Careers at ADB

With employees from more than 60 countries, ADB is a place of real diversity. Join us to find fulfillment in sharing your knowledge and skills, and be a part of our vision in achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific.
Photo: Asian Development Bank

What We Offer

We offer competitive remuneration and a comprehensive benefits package that includes worldwide medical insurance cover for staff and dependents, life and disability insurance, leave, benefits for contingent events, and retirement benefits. Additional benefits may be provided to international staff if they meet the eligibility criteria for the particular benefit.

Initial staff appointments to ADB under a standard fixed term appointment are usually for 3 years, which may be extended or converted to regular employment given satisfactory performance and the continued need for particular skills. Other types of appointments such as the fixed term appointment for International Staff at Levels 7 to 10, and special fixed term appointment are not converted to regular appointments.

Salary

Compensation for all ADB staff is “market-driven”, with reference to the appropriate global or local market from which a specific position is recruited. Salaries are determined according to the level of responsibility of the jobs and are reviewed annually to ensure that ADB’s compensation remains competitive. 

For international staff positions, salary is set with reference to the global market for equivalent jobs. It is denominated in US dollars and is not subject to taxation by many ADB member countries. Some ADB member countries have retained the right to tax the ADB salary and emoluments of their citizens or nationals. ADB encourages all interested staff or prospective staff to consult independent tax experts on their income tax liabilities. 

For local staff (national staff and administrative staff) positions in headquarters and field offices, salary is set with reference to the appropriate local market for equivalent jobs. It is usually paid in local currency and is not subject to taxation by many ADB member countries. However, as stated above, certain countries have retained the right to tax the ADB salary and emoluments of their citizens or nationals, and ADB encourages affected staff to consult a tax expert on their tax situation. There are 7 administrative staff job levels and 7 national staff (or local professional) job levels. ADB offers an overall compensation package to national staff and administrative staff (NS/AS) that is designed to be locally competitive. 

Benefits for staff

Medical and health benefits - We provide medical insurance and health services.

Life and disability plans - We provide life insurance, accidental death, and disability insurance, and workers compensation insurance.

Leave and holidays - We provide 26 vacation (annual leave) days, sick leave, and observe 10 public holidays each calendar year.

Benefits for contingent events - We provide benefits or assistance for unforeseen events. These include a multipurpose loan facility; reimbursement of travel costs outside the duty station in the event of death of an immediate family member; medical emergency and medical evacuation services.

Retirement benefits - The retirement benefits consist of the Staff Retirement Plan (SRP) and the Defined Contribution (DC) Plan. 

The SRP offers several benefits to eligible participants including a lifetime retirement pension, incapacity pension, and cash-out via withdrawal lump sum or via commutation. These benefits are defined through a formula and depend on the pensionable salary up to a threshold. Benefits for eligible dependents are available for surviving spouses/partners and eligible dependent children.

The DC Plan provides a cash accumulation and investment account to help prepare for long-term financial needs, to which ADB contributes on the part of staff salary above the threshold, if any. Staff may make voluntary contributions through salary deduction and ADB matches a part of these additional voluntary contributions. Staff may also make a lump sum contribution of retirement funds with previous employers into the DC Plan. The investment account can be kept up to ten years after leaving ADB for distribution of benefits for staff with less than five years of service, or up to ten years after their normal retirement age for staff with more than five years of service.

Other benefits for international staff - In addition to the benefits listed above, international staff may also be provided the following expatriate benefits if they meet the eligibility criteria.

  • Relocation assistance - We provide travel and shipping allowances to international staff joining ADB from outside the duty station location to assist with their relocation expenses. We also assist staff in obtaining the necessary visas.
  • Installation allowance - We provide allowances to defray other costs associated with relocation.
  • Accommodation allowance - For international staff, we provide an allowance to help defray the cost of accommodation in your duty station.
  • Education assistance - We provide education assistance for up to three eligible dependent children of international staff. Education travel is provided only if the child is studying outside the staff's duty station country.
  • Expatriate travel allowance - We provide support for expatriate international staff and their eligible dependents for home country travel once per year. Dependent children who are receiving education travel are not eligible for home country travel benefits.

Benefits for eligible dependents

Eligible dependents are spouses/domestic partners and children.

ADB recognizes same-sex and opposite-sex spouses and domestic partners of all staff in establishing the staff's benefit entitlements.

Spouses:
A spouse means the person (i) who is legally married to a staff member under the laws of the country where the marriage has been contracted and the staff member's home country; or (ii) who has a common-law, de facto or spousal relationship with a staff member.

Domestic partners:
ADB recognizes a domestic partner as an adult, unmarried person of either sex, with whom a staff member is residing together, in a relationship of mutual support, caring, and commitment.

Domestic partners, opposite sex and same sex, are entitled to all spousal benefits.

Children:
A child means a staff's natural child, stepchild, or a legally adopted child recognized by ADB, subject to a maximum of 3 children.

Dependency allowance - We pay a dependency allowance to eligible international staff for their eligible dependents. The maximum number of dependents eligible for dependency allowance is one spouse/partner and three children.

Medical and health benefits - We provide medical insurance and health services to staff's eligible dependents.

Benefits for contingent events - We provide staff's spouse/domestic partners with benefits or assistance for unforeseen events. These include reimbursement of travel costs outside the duty station in the event of death of an immediate family member; medical emergency and medical evacuation services.

Relocation assistance - We provide travel and shipping allowances to dependents of international staff joining ADB from outside the duty station location to assist with their relocation expenses. We assist dependents in obtaining the necessary visas.

Employment opportunities/support - We offer career related services to help spouses/domestic partners of ADB international staff seeking to find employment opportunities in the Philippines or the region. More information at: http://www.escs.adb.org.

Education assistance and education travel - We provide education assistance for up to three eligible dependent children of international staff. Education travel is provided only if the child is studying outside the staff's duty station country.

Learning and development

We make learning and development an integral part of your ADB career through challenging assignments and providing in-house and external learning opportunities. Our staff have access to various learning opportunities that strengthen and update their technical and professional expertise and personal development.

Practical considerations for families moving to Manila

Philippine visas: The Government of the Philippines issues 9e or 47a visas to ADB international staff and eligible dependents. There are different categories of 9e visas as determined by the Philippines government based on their local laws and regulations. Philippine citizens (including dual citizens) are not eligible for a 9e-2 visa.

Spouses: The Government of the Philippines grants a 9e-2 Visa to spouses who are legally married to staff, as recognized under the laws of the Philippines. This includes all spouses, opposite sex and same sex, whose marriage is recognized in the country where it was celebrated and by the countries that the contracting individuals are citizens of ADB-recognized spouses and domestic partners of ADB international staff who fall outside of the foregoing definition are instead issued 9e-3 visas.

Dependent children: Dependent children of the principal applicant are granted 9e-2 visas up until their 24th birthday. The nature of the visas issued by the Philippines Government to legally adopted children and stepchildren is determined by the Philippines Government's applicable regulations. Visa details can be discussed during the pre-offer stage of the hiring process.

Other dependents: Parents and in-laws of the principal applicant may be issued 9e-3 visas at the discretion of the Philippine Government. Children 24 years and above may also be issued 9e-3 visas in certain circumstances. All 9e-3 visa holders must live with the principal 9e-2 visa holder in their Philippine residence and must be fully dependent on them.

Non-Filipino foreign household staff: Staff may acquire one 9e-3 visa for a foreign domestic staff.

Work authorization: Work authorization granted to dependents of staff members assigned in ADB HQ derives from the visa status in the Philippines and nature of the dependency, as per the Philippines Government applicable regulations. All spouses/domestic partners finding work in the local job market are obliged to pay Philippines income tax under the requirements of the Philippines Tax Code.

Spouses: ADB spouses or domestic partners who are holders of a 9e-2 Visa can work in the Philippines under this visa classification and are exempt from securing a work authorization. The Philippine government has certain types of employment that require additional approvals for a foreigner to practice these regulated professions. ADB will upon request provide interested spouses supporting documentation for the waiver of work authorization.

ADB spouses and domestic partners who are holders of 9e-3 visas are not able to work in paid employment in the Philippines under this visa classification. If they wish to work in the Philippines, they need to change their 9e-3 Visa to a non-diplomatic working visa. In some cases, the employer will help with securing the relevant visa, but in other cases the individuals would need to apply themselves and shoulder the expenses on their own.

Children: Children can study in the Philippines on a 9e-2 visa but cannot acquire paid employment.

Other dependents on a 9e-3 visa: Parents,in-laws, and children 24 years and older on 9e-3 visas cannot work or study on this visa classification in the Philippines. Non-Filipino foreign household staff may only work within the household of the staff and cannot work within the local job market.

Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs identification cards (DFA IDs):

DFA IDs will be granted to certain categories of 9e-2 visa holders, as per the Philippines government's applicable regulations, and to Philippines international staff. 9e-3 visa holders, Philippine dependent spouse/partners and children, and children of international staff under the age of 18 or over the age of 20 are not issued DFA IDs but are still covered by the immunities granted to dependents under the Headquarters Agreement between ADB and the Philippines government.

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Overview of living in the Philippines' capital of Manila, including climate, health, education, and recreational activities.

Workplace and Environment

Overview of ADB's workplace environment, including clubs and facilities available in its Manila headquarters.

Expatriate Spouse Career Services

ADB is offering career-related services for spouses and domestic partners of ADB international staff seeking to find employment in the Philippines or in the region.