Result of Service
Under the guidance and supervision of Human Settlements Officer (SDG localization and local government relations) and the Chief of the Urban Practices Branch, the consultant will contribute to the following objectives: i) global advocacy and capacity building; ii) knowledge development and research; iii) partnerships and project support. Work Location
Nairobi
Expected duration
8 months Duties and Responsibilities
Background
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. Based in Nairobi (Kenya), it is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. UN-Habitat is the lead agency within the UN system for coordinating activities in the field of human settlement development and the UN leading the collaboration with local and regional governments and their networks.
During the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2015, 193 Member States, convened at the Global Summit on Sustainable Development to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are universal and relevant to all Member States, from both the global north and global south. As demonstrated in the past years of implementation, it is widely acknowledged that the local level and local action are critical for the overall success of the 2030 Agenda – the SDGs need to be localized. This particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that highlighted the critical role of local governments in responding to the immediate health emergency and in planning the long-term recovery. In this context, to complement national SDG review processes including the Voluntary National Reviews, cities have been developing and increasingly using Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) as the main tool to monitor and report on their own SDG progress. The VLR global movement has grown exponentially and VLRs are emerging as critical instruments to accelerate the SDG localization process and to amplify the voice of local governments within international and UN-led fora.
As the UN Agency focal point to work with local and regional governments, UN-Habitat has supported VLRs through different workstreams and by intervening at different levels - local, national, and global: i) UN-Habitat has established strategic partnerships with the main UN and international partners working on VLRs and SDG localization, such as UNDESA, UN Regional Economic Commissions, as well as member states and local and regional governments globally; ii) UN-Habitat technically supports local governments across diverse regions to develop their VLRs; iii) as of knowledge development, UN- Habitat works alongside partners to provide local and regional governments with cutting-edge knowledge and learning opportunities on VLRs and SDG localization; iv) UN-Habitat advocates and builds capacities on sustainable local development and VLRs by organizing international events and peer learning opportunities. Finally, Voluntary Local Reviews are the cornerstone of UN-Habitat's comprehensive approach to SDG localization, anchored on three intertwined pillars on: the Global Urban Monitoring Framework; Voluntary Local Reviews; and SDG Cities Flagship Programme.
Reporting Line
This post is located the Urban Practices Branch of UN-Habitat and specifically within its SDG localization and local governments team. The incumbent will be supervised by the Human Settlements Officer coordinating the work of the team, and under direct supervision of the Chief of the Urban Practices Branch. The expert will work in proximity to the other members of the team as well as other units, sections and offices across the Agency.
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant’s main responsibility will be to support the activities of UN-Habitat’s SDG localization team, specifically in terms of (i) knowledge management, (ii) global advocacy and events, and (iii) partnership and project support.
The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
1. Global and regional advocacy
Responsibilities include:
• Monitor and identify strategic advocacy opportunities to advance and position the Team’s work on SDG localization, local governments and multilevel governance, in line with the Agency’s corporate priorities.
• Prepare the necessary documentation for the organization and planning of events and workshops, including for the mobilization of partners and participants (coordination; logistics etc).
• Provide technical guidance to the preparation of concept notes, tailoring substance and innovating narrative.
• Identify, propose and mobilize relevant speakers and participants to take part in the team’s advocacy efforts
• Monitor the UN-led intergovernmental process development and propose practical action plans for engagement
• Prepare talking points, session scenarios and all necessary documentation to support Senior Management’s participation in events and workshops
• Develop and continuously update the team’s events calendar
• Maintain a repository of information (including documents; hyperlinks; quotes) to support and update the team’s narrative on SDG localization, in coordination with the knowledge management and communication focal points
2. Knowledge development and capacity building
Responsibilities include:
• Provide technical inputs to the review of knowledge material linked to SDG localization, VLRs and multilevel governance, including global research on Voluntary Local Reviews.
• Provide technical guidance to the review of VLRs against SDG 11 targets and draft the team’s substantial contribution to the SDG 11 report prepared by UN-Habitat
• Provide substantial inputs to UN-Habitat corporate reports and official documents related to SDG localization and local governments such are UN-Habitat workplan, annual report of activities etc.
• Prepare informative material and communications to support the team’s work with Regional and Country Offices
• Provide technical inputs to the development of the team’s learning tools
3. Partnership and project support
Responsibilities include:
• Provide technical inputs to the development of project related documents on SDG localization and VLRs, such as PPTs, concept notes, background material etc.
• Update and maintain the list of partners of the team
• Develop a partnership strategy in coordination with the partnership focal point of the team with the scope of expanding the network of the team and explore new opportunities for funding
• In coordination with UPB office, develop a resources mobilization strategy for the team. Qualifications/special skills
Advanced university degree in Public Affairs, Political Science, Social Sciences, Urban Studies Social Sciences, Communications, Development Studies or other relevant area is required.
A minimum of two (2) years of relevant working experience on issues related to sustainable development, urban planning, local development and project management is required.
Working experience on the Agenda 2030 and the local implementation of the SDGs is desirable. Languages
Fluency in English is required for this specific consultancy. Knowledge of another UN official language, specifically Spanish (written and oral), is desirable.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
This vacancy is archived.