Project Management Support - Specialist

Job Highlight

The selected candidate will work as a consultant, primarily from home; however, their presence may be required at in-person meetings in Brasília, or to accompany technical visits to cities where UNOPS maintains projects. Furthermore, the selected candidate will be expected to participate in virtual meetings, which will be scheduled in advance.

Role Purpose

The Project Management Support Specialist - Economic PPPs coordinates and provides specialized technical assistance in the development, implementation, and review of economic instruments applied to PPP projects, supporting the public sector, including the federal, state, and municipal governments, in strengthening their PPP units. The role ensures the technical quality of deliverables, liaises with partners and stakeholders, and guarantees the alignment of products with UNOPS policies and standards agreed upon with partners.

It works on developing tools for structuring, monitoring, and analyzing projects, modeling guarantee mechanisms for government financial commitments, and strengthening institutional capacity for financing and modeling large-scale projects. Through in-depth studies, structuring models, and capacity-building actions for partner teams, the role contributes to projects achieving their objectives, consolidating strategic partnerships, and supporting UNOPS' operational goals.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Delivery and Performance

• Lead the development of economic and financial analyses applied to PPP and concession projects in different infrastructure and public service sectors (highways, railways, hospitals, schools, prisons, among others).
• Conduct pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, value-for-money analyses, public-private comparison, screening and eligibility matrices, decision models, and risk assessment and allocation.
• Ensure the technical quality of deliverables, guaranteeing alignment with the legal framework for PPPs and Concessions in Brazil and with UNOPS standards.
• Contribute to the identification of new opportunities for project structuring, scope expansion, or replication of models in other sectors and public entities.

Economic-Financial Modeling

• Develop and review integrated financial models, encompassing: demand and revenue projections; modeling of private partner remuneration and public sector payments; capital structures, including different financing instruments (loans, debentures, bonds, among others); Capital Asset Pricing Modeling.
• Develop physical-financial schedules and incorporate operational assumptions (costs, expenses, and investments) into the models.
• Develop all project financial statements: balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow — and model the return to shareholders over the term of the concession or PPP, including dividend distribution and capital reduction.

Performance Monitoring and Analysis

• Structure and implement performance-based payment mechanisms integrated into the financial modeling.
• Conduct sensitivity analyses on the project's main indicators and develop dashboards with assumptions, results, and strategic alerts, supporting decision-making by partners and management teams.

Partner Engagement and Institutional Strengthening

• Liaise partners from the public sector, federal, state, and municipal governments, to ensure that analyses align with the needs and institutional contexts of each project.
• Contribute to strengthening PPP units through knowledge transfer, development of analytical tools, and capacity-building actions for partner teams.

Knowledge Management

• Contribute to the systematization of lessons learned, best practices, and technical references in PPP structuring.
• Support the preparation of reports, technical notes, and reference materials that strengthen the knowledge base of UNOPS Brazil's PPP portfolio.

Education Requirements

Required: Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Economics or a related field with 7 years of relevant experience; OR Master's degree (or equivalent) in Economics, preferably with an emphasis in Finance, Accounting, or related fields, with 5 years of experience.

Desirable: Certification in PPP financial modeling; Certifications in project accounting and finance.

Experience Requirements

Required: 7 years of experience if holding a degree in economics or a related field; OR 5 years of experience if holding a master's degree; in the economic area related to the modeling of large infrastructure projects, including 2 experiences with projects that have been published. Experience in at least two of the following areas: Development of economic feasibility studies for traditional infrastructure projects and PPPs; Knowledge of public policies in the area of infrastructure development; Support in the creation and establishment of PPP units; Development of financing arrangements in the sectors of highways, ports, airports, health, among others; Participation in tenders for large infrastructure projects, with solid knowledge of bidding documents, contracts and other legal documents, as well as all phases of the process; Work on projects financed, sponsored or supported by multilateral organizations, such as the World Bank, IDB, IFC, CAF, etc. Intermediate level of spreadsheet skills (Excel or Google Sheets) is required.

Desirable: Previous experience in the UN system will be considered a plus.

Key skills/competency

• Project Management
• Economic Analysis
• Financial Modeling
• PPP Structuring
• Public Sector Support
• Infrastructure Projects
• Risk Assessment
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Capacity Building
• Knowledge Management