Overview
The consultant will provide expertise in urban finance, financial feasibility assessment, investment planning, and financing strategies for urban and territorial development initiatives within the FIDUS Project.
Key Responsibilities
- Keep the Project Coordinator and UN-Habitat technical team informed of progress related to urban finance, project feasibility assessments, financing opportunities, and investment planning activities.
- Ensure timely communication regarding risks, opportunities, implementation challenges, and strategic considerations related to project financing and investment readiness.
- Submit technical analyses, methodologies, reports, and recommendations for review and validation by the Project Coordinator.
- Support evidence-based decision-making processes through the provision of technical and financial assessments.
- Ensure quality control and consistency of financial analyses and recommendations produced under the consultancy.
- Lead the development of methodologies, analytical frameworks, and tools for the financial assessment and prioritization of strategic urban development initiatives.
- Conduct financial, economic, and institutional feasibility assessments of urban projects identified through the FIDUS Project.
- Develop project prioritization matrices incorporating technical, social, environmental, institutional, and financial criteria.
- Analyze financing structures, investment requirements, implementation costs, and financial sustainability considerations for strategic urban initiatives.
- Conduct cost-benefit analyses, risk assessments, and investment readiness evaluations.
- Identify and assess innovative financing mechanisms applicable to urban development projects, including blended finance, climate finance, green funds, municipal financing instruments, trust funds, public-private partnerships, and multilateral financing opportunities.
- Support the preparation of investment-ready project concepts and financing strategies for priority urban initiatives.
- Contribute to the design of sustainable urban financing mechanisms and implementation models adapted to local contexts.
- Support the development of strategic urban investment portfolios and project pipelines.
- Provide technical advice and strategic guidance on urban finance, project structuring, and sustainable investment approaches.
- Support technical discussions with local governments, financial institutions, development partners, academia, and other strategic stakeholders.
- Prepare technical briefs, concept notes, presentations, analytical documents, and policy recommendations related to urban finance and investment planning.
- Contribute technical inputs to FIDUS Forum sessions, workshops, and capacity development activities related to financing and investment.
- Support the identification of financing opportunities and strategic partnerships that may contribute to project implementation and future scaling.
- Assist local governments and stakeholders in understanding financing pathways, project structuring methodologies, and investment attraction strategies.
- Support implementation of project activities related to urban finance, project incubation, and investment planning.
- Participate in coordination meetings, technical committees, workshops, stakeholder consultations, and FIDUS Forum sessions.
- Coordinate with technical consultants and project partners to ensure integration between planning, governance, financing, and project development components.
- Monitor progress related to financing assessments, project prioritization processes, and investment strategy development.
- Support field missions and technical engagements as required.
- Ensure that project implementation adheres to UN-Habitat values and principles, including transparency, accountability, inclusion, sustainability, and integrity.
- Support the documentation and systematization of methodologies, tools, lessons learned, and good practices related to urban finance and project feasibility assessment.
- Develop knowledge products, technical guidance materials, and analytical summaries to support institutional learning and project replication.
- Collect, organize, and maintain information related to financing mechanisms, investment opportunities, and strategic urban initiatives.
- Contribute to the preparation of reports, presentations, summaries, and other knowledge products required by the project.
- Support dissemination of financing methodologies and investment planning approaches developed through FIDUS.
- Other activities requested and by mutual agreement with the HUB Coordinator of The Andean Countries of UN-Habitat, within the framework of this consultancy and without prejudice to the achievement of its responsibilities.
- The consultant will participate in work and follow-up meetings, both with other consultants, as well as with the Coordinator and team of the Andean Countries HUB of UN-Habitat and with the staff of the projects.
- The consultant shall be responsible for ensuring that all activities comply with the principles of United Nations integrity.
Required Experience
A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in urban finance, project finance, public investment, infrastructure financing, financial feasibility assessment, investment planning, or related fields is required. Demonstrated experience in the formulation, evaluation, structuring, and financing of urban development, infrastructure, territorial development, or public investment projects is required. Proven experience conducting financial, economic, and institutional feasibility assessments, including cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment, investment planning, and financial sustainability evaluations, is required. Experience supporting the development of investment-ready projects, financing strategies, project pipelines, investment portfolios, and resource mobilization initiatives is desirable. Experience working with local and national governments, development banks, multilateral organizations, international financial institutions, or development cooperation programmes is highly desirable. Experience with innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, blended finance, climate finance, green finance, municipal financing instruments, and multilateral funding mechanisms, as well as experience in urban development, sustainable infrastructure, or territorial planning initiatives, will be considered a strong asset.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Finance, Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Economics, Urban Development, Development Finance, Business Administration, Engineering, Regional Development, or related fields is required. A first-level university degree in one of the fields, combined with four (4) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. Specialized studies, postgraduate training, or certifications in project finance, infrastructure finance, public investment, urban finance, sustainable finance, climate finance, financial modeling, economic evaluation, or related areas are desirable.
