International Consultant - Strategic Guidance for Infrastructure Asset Management Project Implementation

Strengthened alignment of infrastructure asset management project interventions with national and subnational decentralization frameworks in six participating countries, enabling more effective institutionalization of IAM practices at the local government level and contributing to resilient, inclusive and sustainable infrastructure systems in support of SDG localization.

Home Based

The position is located in the International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch (ITDCB) of the Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 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 Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development by providing thought leadership and agenda shaping, promoting multistakeholder dialogue, identifying policy options and best practices, and offering advice and support for capacity development in key areas. More information can be found at: https: //financing.desa.un.org/. These Terms of Reference supports implementation of the UN DESA project “Localizing the SDGs through more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable infrastructure (Phase 2)”, implemented by the Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), in partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services, in Uganda. The project aims to accelerate the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by strengthening the capacity of local and national governments in six countries to plan, manage, and sustain resilient infrastructure systems. Building on Phase 1of the project this phase focuses on institutionalizing infrastructure asset management (IAM) practices and strengthening enabling policy frameworks for sustainable, inclusive, and risk-informed infrastructure development. The expected outcomes include improved IAM practices, institutionalized training programs, and enhanced resilience and sustainability of infrastructure systems. Phase II will deliver strengthened infrastructure asset management (IAM) systems in each participating country, the integration of Asset Management Action Plans (AMAPs) into local development plans, expanded training for public officials, and a new edition of the United Nations Handbook on Infrastructure Asset Management incorporating case studies, and refined and new tools as per government demand. It will provide tailored technical assistance and capacity-building to address country-specific gaps while fostering regional peer learning and South-South cooperation. In this context, FSDO will engage the services of an international expert consultant to conduct an analysis of the fiscal, administrative, and political decentralization frameworks in the six participating project countries (Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, Kenya, the Gambia and the Federated States of Micronesia) and based on that provide relevant guidance and develop a project implementation strategy. Work Assignments Under the supervision of the Senior Economic Affairs Officer, International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch (ITDCB), the national consultant will carry out the following work assignments: 1. Conduct an analysis of the fiscal, administrative, and political decentralization frameworks in the six project countries (Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, Kenya, the Gambia and the Federated States of Micronesia). The analysis will examine how responsibilities for infrastructure planning, financing, maintenance, and asset management are distributed between national, subnational, and local governments. 2. Based on the analysis, review the overall project document and assess how its interventions, including diagnostic assessments, Asset Management Action Plans (AMAPs), enabling environment activities, and training programs, can be implemented in a way that maximizes sustained institutional impact at the local government level. 3. Develop a concise implementation strategy that aligns the project’s activities with country specific governance arrangements and incentive structures. Particular attention should be given to identifying practical incentive mechanisms encouraging national and local governments to adopt and institutionalize best practices in infrastructure asset management, including incentives for integrating IAM into planning and budgeting processes, mechanisms that encourage implementation of AMAPs, and policy or institutional approaches that reinforce accountability for lifecycle infrastructure management. 4. Participate in virtual meetings with government counterparts in all six project countries to convey the proposed implementation strategy and discuss how the project’s interventions can be adapted to each country’s governance and decentralization context.

- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in civil engineering, urban development, economics, infrastructure asset management, public administration, or a related field is required. - A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure, infrastructure asset management, local economic development, or public sector capacity development is required. - Extensive, hands-on experience working with subnational and municipal authorities in developing country contexts is required, including a strong understanding of local governance systems, administrative processes, and political economy dynamics. - Demonstrated field-based experience supporting government counterparts in the design and implementation of infrastructure or asset management systems is required, including in capacity-constrained environments. - Knowledge of public sector institutions and infrastructure systems in one or more of the following countries is required: Kenya, the Gambia, Senegal, Zambia, Uganda, or the Federated States of Micronesia. - Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals, UN infrastructure asset management tools, international standards, and geographic information systems is desirable.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.

Not available.