JOB DESCRIPTION

Result of Service

Under the guidance and supervision of Human Settlements Officer (SDG localization and local government) and the Chief of the Urban Practices Branch, the consultant will contribute to the following objectives: 1) Knowledge management 2) Web development and maintenance

Work Location

Nairobi

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 second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in June 2023, Member States endorsed the Resolution on Localizing the SDGs mandating UN-Habitat to strengthen the capacities of local and national governments on SDG data, planning and reporting as well as on multilevel governance for SDG localization. UN-Habitat’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan also identifies Participatory Multilevel Governance and SDG Localization as one of the five Means of Implementation to deliver on the corporate strategic focus on adequate housing, land, and basic services for all, and the transformation of informal settlements and slums. The position is located in UN-Habitat’s SDG Localization and Local Governments Team within the Global Solutions Division (GSD). The Global Solutions Division is responsible for providing 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 Global Solutions Division hosts the Local 2030 Coalition’s Secretariat and coordinates UN-Habitat’s work on SDG Localization through the SDG Localization and Local Governments Team. UN-Habitat’s SDG Localization and Local Governments Team works under umbrella of the Local2030 Coalition and coordinates UN-Habitat’s corporate offering and global portfolio on SDG Localization, including the SDG Cities Global Initiative (Flagship 5). The SDG Cities Initiative supports cities in creating integrated solutions that drive progress across multiple SDGs, ensuring cohesive and scalable urban development addressing challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. It does so by leveraging the potential of data for evidence-based decision-making, fostering cities’ access to finance, while the potential of data for evidence-based decision-making, fostering cities’ access to finance, while building their overall institutional capacities. Building on the Agency’s operational capacities and technical leadership, the SDG Localization and Local Governments Team coordinates UN-Habitat’s delivery across three levels: 1) advancing city-level transformation through SDG Cities; 2) supporting national governments to develop SDG Localization Country Frameworks, through the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs; 3) advancing the global dialogue on SDG Localization through the SDG Cities Global Community and direct engagement within the main UN fora. UN-Habitat”s vison on SDG Localization aims to impact the lives of 1 billion people by promoting transformative change in 50 countries and 1000 cities Duties and Responsibilities The consultant”s main responsibility will be to deliver on specific activities related to UN-Habitat”s SDG localization. Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: Knowledge Management In coordination with Regional and Country Offices, corporate communications unit and the monitoring and evaluation unit of UN-Habitat:

• Develop and maintain a central repository of data and resources on SDG localization, to ensure the agency can easily access up-to-date evidence and examples
• Track and systematize the practices, solutions, activities of UN-Habitat work on SDG Localization, compiling information and translating it into usable statistics, dashboards, and progress updates.
• Monitor the pipeline of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), keeping an up-to-date record of global developments and contributions, connected to the online UN-Habitat VLR repository.
• Monitor progress on multilevel governance, by tracking elements such as MLG mechanisms, inclusive policies and UN-Habitat/UN project implementation.
• Support the monitoring of the implementation of the new UN-Habitat Strategic Plan including relevant data on city development and multilevel governance for monitoring Means of Implementation 2.
• Maintain and regularly update UN-Habitat SDG Localization database, including partner/donor/contact lists, and shared access (accounts and passwords), ensuring accuracy, security, and accessibility. Web development and maintenance Under the umbrella of Local2030 and UN-Habitat corporate communications:
• Drive the design, development, and population of the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs Knowledge Repository, including drafting mockups, content collection and organization of content, hosting the webpage within the existing SDG Localization website, ultimately establishing the fully functional Knowledge repository.
• Review, maintain, and oversee updates to the SDG Localization website, ensuring user-friendliness and technical soundness Act as the bridge with professional web developers, providing them with precise briefs, mock-ups, and feedback to ensure technical changes reflect the team’s goals.
• Lead the integration of the SDG Localization website within UN-Habitat’s corporate website ensuring that content, structure, and design are aligned with the Agency’s long-term vision.
• Work with the Local2030 Coalition to align the UN-Habitat SDG Localization website to the Local2030 revamped website.
• Facilitate reviews with colleagues at key stages of all web updates, ensuring collective ownership and coherence in the final outputs.

Qualifications/special skills

University Degree in communications; marketing and web development or other relevant area is required. A minimum of two (2) years of relevant working experience on issues related to sustainable development, local development and communications is required. Proven experience in digital communications and web development.

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.