Result of Service

The consultant will support the implementation of the SDG Cities Urban Governance Tool and the SDG Cities Legal Checklist by coordinating meetings with local and regional governments, providing technical expertise, developing and validating reports, and offering actionable recommendations for capacity-building. They will also manage the tool’s digital adaptation, lead its pilot in at least one city or country, and ensure effective promotion and stakeholder engagement. Additionally, the consultant will oversee project planning, budget management, and cross-unit collaboration to ensure successful tool deployment and integration into city-level action plans.

Work Location

Home Based

Expected duration

6 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. In addition, during the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, the Resolution on Localizing the SDGs received wide consensus where Member States further mandated UN-Habitat to strengthen the capacities of local and national governments on SDG data, reporting and integrated planning as well as on multilevel governance approaches for SDG localization. UN-Habitat is the UN focal point for work with local and regional governments and the custodian of the New Urban Agenda and has been at the forefront of SDG Localization since the very endorsement of the 2030 Agenda. Building on its operational capacities and technical leadership, the Agency developed the most integrated approach to localizing the SDGs in the UN system, working on three levels: 1) supporting cities through the SDG Cities Global Initiative; 2) supporting national governments to develop SDG Localization Frameworks; 3) and coordinating the SDG Cities Global Community and political engagement within the main UN and intergovernmental fora. UN-Habitat’s global footprint on SDG localization exceeds 20 countries, working through the UN system and in cooperation with the main UN and international partners. Most recently, UN-Habitat has been mandated to lead the two key UN mechanisms on SDG Localization and local governments: the Local2030 Coalition and the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments. The Policy, Legislation and Governance Section (PLGS), within the Urban Practices Branch, coordinates the Agency’s substantive, normative and operational work on various dimensions of Policy, Legislation and Governance, fostering high impact initiatives, programmes, and projects to deliver timely, fit-for-purpose and targeted solutions in these areas. The Section is currently supporting several countries, for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda by improving the overall policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks of urban development. Key areas of work include policy, legal and governance analysis of and support to countries in their reforms. To support the urban governance related work to be developed and implemented, the SDG Localization team and PLGS are working together to develop a series of tools, capacity building materials, and implementing the tools developed. Responsibilities The consultant’s main responsibility will be to support the activities of UN-Habitat’s SDG localization team and Policy, Legislation, and Governance Section, specifically in terms of i) the implementation of Urban Governance tool; ii). the implementation of Urban Legislation tool The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: 1. The Implementation of the SDG cities Urban Governance tool • Prepare and participate in coordination meetings with local and regional governments and other stakeholders, including preparing background materials such as PowerPoint presentations and agendas, taking minutes, and ensuring effective follow-up. • Provide technical expertise in the preparation of project activities, including tool implementation, survey modifications, and the provision of feedback. • Develop urban governance institutional capacity reports for local and regional governments, coordinate validation meetings to review findings, and incorporate feedback to finalize and improve the reports. • Provide actionable city-level recommendations, suggest tailored capacity-building materials, and support their integration into project action plans. • Coordinate the planning and implementation of projects, including budget and administrative processes. 2. The Implementation of the SDG Cities Legal Checklist • Revise and update the tool based on feedback and suggestions to ensure relevance and effectiveness. • Coordinate the tool digitization process, including testing the digital version, making necessary adjustments, and supporting system updates to enhance user-friendliness and compatibility with tool upgrades. • Lead the tool pilot in at least one city or country, organizing preparatory workshops to introduce the tool, generating reports, and validating the findings. • Coordinate cross-unit collaboration, managing workplans, facilitating tool reviews, and promoting the exchange of expertise across relevant teams. • Support the promotion and launch of the tool to ensure effective outreach and stakeholder engagement. Reporting Line. The Urban Governance Consultant will work within the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section, backstopped by the SDG Localization team, UN-Habitat. He/she will be directly supervised by the Legal Specialist, PLGS, UN-Habitat, and overall supervision by the Coordinator, SDG Localization and Local Governments Team & SDG Cities Flagship, UN-Habitat.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree in law, governance, development studies, urban planning, geography, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree with 2 years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Working experience on issues related to sustainable development, urban planning, or governance 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 is an asset.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.