UN Lead Consultant - UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF)

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945, currently comprising 193 member states. Its mission is to promote peace, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and cooperation among countries, addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. The UN operates in multiple countries, including 14 Pacific Island Countries and Territories, with a focus on sustainable development and human rights. The organization employs thousands of individuals worldwide, working collaboratively to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Job Overview:
The UN Lead Consultant for the UNSDCF will play a pivotal role in formulating the UNSDCF for the period 2028-2032, which serves as the principal strategic framework for collective UN support to the Pacific Island Countries and Territories. This position requires a deep understanding of the UN's strategic priorities and the ability to align them with national and regional priorities. The consultant will lead the development of a results matrix that includes outcomes, outputs, indicators, baselines, targets, and means of verification, ensuring that all components are coherent and aligned with the Pacific and UN priorities. The consultant will also be responsible for engaging with various stakeholders, including governments and UN Country Teams, to ensure that the framework is grounded in principles such as Leave No One Behind (LNOB), Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA), Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE), and sustainability. The role demands strategic leadership, relationship management, and the ability to oversee the validation and finalization of the UNSDCF, ensuring that it meets the highest quality standards and reflects the inputs of diverse stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the UN Lead Consultant include:

• Serving as the primary focal point for the Fiji, Micronesia, and Samoa RCOs on all strategic, substantive, and relationship management matters concerning the UNSDCF assignment.
• Providing overall methodological leadership and maintaining coherence across the vision, Theory of Change, strategic priorities, results architecture, narrative, governance, and implementation arrangements.
• Advising Resident Coordinators, Heads of RCOs, and UN Country Teams on strategic choices, trade-offs, quality standards, and alignment with UNSDCF guidance.
• Leading engagement with UNCT and UN inter-agency groups, coordinating with relevant RCOs.
• Leading the review of the UNCT Vision Paper, Strategic Prioritization Workshop outcomes, and other agreed evidence and inputs.
• Developing and assuring the quality of the UNSDCF Results Matrix, ensuring it is technically robust and responsive to MCO and country-level priorities.
• Drafting and consolidating the full UNSDCF narrative and all mandatory sections, including the results framework and monitoring and evaluation plan.
• Designing and leading the overall validation approach with governments, UNCTs, and regional stakeholders.
• Overseeing the consolidation and tracking of comments, ensuring feedback is reflected consistently across the narrative and Results Matrix. 1
• Finalizing the UNSDCF 2028-2032 and preparing the accompanying executive presentation or slide deck. 1
• Providing substantive direction and quality review for the Junior Consultant while maintaining separate accountability. 1
• Escalating strategic risks and unresolved substantive issues to the appropriate authorities.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree in Development Studies, Public Policy, Economics, International Relations, Social Sciences, or a relevant field. Candidates must have a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible international experience in strategic planning, results-based management, and development cooperation. Demonstrated experience in leading the drafting or substantive preparation of UN Common Country Analyses, UNSDCFs, or equivalent UN strategic frameworks is essential. A strong record of developing results frameworks, Theory of Change, strategic narratives, governance arrangements, and monitoring and evaluation approaches is required. Additionally, candidates must have proven ability to advise senior stakeholders, manage complex multi-country relationships, facilitate high-level consultations, and resolve substantive differences. Excellent analytical, drafting, synthesis, facilitation, and presentation skills in English are mandatory, and Pacific regional experience is highly desirable.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in a relevant field such as Development Studies, Public Policy, Economics, International Relations, or Social Sciences. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of development cooperation and strategic planning within the UN framework.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible international experience in strategic planning, results-based management, and development cooperation. Candidates should have substantial experience leading the drafting or substantive preparation of UN Common Country Analyses, UNSDCFs, or equivalent UN strategic frameworks, demonstrating their capability to navigate complex multi-country relationships and engage with diverse stakeholders effectively.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position. Strong analytical and drafting skills in English are essential for the successful completion of the UNSDCF and related documentation. While English is the mandatory language, knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset, particularly in the context of engaging with diverse stakeholders in the Pacific region.

Additional Notes:
The expected duration of the consultancy is from November 1, 2026, to December 31, 202

• The consultant will work remotely and must personally perform the assignment without delegating or subcontracting services unless expressly authorized. The contract will be managed by the Fiji RCO, and deliverables will be reviewed and approved by the Heads of RCOs in Fiji, Micronesia, and Samoa. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process, ensuring a transparent and equitable hiring process.