Urban Finance & Economy Specialist

This consultancy will give Turkana and Garissa Counties a clear, actionable path to transition to the Shirika Plan and improve financial sustainability in Kakuma and Dadaab-Hagadera Municipalities. The consultant will lead this process from diagnosing the counties’ current financial position, to designing a practical OSR strategy tailored to their context, to building the capacity of county and municipal stakeholders to carry this work forward. The consultant’s analysis and recommendation will help establish a foundation for these refugee-hosting municipalities to sustainably shift from humanitarian support to locally led service delivery. This initial contract is for three months.

Nairobi, Kenya

months: 3

About UN-Habitat UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable and resilient towns and cities. It is the focal point agency for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat envisions well-planned, well-governed and efficient cities and towns, with adequate housing, infrastructure and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation. The Urban Practices Branch (UPB) is the tools and methodology production center of the UN-Habitat that develops normative guidance and cutting-edge tools through communities of urban practices and is the operational level responsible to undertake technical cooperation projects, such as the construction of water and sanitation facilities, shelter and other work. The Planning, Finance & Economy Section (PFES) is responsible to support urban and territorial planning at all scales including through the development of planning policy, norms and guidelines, urban design and public space design, urban finance (municipal finance and urban development/projects finance), and local economic development. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Under the Shirika Plan, Kenya’s refugee hosting areas are transitioning from humanitarian service delivery toward more locally led and government-managed systems. This project focuses on the municipalities that host two of the world’s largest refugee camps, Dadaab and Kakuma, which together host well over 700,000 refugees and asylum seekers. Kakuma and Dadaab-Hagadera Municipalities are facing growing demands for infrastructure and services. Their continued reliance on external funding is no longer sufficient. Strengthening municipal finance and own source revenues (OSR) will be critical to ensuring that they can sustainably scale, deliver service and increase local fiscal resilience. UN Habitat’s Urban Economy and Finance Team is supporting Turkana and Garissa Counties in this transition, with this consultancy providing the technical analysis and strategic tools needed to move this work forward. REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION The Urban Finance and Economy consultant will be hired to collaborate closely with the Finance and Economy team of PFS and relevant project stakeholders. He/she will be reporting to the team lead on Finance and Economy. The consultant will also coordinate closely with relevant UN-Habitat technical teams, county governments of Turkana and Garissa, municipal leaders, and other key stakeholders. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Under the overall supervision of the Team Lead on Finance and Economy, the consultant will be responsible for the following duties: Diagnostic Assessment • Map the institutional landscape in Dadaab-Hagadera and Kakuma across county, national, humanitarian, and community actors • Review legal, policy, institutional, and administrative frameworks and governance constraints affecting revenue generation and service delivery in refugee-hosting areas • Assess service delivery responsibilities, gaps, and unfunded mandates • Estimate the scale and cost of current service needs • Conduct a literature review on local government finance, OSR, and land-based finance in refugee-hosting contexts • Assess existing revenue instruments, performance, and potential across 5 major revenue streams and identify opportunities to improve billing, collection, and enforcement • Analyze county assets, liabilities, revenues, expenditures, financing gaps, and fiscal sustainability building on the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Assessment • Identify cost-saving opportunities and financing options for capital investment projects • Analyze the landscape for external funding and financing Strategy and Reform Design • Develop case studies on public land use and land-value capture to identify revenue opportunities in both counties/municipalities • Assess realistic revenue options, including market fees, business permits, transport charges, and commercial land/asset revenues • Assess digital tools, mapping tools, or asset inventories to improve revenue administration • Develop practical recommendations for strengthening OSR and broader financial position, specifically tailored for refugee-hosting counties and the transition to the Shirika Plan • Develop an OSR strategy for each county and a phased implementation roadmap distinguishing immediate OSR opportunities from medium-term and transfer/concessional-dependent options Capacity Building • Draft a Practice Knowledge Tool on Municipal Revenue Enhancement & Financing, with a focus on Dadaab and Kakuma Stakeholder Engagement and Representation • Consult with county and municipal officials, national government stakeholders, humanitarian and development partners, private sector actors, and other relevant stakeholders • Prepare and submit high-quality written outputs, presentations, technical notes, and reports in line with UN-Habitat standards and the agreed consultancy workplan • Represent the Finance and Economy team in UN-Habitat meetings and with external partners; prepare and deliver presentations on UN-Habitat's work on Finance and Economy • Provide administrative and project management support to the Finance and Economy Team as needed

Academic Qualification: An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Economics, Public Policy, Public Finance, Political Science, Development Studies or a related field is required. A first-level university degree, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. Work Experience: • At least 2 years of relevant work experience in the field of public finance, public policy, and/or local economic development is required; • Experience working on Own Source Revenue and/or municipal finance is desirable; • Prior experience working in developing countries is desirable; • Working experience with international development agencies such as the United Nations is desirable.

Standard Text: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English and Kiswahili is required. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Competencies: PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or other specialized field. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges. Remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise. Is willing to learn from others. Place team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments. Adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently.