Project Preparation & Finance Lead

Position: Project Preparation & Finance Lead, CIGZambia

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Start Date: ASAP

Contract: Full Time/ 5 Year Programme

About AECOM:

AECOM is built to deliver a better world. We design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations in more than 150 countries. As a fully integrated firm, we connect knowledge and experience across our global network of experts to help clients solve their most complex challenges. From high-performance buildings and infrastructure, to resilient communities and environments, to stable and secure nations, our work is transformative, differentiated and vital.

We deliver International Development services through dedicated practices, and work with clients in the public and private sectors to achieve sustainable, equitable development outcomes through cost-effective, innovative activities. We are a global team of professionals with diverse areas of expertise and a shared goal: to deliver effective, innovative solutions to today’s critical global challenges while building the foundation for lasting, sustainable change.

About CIGZambia:

CIGZambia is a new, demand-led, rapid-response technical advisory facility providing 3600 expertise to the Government of Zambia to plan, finance, procure and deliver public infrastructure projects at the national and local levels. CIGZambia is funded by DFID.

About the Role:

AECOM is seeking a full time, residential technical advisor for the DFID-funded Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Programme in Zambia (CIGZambia).

The 5-year programme is a politically smart, flexible and demand driven technical assistance programme to support government ministries, provinces and spending agencies (MPSAs) and others at the national and sub-national level in Zambia. The goal of CIGZambia is to unlock the potential of Zambia’s cities to drive economic and employment growth by enhancing urban productivity; 2) increasing investment in infrastructure services and 3) improving access to reliable and affordable power.

Reporting to the Team Leader, the Project Preparation Lead will be responsible for driving the work stream dedicated to project preparation and play a critical role in achieving the overall project objective.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROJECT PREPARATION LEAD

Develop and manage relationships with senior stakeholders across relevant Government of Zambia departments/agencies;
Lead the programme strategy in the area of infrastructure capital budgeting, project preparation and project evaluation;
Identify a pipeline of projects that are in line with the overall CIGZambia programme strategy;
Manage a team of experts and sub-contractors to deliver work;
Supervise and quality assure the delivery of activities;
Keep CIGZambia relevant by engaging with other donors and programmes active in the sector;
Work closely with the team  to assess activities for their potential to reduce poverty, create jobs, further gender equality and reduce environmental impacts;
Adapt activities to external changes and lessons learned from the programme;
Monitor and report the activity implementation and budgets to demonstrate impact.

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROJECT PREPARATION LEAD

The following section outlines the minimum criteria for the candidate:

• At least 10 years’ experience in providing advisory services, technical assistance and capacity building to the Zambian government on budgeting and planning for infrastructure investments;
• Experience in the preparation, evaluation and prioritisation of projects;
• Understanding and familiarity national budget processes and procedures in Zambia;
• Understanding and familiarity of the Zambian public procurement process and lifecycle management of publicly funded projects;
• Advantageous: Experience in project finance;
• Advantageous: Experience in public private partnership (PPPs)
• Excellent report writing and communication skills.
• Fluency in English
• Advanced financial and numeracy skills;
• Advantageous: Master degree in finance or economics.

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