnerships.

Build effective partnerships at senior levels with major stakeholders, including funding bodies, governments, civil society groups and multilateral bodies and agencies (such as the African Union, African Development Bank, UN Economic Commission for Africa, World Bank, IFC, IMF, European Commission, and others).

Secure increased resource mobilisation.

Mobilize increased resources from a wide range of sources to support the Center’s mission and expand its activities. The Center has several long-standing trusted relationships, but a number of existing funding arrangements will end in 2025 and successor agreements are needed to ensure continuity

of research and operations. The aim is to secure multi-year funding from a variety of different donors, including bilateral donors, multilateral organisations, trusts and foundations, and explore the potential for private sector resourcing.

Represent ACET in public and private.

Represent ACET in public and private, communicating its work and promoting its policy messages in African and international fora. This is core to our mission of spreading our research ideas and policy recommendations as widely as possible and will require regular travel and presence at major international gatherings that address these issues.

Ensure effective use of resources.

Ensure effective use of both human and financial resources, ensuring value for money, robust financial and risk management, and adherence to best practice and rigorous audit requirements – including monitoring, reporting and evaluation of all programmes. The CEO, with the Chief Operating Officer will present the Center’s annual budget to the Board for its approval and report each year on its implementation.

Work in close partnership with ACET’s Board.

Ensure they are well-informed and supported to fulfil their strategic and oversight roles. In turn, the Board will provide such support for the CEO as useful in promoting the Center’s work, both through resource mobilisation and securing public recognition of ACET’s work.

ACET | President and CEO

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Candidate profile Capabilities and skills

Key deliverables and performance indicators

The skills below are considered critical qualifications, qualities, and experience for the role of CEO and President:

1. Economic Analysis & Policy-making Experience PhD, Master’s or equivalent in economics or a related discipline, with a balanced background in research, academia, and public/private sector in economic analysis of Africa and other similar developing economies. Conversant with current debates on Africa’s economic trajectory and have experience advising at senior levels. Knowledge of ACET’s work, history, research, and policy.

2. Leadership & Senior Management Experience A track record of visible, inspiring, and collaborative leadership, with the ability to motivate a diverse staff and foster confidence among external stakeholders. Expertise in leading substantial, multinational teams is crucial.

With ACET’s headquarters in Ghana and personnel and board members spread across Africa, the US, and Europe, proficiency in managing a geographically dispersed team and ensuring cohesive coordination is required.

3. Resource Mobilization & Financial Management Successful track record in securing major grants and establishing credibility with key donors is essential, as maintaining a stable funding pipeline is crucial for ACET’s longevity. Experience in financial management, including

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ACET | President and CEO

overseeing large budgets and being accountable for executing funded programs, is required.

1. African Transformation Index and Report

4. Support for Gender Equality & Transformation:

The biennial production and impactful dissemination of the African Transformation Index and Report.

A commitment to supporting gender equality and transformation, a key policy area for ACET, is also required.

2. Publications

5. Board Engagement Experience in working with and reporting to boards of directors or trustees. A strong understanding of the governance role of a non-profit board and strategies to optimise board effectiveness.

6. Communication Skills and Interpersonal Skills Outstanding communication skills and public speaking experience to support advocacy and deliver impactful messages. Evidenced history of publications in respected journals and media outlets. Excellent interpersonal skills and Integrity for managing relationships at all levels, from government officials to junior staff.

Ensure ACET publishes at least one significant public report annually, contributing to the discourse on Africa’s transformation.

3. Strategic Planning: Develop and deliver a comprehensive 5-year strategy for ACET covering 20252029, positioning the organisation for future success.

4. International Representation: Represent ACET prominently at IMFWorld Bank Spring, Annual Meetings, and other critical international gatherings to enhance its global influence.

5. Programme Delivery: Oversee the execution of funded programs, ensuring completion within agreed contractual timelines.

6. Budget Management: Guarantee ACET’s operations adhere strictly to the Board-approved budget for the fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

7. Funding Pipeline: Secure and maintain a mediumterm funding pipeline to ensure the operational and programmatic stability of ACET.

8. Staffing Ensure ACET is fully staffed, optimising talent acquisition and retention to maintain organisational effectiveness.

How to Apply All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter as two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process.

The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit. The documents should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last NameDocument Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-112023-ACET or Pat-JonesCoverLetter-112023- ACET.

Timeline

Closing Date: 26th January 2024

Selection Process

All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.

Equality Statement

Equality and diversity are at the core of African Center for Economic Transformation’s values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at acet-president-ceo@oxfordhr. com in the first instance.

First stage interviews: Week of 5th February 2024 Final interviews: TBC

ACET | President and CEO

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About Oxford HR Exceptional leaders can inspire change and propel purpose-led organisations towards reaching their world-changing goals. Finding such leaders can be a challenge; and yet their transition into leadership is vital to an organisations mission and success.

Oxford HR is a global leadership consultancy dedicated to searching for and supporting remarkable leaders and teams in purpose-led organisations.

We understand the nuances of purpose-led leadership because we’ve worked in organisations across the breadth of the sector ourselves. We’ve also worked with such organisations since 1995; so we appreciate just what benefits impactful people can bring.

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ACET | President and CEO

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