Application Deadline: May 30, 2022
Job Title: Canadian Public Finance Expert
Initiative Name: “Resource mobilization to accelerate mine clearing” under the Technical Assistance Partnership - Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM)
Job type: Part Time/Fixed Term
Location of Position: Canada (remote) with travel to Cambodia
Reporting to: Project Manager, TAP-EDM
Remuneration: Fees are subject to negotiation and shall not exceed established market rates.
Indicative LOE/Time Frame: 65-75 days over 10-month period
Citizenship: Applicants must be Canadian citizens or have permanent resident status in Canada.
Language Requirements: French or English
Application instructions:
- We welcome applications from individuals and from governmental, non-governmental and private organizations.
- A cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should detail how you fit the opportunity, your daily fee and current availability.
- Please include following in the subject line: [Public Finance Expert: Your last name, your first name].
- Use the Apply Now link to upload your cover letter and CV. Apply Now
Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.
At Alinea International we value equity, diversity and inclusivity in everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer opposed to all forms of discrimination. We actively seek and encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds recognizing that an inclusive workforce enriches our organization and achieves smarter, more innovative results.
Alinea is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. Given the nature of our work, candidates will be subjected to due diligence checks and to enhanced background checks as appropriate.
About Alinea International Ltd.
Alinea is an international development consultancy providing technical and management expertise that helps people improve their lives. We work with governments, investors, companies and communities to create lasting change. Over 35 years, Alinea has successfully delivered more than 515 projects worldwide. alineainternational.com
About TAP-EDM
The Technical Assistance Partnership - Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM) Project provides targeted, short-term (up to 12 months) technical assistance to National Government Entities (NGE) from eligible OECD-DAC countries. The Mechanism is expected to deploy over 250 Canadian experts via 120-150 technical assistance initiatives designed to resolve capacity gaps to bring about the desired changes of the recipient NGEs. Fully aligned with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Strategy (FIAP), these initiatives will integrate gender equality, climate action/environmental sustainability, human rights and good governance as key objectives. Canadian experts will come from all walks of life, proudly representing world-class technical human resources but also the diversity and multi-culturalism that is Canada.
TAP-EDM is a four-year C$18,750,000-million-dollar project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and managed by Alinea International.
About the Technical Assistance Initiative
Mine clearing in Cambodia began in 1992. To date, 2300 sq kms of land have been cleared of mines and explosive remnants of war. 2000 sq kms remains to be cleared. The current goal is to clear 800 sq km of known mine contaminated areas by 2025 under the Ottawa Convention. Exacerbating the progress, “significant reductions in the baseline of mined area, through land release operations, are being largely offset by large quantities of newly discovered suspected mined areas being added to the database”, according to the Mine Action Review. To wit, 118 new km2 of land contaminated with anti-personnel mines was discovered in 2018, 7.4 new km2 in 2019 and 74.8 new km2 in 2020.
Limited critical resources, inefficient procedures (non vs. technical surveys) and imprecise designations (SHAs vs. CHAs) of contaminated land limit the pace of clearing to a maximum rate of 240 sq km per year set in 2018-2019. This pace can only increase with improved precision in resource mobilization to expand the use of non-technical surveys, the integration of new technology into the clearing process and an increase in more clearing personnel. Currently an estimated 44-65 people are killed annually by unexploded mines.
This initiative will contract two experts – this position as well as a Mine Action Technology Expert – to work closely with the Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) to explore new resource mobilization options that will provide sufficient resources to achieve their mine clearing goal by 2025. CMAA is the government authority responsible for mine action and clearing management across Cambodia.
Role and Responsibilities
The following are indicative duties (these may be refined following contracting and an inception period) to be undertaken in close collaboration with CMAA and in coordination with a Mine Action Technology Expert:
Develop New Public Resourcing Programs (50% of time)
- Research and map existing and potential public financing models/approaches for each step in the demining process. This involves: (i) analyzing current/existing funding/resourcing channels/mechanisms at each step; and (ii) identifying new and innovative but proven public financing/resourcing approaches and programming options including those that attract private sector participation and investment. For those options that involve private sector financing, estimates of realistic financial returns to the investment must be generated. The research should also identify and assess resourcing approaches used in other jurisdictions as well as public-private/innovative financing models (any sector) that are currently active/successful in Cambodia.
- Through consultations with CMAA, the Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Justice; assess and analyze each resourcing option/program against Cambodia’s current/existing legal and regulatory framework. Where appropriate, make recommendations for legal and regulatory changes that unlock new private or public resources.
- Provide guidance and support to CMAA as they validate findings/map with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice as well as other external financing providers.
- Based on the validated map, identify and qualify legitimate potential funders/investors/suppliers (international/national govt, private sector, army, donors, equipment suppliers, philanthropic funds, etc.) that are experienced in public financing in SEA.
- Provide technical support to CMAA as they update Cambodia’s existing resource mobilization strategy and annual plan with new financing programs.
Capacity Building and Job Embedded Support (50% of time)
- Design and deliver training to CMAA personnel on:
- Assessing and selecting resourcing options for each step in the demining process.
- Packaging fair, transparent and realistic financing opportunities for up to three different types of funders (e.g., impact investors, philanthropic funds, MFI loans). This will include training on how to package opportunities that would involve more than one funder/supplier.
- Securing financing including qualifying potential funders/investors.
- Managing multi-funder packages.
- Coach and mentor CMAA as they develop funding packages for presentation to potential financiers and investors.
Provide ongoing, long-term follow-up coaching/mentoring to support implementation of selected financing programs as part of a larger resource mobilization plan.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Qualified candidates must have the following:
- Degree in public finance, economics or political science with specific focus on public financial management, public financing and financing innovations
- 7+ years’ experience designing, packaging and implementing multi-investor public resourcing/financing programs (using multiple instruments/models/financing innovations) for capital and operational investment in large ($300M) public programs in high/middle/low-income countries. Candidate MUST have a working knowledge of public financing models that involve private sector participation, including private public partnerships, impact investing, foreign direct investment / investment attraction and blended financing schemes. Experience in Southeast Asia and Cambodia is highly desirable.
- Possess strong network of international financiers and financial organizations that include private investors, private/public banks, multi-lateral banks, philanthropic funds ideally with experience and an appetite for impact investing in emerging markets in low or middle-income countries. Networks that include financial organizations that have a presence/history in Southeast Asia is highly desirable.
- Experience with designing, delivering effective training/capacity development, adult learning and experiential activities to diverse groups of adult learners in the areas of public financing/resourcing management programs and investor packages/prospectus. Eligible candidates must have experience facilitating with similar experience designing, delivering workshops to support decision-making and strategic planning.
- Experience developing public resource management programs/financing models for public good projects similar to mine action/demining.
- Demonstrated knowledge and skills in undertaking qualitative and quantitative assessments of government financing programs.
- Applied knowledge of ESG (Environment, Social and Corporate Governance) integration into investment assessments including ESG Risk Ratings and other mechanisms for considering/promoting environmental sustainability and climate action, gender equality and social inclusion into private/public financing schemes. Familiarity with GBA+ is preferred.
- Adaptable, flexible and at ease in dynamic environments.
- Superior skills in communication, analysis and technical writing.