Job Description
Senior Urban Development Consultant
Full-time position (in the Cities sub-practice)
Location – based in Cape Town, Pretoria, Nairobi or London
THE ROLE
• Leading project teams working on a range of urban development projects
• Developing and growing the Pegasys Cities practice area through proactive acquisition and winning of work
• Providing specialist input into other Pegasys projects where required
• Mentoring and supporting junior consultants working on urban development projects
• Growing into a senior manager in the firm, leading urban development work across the group
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Required
- A Master’s degree in an appropriate field including (but not limited to) Economics, Law, Urban Planning, Development Studies, Public Management, Politics, Engineering or any other relevant post-graduate qualification.
- At least 10 years’ experience in urban development, infrastructure finance, urban governance and / or urban planning.
- Strong financial capacity in economic analysis of urban policy frameworks, urban development strategies, projects and programmes.
- Strong grounding in the regulatory and financial tools used to achieve urban development and governance outcomes
- Must have solid work experience in strategy consulting, while exposure to any one of the following sectors will be an added advantage: national, local or provincial government, academia, think-tanks and / or multilateral development institutions.
- Established regional networks in the urban development sector particularly in SADC, East Africa or the Middle East and exposure to dealing with donors/IFIs.
- Experience in driving and / or running urban development projects in South Africa, or any other developing country.
- A good understanding of how cities work, and the desire to grow as a sector expert with continental / global recognition.
- A demonstrable track-record of excellence.
Preferred
- A keen interest or previous exposure to any one (or all) of the following areas: urban land supply, land-based financing for urban development and urban infrastructure, the intersection between regulatory and financial instruments for urban management, climate resilient urban development and planning, urban infrastructure investment planning and financing, urban legal reform.
- Exposure to urban development projects in developing countries, particularly SADC, East Africa or the Middle East.
- Fluency in one of French, Portuguese, Swahili, Amharic, Arabic or other language widely spoken in Eastern and Southern African countries and the Middle East.
KEY SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
This role calls for several specific skills and characteristics in the candidate, including:
- Strong work ethic and demonstrable high standards of achievement.
- Proven leadership and management ability
- An extremely good writer with proven and exceptional writing skills of international caliber.
- A very strong ability to think on one’s feet, able to process large amounts of information.
- A team player who is productive working in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment.
- Self-motivated, self-driven, with the ability to work independently and deliver tasks entirely at the level of quality expected, with minimal supervision or guidance.
- Positively disposed towards dynamism, comfortable with a fluid and constantly changing environment, including changing directions related to work being done.
- Versatile, with a strong ability to multi-task and juggle multiple assignments and deadlines at any time.
- Ability to clearly break down and explain a complex topic verbally and in writing, and an ability to listen and respond to input and factor in diverse perspectives in real time.
- Equipped with rigorous research skills, including familiarity with research methods and referencing / citation methods.
- Comfortable with strategic thinking, including the ability to draw linkages between and observe implications of the evidence available, to understand what the information suggests or points to.
- Must have extremely high attention to detail.
- Desire to contribute towards making the world a better place, and belief that a small group of committed and hard-working individuals can have a significant impact.
- An energetic problem-solver, who is open-minded with multi-perspective views on urban development, governance, systems, policies and broader developmental issues;
- Ability to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic, unpredictable work environment.
- Adaptive, quick-thinking, short lead times and a results-oriented mindset.
- Good time management, with the ability to meet task deadlines within time-frames and budget;
SALARY
- Commensurate with experience and qualifications.
About the Organization
PEGASYS is an advisory group focusing on developmental impact in emerging economies. We are trusted advisors and partners to the public and private sector, helping them develop vital public infrastructure and manage natural resources. We are head-quartered in Cape Town, South Africa. We address global issues, but our work is focussed and delivered predominantly in South, East and West Africa.