International Consultant - Municipal Infrastructure Asset Management

Strengthened national and municipal capacity in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to design, implement, and institutionalize sustainable, risk‑informed and climate‑resilient municipal infrastructure asset management systems, resulting in improved asset planning, service delivery, investment decision‑making, and alignment of local infrastructure assets with national development and financing strategies.

Home-Based

This position is located in the International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch (ITDCB) of the Financing for Sustainable Development Office of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The FSDO works to advance policy and action on financing for sustainable development to support Member States and other stakeholders in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and follow-up and implementation to the Financing for Development process: by providing thought leadership and agenda shaping, promoting multistakeholder dialogue, identifying policy options and best practices, and offering strategic advice and support for capacity development in key areas. The incumbent reports to the Senior Economic Affairs Officer in ITDCB. More information can be found at: https://financing.desa.un.org/ . Background and Objectives This Terms of Reference supports the implementation of the project “Boosting the resilience of infrastructure assets and planned large-scale infrastructure investments in SIDS through risk-informed infrastructure asset management policies and practices” in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This initiative, implemented by UN DESA, aims at strengthening the capacity of local government officials and future public asset managers to design and implement a risk-informed and whole-of-government approach to sustainable Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM). The project provides comprehensive training for public officials in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, equipping them with the skills to design, implement, monitor, and refine forward-looking, data-driven IAM strategies, policies, and action plans. In this context, FSDO will engage the services of an international expert consultant on Municipal Asset Management to serve as the guiding expert throughout the duration of the project implementation across all project activities in close coordination with relevant local government officials and other stakeholders, national consultants and UN DESA staff in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, supported by the international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management. Work Assignments Under the supervision of the Senior Economic Affairs Officer, International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch (ITDCB), Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO), the international expert consultant will be responsible for the following work assignments: 1. Conduct diagnostic missions to local governments and sectors in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, assessing the status of infrastructure asset management. -This apply the UN IAM Diagnostic Tool, self-assessments by participating entities, conducting on-site interviews and document reviews, guiding staff in identifying current practices, roles, systems, and gaps across policy, finance, and service delivery, and ensuring meaningful participation from technical, financial, and leadership personnel. This should be done in coordination with the national consultant and supported by the international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management. - Review Asset Management Profiles developed by national consultants, supported by the international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management, developing findings and recommendations for each entity based on their strengths, gaps, and priority reforms, for review and feedback by the UN IAM team. - Further refine and develop training curricula for on-site training on infrastructure asset management based on outcomes of the short diagnostic missions, the Asset Management Profiles, the UN Handbook on infrastructure asset management and feedback from national consultants in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and project supervisor, supported by the international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management, to ensure that training material is grounded in the respective countries’ context. 2. Guide and co-facilitate customized in-country workshops on AMAP development (one per country), either in person or virtually, based on diagnostic assessments, for officials from local and central governments, national and municipal development banks as well as national training institutions in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This could include: o Preparing individual/partner/group exercises for maximum interactivity and engagement among participants, including exercises utilizing the UN Asset Management Diagnostic Tool and AMAP o Presenting regional examples on asset management o Evaluating workshop assignments and providing substantive support to participants o Providing post workshop substantive guidance to participants for limited time as needed The international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management will lead the sessions on climate resilience and adaptation measures, and support throughout the workshop. 3. Provide substantive support to the implementation of AMAPs supported by the international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management and national consultants in respective countries, including reviewing and refining the AMAPs developed during the workshop, providing technical advice on operationalizing AMAP pillars, integrating actions into budgets and workplans, and mobilizing internal or external support; giving guidance on working sessions to assign responsibilities; and together with the national consultant summarize findings, revise action items, immediate next steps, and identify support needs. 4. Design and implement training and policy support on the enabling environment for infrastructure asset management. - Provide substantive input to the workshops on the national enabling environment (one per country), adapting training materials to the national context; supported by the international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management and the national consultants reviewing national and subnational policy, legal, and institutional frameworks; identifying government strategies, plans, or legislative texts relevant to IAM; selecting examples of national asset management policies or mandates for discussion; and engaging key national stakeholders to ensure balanced participation. 5. Guide and co-facilitate workshops on the national enabling environment, in person or virtually, including presenting the state of IAM policies and common implementation gaps; facilitating breakout sessions on policy design, alignment with national strategies, and integration of climate resilience; guiding participants in mapping institutional environments and identifying missing enabling factors; translating international practices into locally relevant language and approaches; and supporting post-workshop follow-up through participant feedback, recommendations for reforms, and contributions to the final workshop report. The international expert consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management will guide sessions concerning climate resilience and adaptation measures, and provide support throughout the workshop and during follow-up. - Draft a practical guide for local authorities of small island developing states, outlining how municipalities or local governments can develop an asset management policy in a small island developing state, with specific focus on Belize, the Bahamas, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This guide could include: • A brief overview and introduction to municipal asset management, the hierarchy of municipal strategic plans, asset management policies, strategies and plans, how to integrate sustainability into asset management, and reviewing and improving asset management at local level • Outlining on the realities and institutional capacity constraints of small island developing states, specifically focusing on the context of the relevant project countries and how this practically affects infrastructure asset management. • Developing an asset management policy for a SIDS • Developing an asset management strategy for a SIDS • Developing an asset management governance structure • How to communicate an asset management policy and strategy and include perspectives and interests of stakeholders The draft guide would be reviewed and complemented by the International Expert Consultant on Climate Resilient Asset Management, ensuring that aspects on climate resilience and climate adaptation measures are integrated throughout the document.

- Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in economics, finance, and civil engineering with a focus on infrastructures, or a related field is required. - At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience at the international level, involving both analytical and policy development work in the field of asset management and urban development is required, including expertise in areas such as municipal asset management at the local government level, asset inventories, lifecycle planning, service delivery, public sector investment planning, or institutional capacity development is required. - Knowledge of the public sector of the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and their infrastructure systems is required. - Experience in managing research projects on infrastructure and other engineering systems is desirable. - Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN IAM tools is desirable. - Familiarity with global asset management standards and geographic information systems (GIS), is desirable.

Fluency in both oral and written English is required; knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Not available.