Principal Director, Public Private Partnership (GMG/SEG 6)

Job Purpose

The incumbent is responsible for co-ordinating, managing and evaluating the financial implications of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) through the provision of high quality and timely advice, reviews and analyses of PPP proposals and/or business plans, primarily to DFS-PED, the Financial Secretary and the Minister so as to allow for the Government to capitalize on Private Sector expertise and finances to facilitate the efficient and effective delivery of services and assets in a fiscally responsible manner. Collaborates with the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) to effectively structure and implement PPPs, as well as identify and mitigate GOJ’s exposure to fiscal risks and contingent liabilities. 

Key Responsibilities

• Oversees the assessment of the MOFPS’s PPP Function/Programme to minimise fiscal exposure for all PPP initiatives, and leads MOFPS participation at all stages of the PPP process by: 
  • representing the MOFPS in the review process to ensure that projects are well substantiated, meets eligibility criteria for consideration as a PPP; 
  • reviewing analyses done by other Agencies and Consultants to ensure that these are of high quality and consistent with GOJ imperatives to inform advice given to MOFPS’s internal and external stakeholders; 
  • reviewing and evaluating fiscal reports from PPP Contract Managers, in order to advise MOFPS’s internal and external stakeholders; 
  • overseeing PPP-related processes to lead to positive fiscal impacts being accorded appropriate weight in prioritising candidate PPP projects, and negative fiscal impacts are scrutinised; 
  • overseeing the fiscal aspects of the PPP projects so that GOJ achieves value for money and/or assessing value for money quotient by evaluating the proposed PPP against “Public Sector Comparator”; and, 
  • identifying and mitigating all sources of fiscal risks, contingent liabilities that may negatively impact the GOJ’s planned economic programme. 
• Represents the Ministry in the Gateway Review Process undertaken by the Technical Review Committee of the Public Investment Appraisal Branch/ DBJ to ensure that projects satisfy the required criteria and that Cabinet Submissions present the projects as needed for Cabinet to make an informed decision; 
• Contributes to compiling of PPP matters/subject contributions to GOJ’s Annual Fiscal Policy Statement for presentation to Parliament; 
• Maintains close working relationships with counterparts at a comparable level in:
  • The Privatization and PPP Unit in the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ)
  • Sector Ministries, Departments and Agencies that are developing PPPs 
• Makes recommendations on the structuring of investment proposals based on a review of attendant clauses in Business Cases with respect to considerations of potentially destabilising outcomes for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), public bodies, and, ultimately, the GOJ and its fiscal programme; 
• Leads on-going discussions, and promotes general consensus, with the Deputy Financial Secretaries of the Public Expenditure (PEX), Economic Management (EMD) and Taxation Policy (TPD) Divisions regarding Government’s economic programme and available fiscal space for PPPs; 
• Directs the PPP programme within the MOFPS such that other divisions:
• Are informed about matters concerning PPP transactions that affect their area of responsibility; and, 
  • Produce information, comments and decisions required from them on PPPs, in a timely manner. 
• Ensures that PPP projects are prepared for competitive market bidding in such a way that all financial and risk components are adequately identified, quantified and allocated in a manner consistent with prescribed methodologies; 
• Collaborates with DBJ on the PPP framework development in order to guide line ministries at all stages of a project lifecycle including mechanisms to result in the: 
  • development of Standard PPP Contract Provisions; 
  • preparation of initial project investment proposals for projects that could be suitable for PPP; 
  • appointment of transaction advisors to assist in the project preparation feasibility study; 
  • feasibility study of adequate quality for review; 
  • financing structure being sound; 
  • bidding documents being suitable for market issuance; 
  • assistance being given to line ministries with bidding processes and bidder;
  • assistance being given to line ministries with negotiation and award of the PPP contract; and, 
  • assistance being given to line Ministries with contract management. 
• Oversees monitoring and evaluation framework for fiscal risks across the government’s portfolio of PPP projects, including receiving and assessing quarterly risk reports from government entities with active PPP projects; 
• Monitors fiscal risk across the government’s portfolio of PPP projects by:
  • receiving and assessing quarterly risk reports from government entities with active PPP projects; and, 
  • promptly escalating notification to FS and Minister when the fiscal cost of a project has changed or is likely to change. 
• Directs the risk identification process so that all fiscal commitments required by candidate PPP projects are identified early including ensuring the: 
  • identification, and proper calculation of ‘expected’ and ‘worst case’ values of any fiscal commitments re highlighted in business cases and other decision documents on PPP that are submitted to Cabinet in order to mitigate fiscal risks attendant to projects being executed under the PPP Programme; 
  • analyses and evaluations of economic costs and benefits for requests from other agencies for PPP projects to lead to the formulation of advice to Government on whether it would be beneficial for the country to pursue certain projects; and, 
  • development of an appropriate mitigating action framework and guides its implementation as necessary. 
• Directs rigorous economic, financial and value for money assessments to drive decision making on PPPs, and ensure consistency and compliance with the Government of Jamaica’s fiscal constraints by ensuring that:
  • all fiscal commitments required by candidate PPP projects are identified early in the process; 
  • economic and financial analyses are conducted and appropriate prominence is given in decisions relating to PPPs; 
  • appropriate weights are allocated in prioritising candidate PPP projects with positive fiscal impact and scrutinise those with negative impacts; 
  • the following analyses are carried out to determine possibility for value for money with respect to proposed PPP projects: 
• ? economic costs and benefits analysis 
• ? fiscal risk analysis 
• ? expected fiscal costs and benefits analysis 
  • all sources of fiscal risks and liabilities that may negatively impact the GOJ’s planned economic programme are identified, as far as possible. 
• Develops and implements mechanisms to ensure that fiscal commitments related to PPPs are appropriately budgeted for, appropriated, and reported on; 
• Prepares briefs for the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Public Service (HMOFPS) on the development of PPP for assigned sector/infrastructure, as required; 
• Prepares and submits Ministry Papers and Cabinet Submissions and Notes, as well as papers, to outline the perspective and/or position and/or advice of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service on PPPs; 
• Collaborates with wider MOFPS Team to provide timely and sound advice to Cabinet and the PPP Branch, DBJ on PPP issues, including notifying HMOFP immediately, where assessments reveal that the fiscal cost of a project has changed, or is likely to change, or risk reports are not received by the PPP Unit; 
• Comments and/or makes recommendations on Cabinet Submissions from MDAs on PPP activities, in collaboration with the DBJ PPP Unit, to ensure that Cabinet is properly advised to make informed decision; 
• Liaises with other Divisions/Departments/Agencies within the MOFPS to ensure such entities:
  • remain informed about matters PPP transactions that affect their areas of responsibility; and, 
  • provide information, comments and decisions required from them on PPPs in a complete and timely manner. 
• Provides general and specific guidance on PPP matters to: 
  • Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other Public Bodies 
  • MOFPS stakeholders 
  • Enterprise Team and Consultants 
• Guides the Enterprise Team on interpretation of GOJ’s Procurement Regulations, Policies and Guidelines, as well as on GOJ’s accounting for PPP transactions; 
• Advises Enterprise Teams regarding clauses to exclude in PPP contracts that are not aligned with GOJ’s fiscal programme. 
  • Includes informing PPP Enterprise Teams regarding GOJ’s agreements with International Agencies/Multilateral Institutions so there is knowledge as to what concessions, if any, are available and can be given to a particular project; 

Required Knowledge, Skills and Competencies

• Masters’ Degree in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Business Administration, Public Policy or equivalent qualification from recognised Tertiary Institution 
• Five (5) years’ experience at the Senior Management level in the Public Sector, to include experience in providing policy advice and direction, leading PPPs, and public policy coordination across a number of Sectors/Industries. 
• Certification in Project Management and/or PPP Certification. 
• Specialised training in PPP management/value for money analyses, financial modelling, economic cost benefit analysis and investment analysis, policy analysis, and/or related modern statistical techniques and approaches. 

OR 

• Bachelors’ Degree in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Business Administration, Public Policy or equivalent qualification from recognised Tertiary Institution 
• Eight (8) years’ experience at the Senior Management level in the Public Sector, to include experience in providing policy advice and direction, leading PPPs, and public policy co-ordination across a number of Sectors/Industries. 
• Certification in Project Management and/or PPP Certification. 
• Specialised training in PPP management/value for money analyses, financial modelling, economic cost benefit analysis and investment analysis, policy analysis, and/or related modern statistical techniques and approaches.

Minimum Required Qualification and Experience

• Pressured working conditions with numerous critical deadlines. 
• Long hours of work, periodic, as required 

Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.