The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Office/Unit/Project Description

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

The Local Transformative Finance Practice aims to be a centre of excellence and innovate fund for local government finance. Over a 30 year period the Practice has developed deep expertise in intergovernmental fiscal transfers (IGTF), local development funds, public financial management and performance based grants. LTF supports policy reforms and advocates for a greater appreciation and use of IGTF and performance based local government financing mechanisms in development finance.

On the basis of this experience LTF designed and manages the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), which is a mechanism to integrate climate change into local authorities’ planning and budgeting through the regular intergovernmental fiscal transfer system using performance-based grants in a participatory and gender sensitive manner, increase awareness and capacities to respond to climate change at the local level including through ecosystem-based solutions, and increase the quality and number of local investments that address climate change. LoCAL combines performance-based climate resilience grants (PBCRGs), which ensure programming and verification of change expenditures at the local level, with technical and capacity-building support. It uses the grants and demonstration effect to trigger further flows for local climate action including global climate finance and national fiscal transfers. LoCAL also aims to support private finance for small and medium businesses and municipal finance and public-private partnerships.

Since its inception in 2010/2011, LoCAL was launched and deployed in 17 countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, The Gambia, Ghana, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Tanzania, Tuvalu and Uganda. All the countries which started are still operating the PBCRGS as their country system, federating efforts of government and partners in making use of it, therefore working on sustained long term finance. Another 13 countries have expressed interest in deploying the mechanism and are currently being supported to scope and design the LoCAL mechanism and in identifying sources of finance to activate it: Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Fiji, Jamaica, Liberia, Sao Tomé e Principe, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Vanuatu and Zambia, bringing the total number of LoCAL countries to 30.

Institutional Arrangement

The incumbent reports to the LoCAL Global Programme Manager, P-5, based in Kampala, Uganda and works in close collaboration with other LTF and LoCAL colleagues in the regional office/HQ based and country and across the region. The incumbent will work with the Director of Transformative Finance on the wider policy and advocacy for the role of IGTF, PFM and performance-based local government financing systems withing the development finance system.

This position is home-based (Part time (80%)).

UNCDF is looking for a world-class senior-level expert to provide policy, regulatory and technical advice and support to the LoCAL Facility and LoCAL countries in relation to local government finance, fiscal descentralization, public financial management, and climate change mainstreaming into local public planning and budgeting. In addition, the incumbent will be responsible for organizing and technically leading scoping and design exercises of current and new LoCAL mechanisms, and ensure compliance and verification of the prospective LoCAL ISO.

Summary of key functions:

1. LoCAL scoping (25%)
2. Design/Redesign of LoCAL financing mechanisms  (35%)
3. Support the implementation of LoCAL in mainstreaming of climate change issues into public planning and budgeting system (25%)
4. Support to LTF and IGTF, and Policy and advocacy support to LTF director on IGFT and performance-based financing mechanisms as an instrument of development finance (15%)

1) LoCAL scoping (25%)

• Undertaking country assessment to selected countries to assess the conditions to successfully launch and implement a LoCAL project in selected countries;
• Reviewing experience in the field of decentralization, including UNCDF-led projects and experience, in target LoCAL countries and providing inception report of the opportunities, benefits and challenges for the implementation of LoCAL and incorporate the result into design the LoCAL implementation (LoCAL Design);
• Guiding the collection of required documentation prior to the in-country mission(s);
• Undertaking design analysis and onsite visits to target LoCAL countries, including understanding/reviewing:
  • Needs and (technical and management) capacities of local and national stakeholders ecosystems’ and populations’ vulnerabilities
  • Climate-relateded institutions and strategies
  • Local governments awareness and capacities for climate change adaptation planning and mainstreaming into local development planning and budgeting
  • The potential for technical and financial partnerships, and
  • The commitment of local government and central agencies to LoCAL.
  • Existing climate change data and information and vulnerability and adaptation assessments as well as gaps in terms of information, systems or guidance and the level of information in possible target areas, with a view to inform the set of minimum conditions/performance measures and investment menu of the LoCAL PBCRGS;
  • National and local planning and budgeting processes and guidelines and how they relate to climate change adaptation and local governments;
  • Inter-governmental fiscal transfer systems to the local level and PBGS, current state of implementation, possible reforms, operating manuals and guidelines and related challenges to take into account;
  • Local government institutions and central government ministries in charge of supporting LGs.

2) Design/Redesign of LoCAL financing mechanisms  (35%)

• Building on the LoCAL-scoping document (above task), design phases I and II of LoCAL and the performance-based grant mechanism for climate resilience in selected countries, tailored either for urban/peri urban or rural areas, that address the various stages of the LoCAL approach/process (i.e. assessments and planning/mainstreaming; financing and budgeting/ mainstreaming; implementation of adaptation measures; performance assessments and reporting) by for instance:
  • Reviewing and making recommendations for the institutional set-up of LoCAL with clear roles and responsibilities for the various government counterparts and partners, and for strengthening of institutions and systems at the various stages of the LoCAL approach/process.
  • Identifying selection criteria for potential pilot local governments in line with the national policy framework and other relevant criteria to be agreed on (e.g. climate vulnerability index).
  • Assessing and making recommendations for the financial circuit used for the LoCAL grant transfer taking into account the modalities of the intergovernmental fiscal transfer system and existing performance-based grants where applicable.
  • Developing allocation formula and scenarios for the local governments to be covered by LoCAL taking into account the modalities of the intergovernmental fiscal transfer system.
  • Identifying and selecting from the national intergovernmental fiscal transfer system and/or monitoring system a set of possible minimum conditions and performance measures, or alternatively developing a list of possible minimum conditions and performance measures, to be included in the national systems. These minimum conditions and performance measures will be accompanied by clear indicator definitions and implementation guidelines including the allocation formula for reviewing the grant allocation based on performance during a subsequent inception phase of the program in form of a specific Performance Assessment Manual and PBCRG operational manual.
  • Defining an “investment menu” of eligible adaptation measures, in line with the national policy framework for climate change adaptation (NAP and NDC) that will inform the integration of adaptation in local development and investment planning budgeting.
  • Integrating the LoCAL M&E framework, the ‘Assessing Climate Change Adaptation Framework’ (ACCAF) into the design;
  • Reviewing and providing recommendations to support the strengthening of public financial management systems for climate change adaptation in the long-run (e.g., creation of budget codes, development or revision of guidelines and manuals, integration of climate change in tendering, procurement and delivery processes, reporting practices).
  • Exploring technical and financial partnerships with bilateral agencies and donors, multilaterals organizations and financial institutions and (inter)national NGOs and initiate contacts with key potential partners who could engage with LoCAL for phase I and II.
  • For the redesign mission, the Principle Technical Advisor will also conduct the following additional tasks
    • Collecting and reviewing LoCAL experiences and lessons learned
    • Reviewing and making recommendations to revise as appropriate the key elements of the LoCAL approach (minimum conditions, performance measures, triggers for fund transfers, investment menu, roles of partners and stakeholders, financial circuit used for the LoCAL grant transfer).

3) Support the implementation of LoCAL in mainstreaming climate change issues into public planning and budgeting system (20%)

• Providing technical assistance and capacity building support to national and subnational government authorities in areas such as mainstreaming of climate change issues into public planning and budgeting, implementation of adaptation measures; cost benefit analysis of adaptation measures, undertaking annual performance assessments and reporting, developing templates, etc.
• Identifying needs and (technical and management) capacities of local and national stakeholders involved in LoCAL
• Supporting the integration of climate change adaptation in local development plans, investments plans and projects and budgets
• Conduct sensitization/training on LoCAL/PBCRG, e.g. deliver participatory trainings of LGAs and communities in target LoCAL countries on the PBCRG system and manual, using the draft assessment guide/manual developed for the performance-based climate resilient grants (PBCRGs).
• Supporting the selection and costing of adaptation measures in line with the LoCAL investment menu and their inclusion in the local investments plans and budgets
• Developing performance assessment manuals for performance-based climate resilient grants (PBCRGs) with a view to inform and/or be integrated in the national inter-governmental fiscal transfer systems;
• Conducting Annual Performance Assessment (APA), by:
• Studying carefully and reaching a full understanding of the Performance Assessment Manual for PBCRGs in the target LoCAL countries, including organizing and collating relevant documentation;
• Proposing a work plan for the Annual Performance Assessment. The work plan is to be agreed by with national stakeholders and the LoCAL Secretariat;
• Conducting the Annual Performance Assessment in each target LGA in accordance with the agreed work plan and the APA manual of target LoCAL countries, ensuring thorough consultations and dialogues with stakeholders at both national and subnational levels as well as beneficiaries;
• Submitting draft final report for validation by the Steering Committee in target LoCAL countries;
• Communication/ disseminating results, including via a workshop or meeting to be held with all stakeholders at national and subnational levels with a view of presenting and validating lessons learned and drafting recommendations.
• Supporting Quality Assurance efforts, particularly in LoCAL Phase III countries, ensuring standards are maintained;
• Providing technical inputs to technical documents and developing concept notes/proposals/technical papers building on the LoCAL mechanism in selected countries;
• Documenting experiences, lessons learned and best practice, thereby contributing to the development of knowledge and communication products.

4) Support to LTF and IGTF and Policy and advocacy support to LTF director on IGFT and performance-based financing mechanisms as an instrument of development finance (15%)

• providing technical assistance and capacity building support to national and subnational government authorities in areas of governance and public financial management (e.g. annual budget cycle, budget formulation; budget execution; accounting and reporting; external security and audit, budget code, climate public and institutional expenditure reviews, subnational climate PEFA) and access to finance (e.g. increased fiscal space, green taxation, debt swaps, policy based lending, new innovative instruments, etc.
• Supporting LTF Director in policy and advocacy support for the role of IGTF, PFM and performance based local government financing systems withing the development finance system.
• Where appropriate and relevant the consultant will support LTF on other IGTF and performance based grant mechanisms.
  • Identifying needs and (technical and management) capacities of local and national stakeholders involved in LoCAL;
  • Reviewing available PFM assessments (e.g. PEFA assessments), highlighting gaps and proposing recommendations for enhancement;
  • Providing technical support and advice on decentralization processes, policies and reforms and propose recommendations for integration with the LoCAL design;
  • Conduct sensitization/training on subnational governance and PFM issues;
  • Supporting the strengthening of public financial management systems for climate change (e.g. creation of budget codes, CPEIRs, development or revision of guidelines and manuals, integration of climate change in tendering, procurement and delivery processes, reporting practices), with a focus on the subnational level;
  • Supporting access to green/climate finance by subnational governments for instance by identifying and recommending sources of revenue (e.g., own revenue generation, green taxation, debt swaps, policy based lending, new innovative instruments, etc);
  • Providing technical inputs to technical documents and developing concept notes/proposals/technical papers;
  • Supporting the strengthening of institutions and systems in the various above-mentioned areas of work;