Result of ServiceUnder the guidance and supervision of the Deputy Head of the Secretariat, the consultant will contribute to the following objectives: (i) Strengthening interagency coordination: Working groups and task forces (ii) Advancing localization strategies in global policy and thematic agendas, and (iii) Shaping strategic policy messaging and knowledge products of the Coalition. Work LocationGeneva, Switzerland Expected duration12 Months Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackgroud The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. Based in Nairobi (Kenya), UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities – promoting urbanization as a positive, transformative force for people and communities and reducing inequality, discrimination, and poverty. This position is located in the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat, within UN-Habitat’s Global Solutions Division. The Global Solutions Division provides programmatic direction for UN-Habitat and is responsible and accountable for the programmatic delivery of the Strategic Plan. The Division leads the tools and methodology production and the integration of the various substantive competencies towards the effective delivery of the Strategic Plan and the mandate of UN- Habitat. It provides substantive training and supports capacity development of Member States and partners. The Local 2030 Coalition is the United Nations System platform to accelerate the localization of the 2030 Agenda, enhancing coherence, efficiency, and the impact of UN action. 14 UN entities drive the Coalition, co-chaired by UN-Habitat and FAO, ensuring that the UN system is equipped to articulate global goals and national policies with local contexts, needs, and priorities, while securing a single and powerful UN approach to localization. Through its five Constituencies - National and Local and Regional Governments, Civil Society and Academia, the Private sector, and Youth – the Local2030 Coalition is also a bridge between the United Nations and local development stakeholders, co-creating solutions for systemic transformation, with a focus on those furthest behind. Concretely, the Coalition’s members, Constituencies, and partners join forces to: 1. Ensure the continuous engagement of local stakeholders in the design and implementation of development agendas, tailoring global processes to local realities. 2. Build capacities in the UN system and beyond to mainstream localization and accelerate the SDGs. 3. Scale up contextualized innovative actions and financing solutions, increasing local impact for territorial transformation. 4. Enhance data analysis and inform multilevel-multistakeholder dialogue for collective review of sustainable development processes. Reporting Line. This consultant is to report to the Deputy-Head of the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat. Duties and Responsibilities The consultant's main responsibility will be to deliver specific strategic results and outputs related to strategic policy and knowledge outputs, as well as interagency coordination mechanisms of the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat. Specifically, the consultant will manage the following responsibilities: 1. Strengthening interagency coordination: Working groups and task forces • Oversee the coordination between the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat and the Coalition working groups and task forces, serving as the principal liaison and ensuring strategic alignment with the Coalition priorities. • Lead the conceptualization, drafting, and interagency coordination of the Local2030 Policy Brief series, ensuring relevance to global policy processes. • Chair and facilitate interagency meetings, providing strategic direction and ensuring alignment with Coalition priorities and thematic workstreams. • Provide expert guidance and oversight on the development and refinement of concepts, tools, strategies, and policy options related to localizing and financing the localization of the SDGs. • Ensure integration of working group and task force outputs into key Coalition initiatives and global frameworks (e.g. the Seville Platform for Action (SPA) and WSSD2, COP outcomes). • Oversee the incorporation of working group and task force outputs into UN capacity-building and financing strategies, ensuring applicability to UN Country Teams (UNCTs), local actors, and key partners. • Identify and leverage strategic opportunities to elevate working group and task force contributions in key UN processes, global events, and interagency platforms. • Guide efforts to promote and scale transformative local solutions, both programmatic and financial, ensuring coherence with relevant global mechanisms and processes. • Ensure alignment between interagency outputs and other Coalition tools, training modules, and approaches (e.g., the Bilbao Bootcamp). • Curate, assess, and structure high-value resources and tools for dissemination through the Coalition’s online repository. • Provide oversight and guidance to junior colleagues supporting the operations and outputs of the relevant interagency bodies. • Coordinate closely with Secretariat staff to ensure Working Group inputs are systematically incorporated into key Coalition processes and deliverables, such as the Seville Platform for Action (SPA) on Localized Financing. Deliverables: • Finalized Work Plan for Working Groups and Task Forces, including objectives, milestones, and pilot plans. • Expert Group Meeting report, synthesizing discussions and aligning outputs with broader interagency messaging. • Policy Brief on localizing the SDG transitions, with actionable recommendations for promotion at UN High Level Events, such as HLPF and WUF. • Develop action strategies and ensure their updates to reflect working group inputs and outline next steps for implementation in alignment with other global fora. • Comprehensive mapping of UN agencies’ localization capacity-building efforts and tools. • Gap analysis & recommendations report identifying capacity gaps and proposing collaborative solutions across agencies and regions. • Operational roster of experts established to support tailored capacity-building and mentorship initiatives. • Structure for online repository of Coalition tools, resources, and case studies. • Knowledge products, including key messages for UN leadership and documentation of lessons learned and case studies from localization events. • Pilot country engagement plan outlining joint approaches to advance SDG localization and interagency collaboration. 2. Advance localization strategies in global thematic agendas • Lead the Local2030 Coalition’s engagement across priority thematic tracks (e.g. Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus), ensuring strategic alignment with UN system developments and coordination with key partners and global agendas. • Identify and leverage strategic opportunities to amplify localization efforts, align with member agency initiatives, and influence financing and policy practices toward locally led approaches. • Serve as the Coalition’s focal point for coordination with thematic interagency platforms and relevant UN entities. • Design and implement mechanisms to integrate thematic localization strategies with UN system-wide goals and partner initiatives. • Develop high-impact messaging and positioning strategies for global events and donor dialogues to elevate the Coalition’s leadership in thematic localization and locally led action. • Establish and manage strategic partnerships with thematic actors and networks advancing localization across sectors. Deliverables: • Strategic roadmap outlining the Coalition’s internal vision, priorities, and pathways for advancing SDG localization in selected topic(s) (e.g., HDP) aligned with global frameworks, interagency agendas, and UN80 reform principles to ensure coherence with emerging UN integration and efficiency objectives. • Compendium of models and case studies highlighting innovative and scalable approaches to localization in relevant context(s) and sector(s). • Coalition engagement plan detailing external coordination mechanisms, focal points, resources and needs, and priority partnerships to support implementation of SDG-related localization strategies in certain themes. • Strategy proposal aligned with the SPA, WSSD2, and COP outcomes outlining policy implementation pathways through strategic partnerships to strengthen support for local actors in achieving the SDGs. 3. Strategic policy messaging and knowledge products • Translate Coalition policy recommendations into high-level messaging and tailored localization knowledge products for strategic dialogues and global policy platforms. • Draft complex concept notes, strategic frameworks, and agenda-setting materials for high-level Coalition engagements to shape external positioning and influence in global policy spaces. • Review and provide expert input on project proposals and initiatives to ensure integration of localization principles and thematic strategies aligned with global agendas. • Develop high-level briefs articulating strategic insights and priorities to inform governance meetings and interagency decision-making. • Ensure coherence of policy messaging across Coalition initiatives (e.g., humanitarian, development, finance, and climate tracks), maintaining alignment with global priorities and UN reform agendas. • Lead and contribute to the development of internal strategic documents that guide Coalition approaches to localization across sectors and inform alignment with global policy frameworks. • Coordinate and refine interagency inputs to complex strategic reports and high-impact publications that guide Coalition positioning and policy direction. Deliverables: • Strategic synthesis of key messages and policy implications to inform Coalition positioning and interagency coordination. • Assessments of Joint SDG Fund Seed Funding project proposals with recommendations for improved localization integration • Expert review and input on updates to key Coalition tools, including, but not limited to, the Bilbao Blueprint and Localization Marker 2.0, and their related training and capacity building materials. Qualifications/special skillsAn advanced university degree in public affairs, political science, social sciences, urban studies, social sciences, development studies, or other relevant areas is required • A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant working experience in research, knowledge, and normative development is required. • A minimum of five (5) years of relevant working experience on the 2030 Agenda and the local implementation of the SDGs and issues related to sustainable development, local development, multi-stakeholder engagement, and project management is required. • A minimum of two (2) years of experience coordinating working groups, task forces, or international multi-stakeholder platforms is required. • Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in working with multi-lateral organizations will be highly valued. Languages• Fluency in English is required for this specific consultancy. • Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.