Consultancy: UNCDF-UN Joint Program on Devolution

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UNCDF is seeking a Consultant to provide technical support to effectively guide and support UNCDF activities. Successful implementation of the initiative is expected to pave the way for other UNCDF’s flagship programmes, such as Municipal Investment Finance (MIF) to be deployed in the country.

Objective of the Assignment: 

The Consultant will support UNCDF in engaging on a technical level with key stakeholders at the national and County level as well as in the provision of technical inputs and assistance to ensure successful implementation of the activities assigned to UNCDF in the framework of the UN Joint Program on Devolution..

The designated consultant will work in close cooperation with the UNCDF Global Advisor for Local Government Finance and the Global Manager for Municipal Investment Finance Program. He/she will be supported by the UNCDF Kenya Project Coordination Officer. He/she will also regularly interact with the other participating UN agencies, relevant national institutions, in particular the Council of Governors and the Commission on Revenue Allocation, as well as with the other relevant program partners, such as the IMF, African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) and other international institutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work/Duties and Responsibilities 

  1. Produce the framework for the County OSR initiative under the UN Joint Program on Devolution to align it with the government’s ongoing and planned efforts in this area to achieve maximum synergy and avoid duplication.
  2. Prepare a proposal for customized capacity building programs for a number of participating Counties (as agreed with UNCDF) using the TADAT approach on international best practice for an inclusive tax administration/County revenue administration for the various performance outcome areas.
  3. Suggest a concept for a more comprehensive UNCDF program in Kenya and possible partnerships in the area of local government/municipal finance linking it to the UNCDF financial instruments and vehicles, such as the International Municipal Investment Fund.
  4. Produce a refined methodology to describe the County revenue administration system and identify revenue enhancement opportunities by combining findings of the TADAT performance assessment reports and other types of analyses including revenue gap analysis and the UNCDF infrastructure asset management approach.
  5. Produce revenue administration briefs for a number of the target Counties based on the refined methodology
  6. Refine the UNCDF methodology for Local Revenue Enhancement Planning to adapt it to the Kenyan context
  7. Develop medium-term County Revenue Enhancement Action Plans (REAPs) under the leadership of a number of the participating Counties (as agreed with UNCDF) to detail activities to address the findings and recommendations of TADAT assessments and other revenue gap analyses (including field visits to a number of Counties as agreed with UNCDF subject to the epidemiological and security situation).
  8. Based on the findings of revenue administration assessments and analyses, and in consultation with the key relevant national stakeholders, prepare a concept note indicating the key areas for reforms to enhance inclusive revenue administration at the County level.
  9. Develop an aide-memoir and other policy proposals following the diagnostic of County revenue management using the TADAT subnational methodology as well as other types of revenue gap analyses.
  10. Prepare the design of a national conference on a local revenue administration reform, develop relevant materials and presentations based on the above deliverables and deliver these presentations during the conference.

Outputs/Deliverables, Indicative Schedule and Payments 

Deliverable 1: Inception Report: 15 July 2021 (20% of total payment)

Deliverables 2-4: Framework for the County OSR initiative; proposal for customized capacity building programs; concept for a more comprehensive UNCDF program in Kenya: 1 Sep  2021 (20% of total payment)

Deliverables 5-8: Methodology to describe the County revenue administration system and identify revenue enhancement opportunities; revenue administration briefs; County Revenue Enhancement Action Plans (REAPs); UNCDF methodology for Local Revenue Enhancement Planning: 30 September (40% of total payment )

Deliverables 9-11: Concept note indicating the key areas for reforms; aide-memoir and other policy proposals; design and relevant materials for the national conference on a local revenue administration reform: 30 November 2021 (20% of total payment)

Monitoring and Progress Controls

A schedule of days worked, outputs produced, and costs incurred will be monitored by the UNCDF Global Advisor for Local Government Finance.

Payment will be made against key deliverables and will be authorized by the UNCDF Global Manager for the Municipal Investment Finance Program.

Duty Station and Travel: The assignment is primarily home-based with possible travel within Kenya depending on the epidemiological situation.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

  • Demonstrated knowledge of relevant local public financial management, decentralization processes and sustainable development issues;
  • Strong analytical skills, particularly applied to environment profiling;
  • Experience in providing technical support to UNCDF on local development finance and governance;

Functional Competencies:

  • Ability to identify needs and interventions for capacity enhancement of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
  • Ability to take responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines;
  • Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Skills and Experience

This assignment requires the services of senior expert who can demonstrate adequate analytical capacity and who can provide expertise relevant to the terms of reference; and who can demonstrate experiences in providing technical inputs to local development programs, including  UNCDF on public financial management, revenue administration, decentralization processes and investment finance.

Education:

  • A minimum qualification of  Master’s degree in areas of Business, Public Administration, Development Economics and other relevant disciplines

Professional Experience:

  • A minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience;
  • Deep knowledge and understanding of the UNCDF and MIF mechanism, PFM, local government finance, revenue administration, decentralization processes;
  • Experience in the provision of technical inputs and comments to UNCDF technical documents/papers/publications;
  • Experience in working with local governments and communities and all key stakeholders to design and implement interventions in local development and local government finance;
  • Strong analytical skills, particularly applied to project design;
  • Experience working with UNCDF in Africa, particularly in East Africa;
  • Exceptional ability in communication and networking, negotiations and writing;

For more details and application: https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=99139

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