Principal Partnerships Specialist

Join Our Mission to Foster Prosperity in Asia Are you ready to make a difference in the future of Asia and be a catalyst for positive change? We are thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to become an important part of the prestigious Asian Development Bank (ADB). At ADB, our mission is simple yet powerful: to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationship The position of Principal Financing Partnerships Specialist is assigned to the Partner Funds Division (CCPF) within the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department (CCSD). The CCSD leads thematic operations, knowledge innovation, and partnerships. CCPF is responsible for a group of multisector trust funds, administration of project-specific cofinancing, and management of bank-wide systems and data on financing partnership. You will be based at our Headquarters in Manila, Philippines. You will report to the Director, Partner Funds and will supervise Junior team members. Your Role The Principal Financing Partnerships Specialist serves as the Team Lead of the Japan Funds team, and provides overall leadership across fund management, strategic policy direction, and people management. The incumbent ensures effective administration of Japanese funds, notably the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, the Japan Special Fund, and the Japan Scholarship Program. It also manages the multi-donor trust fund, the High-Level Technology Fund and provides backend support to other Japanese funded trust funds within ADB. The Principal Financing Partnerships Specialist ensures that ADB fulfils its fiduciary responsibilities, communicates proactively with the Government of Japan (GOJ), reports on fund performance, and proactively engages with ADB project officers to review and recommend relevant projects and technical assistance for the trust funds. The Principal Financing Partnerships Specialist will interact with the wider CCPF and CCSD to facilitate an efficient and effective deployment of trust fund resources. You will: Strategic Direction (Donor Engagement, Positioning, and Policy Leadership) · Lead high-level engagement with the GOJ by: o serving as the primary focal point for strategic dialogue on Japan Funds, ensuring alignment of priorities, performance expectations, and future directions; o maintaining senior-level relationships and advising ADB Management on strategic, sensitive, or policy-related matters involving GOJ. · Shape and drive the strategic positioning of Japan Funds within ADB by: o ensuring alignment of Japan Funds with ADB corporate strategies, sector and thematic priorities, and evolving development agenda; o providing strategic direction on the positioning and complementarities of individual funds to enhance impact and relevance. · Lead policy development and continuous enhancement of Japan Funds frameworks by: o overseeing the review and refinement of fund policies, guidelines, and operational procedures; o guiding the introduction of innovative approaches and ensuring coherence across multiple Japan-funded facilities. · Oversee the strategic direction of knowledge, visibility, and communications for Japan Funds, ensuring alignment with donor requirements and ADB frameworks, and providing guidance on priorities, standards, and positioning of outputs. · Ensure high-quality portfolio-level reporting and narrative positioning, overseeing the consolidation and validation of fund performance data and ensuring timely, accurate, and strategically framed reporting to GOJ and ADB Management, while guiding the development of clear, evidence-based narratives on the impact and value of Japan Funds. · Drive OneADB coordination and institutional integration, leading collaboration across operations departments and support units to integrate Japan Funds into ADB operations and representing the team in departmental and corporate-level platforms to strengthen coordination and knowledge exchange. Funds Management · Provide strategic oversight of the Japan Funds portfolio, ensuring alignment with ADB priorities, optimal allocation of resources, and balanced deployment across sectors, regions, and funding modalities to maximize development impact and donor visibility. · Ensure fiduciary compliance, reporting, and portfolio performance, overseeing adherence to financing agreements and ADB policies, and ensuring timely, accurate, and high-quality financial and operational reporting, while monitoring portfolio performance and addressing risks and implementation bottlenecks. · Guide pipeline development and project alignment, providing strategic direction on priority areas, ensuring alignment between funding availability and demand, and advising on the fit, design, and positioning of projects and technical assistance for Japan Fund financing. People Management (Team Leadership and Organizational Alignment) · Provide overall leadership, direction, and supervision of the Japan Funds Team, including setting strategic priorities, ensuring clear role differentiation and functional alignment across staff, and fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and client-oriented team environment. · Lead performance management, staff development, and organizational continuity, including coaching and mentoring, strengthening team capabilities and managing succession, knowledge retention, and implementation of organizational changes within the team. Qualifications You will need: · Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Law or relevant fields, or University degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Law or relevant fields and at least 5 years specialized experience relevant to the position in similar organization/s can be considered. · At least 12 years of relevant experience in the Asia and Pacific region, including high-level coordination and interaction with both internal and external stakeholders, and demonstrated knowledge of development assistance, international finance, or official cofinancing instruments. · The candidate should have broad-based understanding of MDB operations, activities, and processes. · Experience in working with Japanese government, organizations, institutions, or private sector organizations will be an advantage. · In-depth understanding of development operations, data analytics, and fiduciary reporting is required. Prior experience in loan, grant and TA processing, project and TA implementation and portfolio management is also required. · Proven management experience is a prerequisite. · Written and verbal proficiency in English. · International experience working in several countries with experience in multilateral or bilateral agency's resident missions or field offices an advantage. · Please refer to the link for ADB Competency Framework for TI3. Benefits ADB offers a rewarding salary and a comprehensive benefits package. The salary will be based on ADB's standards and comparator markets, taking into account your qualifications and experience. ● Housing and education allowance (if applicable) ● Expatriate benefits (if applicable) ● Relocation (if applicable) ● Retirement plan ● Medical and health benefits ● Paid leave (including parental) ● Life and other insurance plans ● Staff development Additional Information This appointment is open to internal and external applicants. This is a fixed-term appointment for an initial fixed period of 3 years. At the end of the initial period, this appointment may, at the option of ADB, be extended once for up to 2 years, converted to a regular appointment, or ended on its expiration date. This decision will be made in the overall interest of ADB that: (a) it will require Staff's particular blend of skills and experience in the foreseeable future; and (b) Staff's performance is satisfactory and they are suitable for further employment. About Us ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is headquartered in Manila and owned by 69 members—50 from the region. ADB only hires nationals of its 69 members. To view ADB Organizational Chart, please click here. ADB seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities to work in an inclusive environment. ADB encourages all qualified candidates to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities. Women are highly encouraged to apply. Visit ADB Careers FAQ for more information. Stay up to date Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest issues, news, events, jobs and data in your e-mail inbox.