Expert 1 Team leader: Urban Planner - expert with international expertise – Zambia

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Expert 1 Team leader: Urban Planner - expert with international expertise for a urban, environment, finance consultancy assignment financed by GIZ in Zambia.

Aninver Development Partners is seeking an Expert 1 Team Leader: Urban Planner with international expertise for an upcoming GIZ-funded consultancy assignment in Zambia. The project focuses on fostering just and climate-resilient urban development and decentralisation across selected municipalities, tackling rapid urbanization challenges, inadequate infrastructure, and vulnerable informal settlements.

The successful candidate will lead a multidisciplinary team to support local authorities in developing climate-resilient Local Area Plans (LAPs), enhancing municipal financial capacities, and driving participatory planning processes that actively include marginalized groups and civil society actors.

Aninver is preparing a proposal for this assignment. The selected expert will be part of the proposed team; the engagement is conditional on the contract being awarded to Aninver. The full Terms of Reference for the position are shared with shortlisted candidates.

Objectives of the assignment

• Lead the overall technical and administrative implementation of the assignment, ensuring high-quality deliverables in line with GIZ and project standards.
• Support selected local authorities in coordinating, planning, and implementing just and climate-resilient urban development strategies.
• Facilitate the creation of climate-resilient Local Area Plans (LAPs) and Planning Agreements using robust participatory methodologies.
• Strengthen institutional, technical, and spatial analysis capacities of municipal authorities and local stakeholders.
• Promote inclusive community engagement, focusing on vulnerable populations and women within rapidly growing urban environments.

Scope of work

• Support local authorities in identifying, establishing, and training dedicated task teams for Local Area Planning.
• Collect and analyze socio-economic, environmental, climate, and spatial baseline data to build robust GIS layouts and land audits.
• Facilitate participatory community engagement methods, including focus group discussions, mapping, and vision development.
• Develop sustainable financing concepts and resource mobilization strategies for LAP implementation.
• Manage local subsidy contracts and collaborate with civil society organizations and academic institutions.
• Document implementation learnings, policy gaps, and regulatory restrictions to inform national and local dialogue briefs.

Your role as Expert 1 Team leader: Urban Planner - expert with international expertise

• Provide overall team leadership and disciplinary management for a team of experts.
• Oversee the preparation of climate-resilient Local Area Plans and Planning Agreements in target cities.
• Guide spatial analysis, risk-informed planning, and GIS integration processes.
• Coordinate stakeholder consultations, workshops, and participatory planning sessions with traditional authorities and local communities.
• Collaborate closely with municipal authorities to improve technical capacities and local coordination mechanisms.
• Ensure timely delivery of project reports, policy briefs, and financing frameworks.
• Monitor project progress against indicators relating to climate resilience, social inclusion, and urban decentralization.

Requirements

• Education: University degree (e.g. 'master's or German Diplom') in Urban Planning, Urban Design, Urban Development or related field
• 10 years of professional experience in urban planning with a specific focus on climate resilience
• 7 years working experience in participatory planning, 5 years in risk-informed planning, 7 years in spatial analysis
• 7 years of management experience with disciplinary leadership for 5 people
• 5 years in Sub-Sahara Africa
• 7 years in Southern Africa
• 7 years in development cooperation
• 5 years working experience with informal settlements
• Languages: Knowledge of English, C1-level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Desirable

• Demonstrated track record in advising local government authorities on decentralisation and municipal governance.
• Experience in establishing linkages between spatial planning and municipal finance mechanisms.

An experienced international urban planning leader with a strong background in climate resilience, participatory methodologies, and informal settlement upgrading in Southern Africa, capable of steering multi-stakeholder municipal development projects.

Assignment details

• Location: Zambia
• Financed by: GIZ
• Sector: Urban, environment, finance
• Estimated duration: 48 months
• Expected input: 300 expert days
• Contract: individual consultancy (conditional on award)

About Aninver Development Partners

Aninver is an international development consulting firm headquartered in Spain. It supports governments, development banks, UN agencies and bilateral donors with feasibility studies, technical assistance, evaluations and capacity building across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Asia-Pacific, working with a network of international and national experts.

Why apply

• Join a multidisciplinary team on a GIZ-financed project in Zambia.
• Individual consultancy: flexible, output-based engagement with an experienced proposal team.
• Your CV stays in Aninver's expert network for future assignments that match your profile.

How to apply

Sign in (or create a free account) and upload your CV in English. Add your LinkedIn profile, indicative daily rate and availability to speed up the assessment. Aninver will contact the shortlisted candidates.

Frequently asked questions

Is the position confirmed? The engagement depends on the contract being awarded to Aninver. Shortlisted experts are included in the proposal with their consent.

Can I apply if I am not based in the country? Yes, unless the requirements say otherwise; relevant regional experience is an asset.

What happens with my CV? It is used to assess your fit for this and future positions and is not shared with third parties without your consent.