Application close date
05/25/2026
Title
Senior Consultant for Regional Learning Center (RLC)
1. Project Background
Project background The Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF) promotes high-quality connectivity infrastructure investment in developing countries through partnerships. MCDFâs work areas include project preparation, capacity building, and information sharing, covering the sustainable transport, energy, telecommunications, and cross-border water resource management sectors.MCDFâs key support mechanisms are the MCDF Collaboration Platform and the MCDF Finance Facility. The MCDF Collaboration Platform is guided by the MCDF Coordination Committee (CC). It fosters information and knowledge sharing and collaboration among International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and partners to help ensure high-quality connectivity infrastructure investment based on IFI standards and good practices. The MCDF Finance Facility is overseen by the MCDF Governing Committee (GC) and provides grants to support the upstream development of bankable and sustainable connectivity projects. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) serves as the Administrator of MCDF and host of the MCDF Secretariat. The MCDF Secretariat provides daily operational support to MCDF. It is administratively established by, but functionally independent from, AIIB.MCDF is establishing a Regional Learning Center (RLC) in East Africa to support applied learning, capacity building, and knowledge exchange for governments across the region. The center will focus on strengthening public sector capabilities for advancing high-quality connectivity infrastructure growth and coordinating effectively with development partners to address associated gaps in institutional capacity, in line with the priorities of governments in the region. The center will be hosted by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), in partnership with the Kenya National Treasury and the African Development Bank (AfDB), who together form a Steering Committee to guide its development. MCDF is also exploring the establishment of RLCs in other parts of the world, which will inform the design of the center in East Africa.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
The overall objective of this consultancy is to design a practical, demand driven, and partnership oriented East Africa RLC aligned with MCDFâs mandate to promote high-quality connectivity infrastructure investment through partnerships and the information and knowledge-sharing work of the MCDF Collaboration Platform. The consultant will be expected to inform the following:⢠Areas of Focus: Identify 3-4 priority areas that the RLCâs capacity building activities should address, based on a market and needs assessment to identify key capacity building gaps and demand for knowledge and learning services in East Africa, as well as MCDFâs workstreams. If time allows, analyze the demand characteristics for the 3-4 RLC priority areas.⢠Partnership Opportunities: Identify strategic collaboration and partnership opportunities with AfDB and other regional institutions involved in infrastructure development, financing, and capacity building.⢠Implementation Options: Provide broad options for the phased establishment and implementation of the RLC while harnessing partnership opportunities, including governance arrangements, partnership modalities, sequencing, resourcing considerations, delivery mechanisms, and initial priority activities.
3. Scope of Services
The Consultant will undertake the following tasks:A. Market Survey and Needs Assessment⢠Assess demand for training and applied learning in MCDFâs priority areas among governments and public sector stakeholders, including line ministries, implementing agencies, state owned enterprises (SOEs), and regulators. MCDF priority areas cover 4 cross-border connectivity sectors (transport, energy, telecommunications, and transboundary water resource management) and 8 cross-cutting themes (environmental and social standards; project planning, preparation and selection; project implementation (procurement, contract management, operations and maintenance, and monitoring and evaluation); climate-smart infrastructure; regional integration, trade facilitation and economic corridors; debt sustainability; project financing and public-private partnerships; and anticorruption and integrity). ⢠Map existing capacity building providers, learning platforms, and centers of excellence in Kenya, wider East Africa, and online that currently cover MCDFâs priority areas, including public institutions, IFIs, academic institutions, think tanks, and specialized training providers. ⢠Identify 3-4 priority areas for addressing capacity building supply gaps. ⢠If time allows, for the 3-4 priority areas, analyze demand characteristics, including willingness to pay, preferred delivery modalities (in person, blended, and virtual), and certification, accreditation, or formal recognition needs.B. Collaboration and Partnership Scoping ⢠For the 3-4 priority areas, identify concrete collaboration opportunities with relevant institutions that could: a) provide direct core support to the RLC, alongside MCDF, b) provide support for specific activities, or c) join existing initiatives. ⢠These institutions could include: AfDB and other IFI partners, traditional donors and development finance institutions, regional economic communities (e.g., the East African Community), national training institutes, universities, centers of excellence, or relevant regional and global organizations.C. Implementation Options⢠Propose broad options with pros and cons for the phased establishment and implementation of the RLC. These should cover the governance arrangements, partnership modalities, sequencing, resourcing considerations for KIPPRA (both financial and human), delivery mechanisms, and initial priority activities.
3. Scope of Services (Continued)
(No Value)
4. Consultancy Output / Deliverables
The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:1. Inception Report: provides details on what the other outputs will consist of and the methodology for delivering them, including which East African countries will be consulted. This will be discussed with the RLC Steering Committee, to ensure their buy-in. 2. Market Survey and Needs Assessment: identifies the 3-4 priority areas for the RLCâs operations. See Scope of Services for details. 3. Collaboration and Partnership Scoping: identifies concrete collaboration opportunities. See Scope of Services for details. 4. Implementation Options: Proposes broad options, including their pros and cons, for the phased establishment and implementation of the RLC. See Scope of Services for details. 5. Support for Steering Committee review: the consultant will present their key findings to the RLC Steering Committee in late July 2026, to facilitate discussion and revise planned RLC outputs based on the committeeâs feedback. The Implementation Options output may be presented later, depending on the sequencing agreed in the Inception Report. 6. Conducting other work as requested by MCDFâs CEO or staff.
4. Consultancy Output / Deliverables (Continued)
(No Value)
5. Implementation Arrangement
The expectation is that the consultant will largely work remotely but may be required to travel to attend meetings with stakeholders.
5. Implementation Arrangement (Continued)
(No Value)
6. Support to the Consultant by the Bank
The consultant will report to the Sustainable Development Specialist, who will be regularly available for technical discussions with the consultant and to provide timely feedback on the consultantâs work.
7. Knowledge Transfer and Training
The consultantâs report and any other materials they produce will be the property of MCDF, which has full discretion to decide how to use and manage them.
Qualification Requirement
1. Masterâs degree or above in business, finance, economics, public policy, international development, or similar areas from a reputable university.2. Minimum 10 years of working experience in infrastructure and related fields in international organizations, including multilateral development banks, and well-recognized professional status in this area.3. Experience working on capacity building for developing countries in infrastructure and related fields; experience supporting training and learning centers is welcome but not strictly required 4. Excellent cross-cultural interpersonal and negotiation skills, with a proven track record5. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; written English products must be print-ready.6. Experience of working in East Africa is preferred.