Overview
Provides high-level technical expertise and policy advice to governments and stakeholders on the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The role focuses on strengthening multi-level governance, integrating local dimensions into national strategies, and enhancing capacity development for SDG implementation.
Key Responsibilities
- Provides policy advice online and/or through short-term field missions to Governments and other relevant stakeholders in developing countries upon their request on aspects of (a) Providing policy advice to national and local governments on strengthening multi-level governance frameworks and applying the principle of subsidiarity, ensuring that responsibilities for SDG implementation are effectively distributed across national, regional, and local levels of government, in line with the principles of effective governance for sustainable development; (b) Supporting governments in integrating the local dimension of the SDGs into national development strategies, planning processes, and public policies, including mechanisms that promote coordination between central and subnational authorities; (c) Strengthening the capacity of local and regional authorities to design, implement, and monitor SDG-related policies and programmes, including through capacity development initiatives, knowledge-sharing, and peer learning; (d) Advising on institutional arrangements and governance mechanisms that enhance vertical and horizontal policy coherence, enabling effective collaboration between national ministries, local governments, and other stakeholders; (e) Promoting innovative approaches to local public service delivery, including digital services and participatory governance mechanisms that improve responsiveness, inclusion, and accountability at the local level; (f) Supporting the development of tools, indicators, and monitoring frameworks to track progress on SDG localization, including local reporting mechanisms; (g) Facilitating regional and inter-regional knowledge exchange on local governance and SDG localization, identifying good practices and lessons learned that can be scaled across countries and regions.
- Monitors, studies and analyzes the trends and best practices on localization of the SDGs and prepares policy advisory notes to inform governments as well as feed into the intergovernmental process.
- Contributes to the design/redesign of national policies and strategies upon requests from developing countries for localization of the SDGs and for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and/or other relevant international norms and standards.
- Participates in the design and development of capacity development programmes, projects and activities at national, regional and global levels and contributes to implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as reporting on these initiatives.
- Ensures implementation of gender mainstreaming guidelines by assessing the implications for men and women of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels.
- Makes substantive contributions to global/regional/sub-regional/national workshops, seminars, colloquia, and other training events, including proposals concerning agenda topics, possible participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
- Contributes to the Department's resource mobilization strategies, notably as far as extra-budgetary funding is concerned.
- Develops and updates training materials for the areas covered in capacity development activities for the use by different stakeholders.
- Undertakes survey initiatives; guides design of data collection instruments; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions.
- Liaises with relevant professional networks and makes relevant external capacity development resources available to DESA.
- Establishes and nurtures close relationships with various stakeholders in view of creating partnerships and an active network on the localization of the SDGs.
- Provides inputs for the normative and advocacy functions of the Division based on the capacity development expertise.
- Assumes other tasks in the area of expertise and in line with capacity development guidance as requested by the supervisor.
Required Experience
A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience within the UN development system and/or related to operational activities for the development of the UN system in the area of localization of the SDGs is required. At least five (5) years of experience in governance and public institutions, with a focus on local governance and SDG implementation is required. At least four (4) years of professional experience in advisory work in developing countries (including transition countries), preferably in more than one region, is required. Ability to mobilize funds and partnerships in support of capacity development activities is required. Experience in international technical cooperation and capacity development is required. Experience in developing policy guidance on localization of the SDGs is desirable.
Qualifications
An advanced university degree (Master's or Doctorate degree, or equivalent) in in public administration, local development, public policy, political science, or related fields is required.
