Senior Sustainable Development Goals Consultant

Result of Service The ultimate result of service for this consultancy would be to support the Ministry of Sustainable Development in preparing a high-quality VNR report and its presentation at the HLPF, including through multi-stakeholder engagement and formulation of policy recommendations for the SDG Summit.

Work Location Manama

Expected duration 3 Months

Duties and Responsibilities The Kingdom of Bahrain will be presenting its second Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in July 2023 that will take place in the lead-up to the Second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit in September 2023. The Ministry of Sustainable Development leads the VNR preparation and will be heading the delegation of the Government of Bahrain at the HLPF and SDG Summit. The Senior SDG Consultant is expected to work with the Ministry of Sustainable Development with the high-quality advice and consultancy services for organization of the VNR multi-stakeholder consultations, report drafting and preparation for the HLPF and SDG Summit. The tasks of the senior consultant include:

1. Leads substantive support to the Ministry of Sustainable Development in articulating and actively communicating country’s progress on SDGs implementation, articulated through VNR report and its main messages, which are prepared in line with the UN Handbook and Secretary-General’s recommendations for VNR preparation. 2. Provides strategic direction and leads analysis of country’s progress in implementing the SDG goals and targets, including the means of implementation and considering universal, integrated and interrelated nature of SDGs and the three dimensions of sustainable development. 3. Ensures effective guidance to ensure that VNR is open, inclusive, participatory and transparent through supporting reporting by major relevant stakeholders, and maintains a longer-term orientation, identifies achievements, challenges, gaps and critical success factors and supports the country in making informed policy choices. 4. Ensures that VNR is rigorous and based on evidence, informed by country-led evaluations and data which is high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts. 5. Establishes and promotes a people-centered, gender-sensitive approach to VNR process, with respect to human rights and leaving no one behind principles. 6. Ensures coherence in the different coordination bodies, including with government and UN taskforces and working groups.

All information, documents and materials which are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the assignment, will be treated by the senior consultant as confidential and used solely for the purposes of the assignment. The information shall not be disclosed to any third parties without the prior written consent of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and the UN Resident Coordination Office.

Qualifications/special skills A Master's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Economics, International Relations, or related area is required. A PhD in the above fields is desirable.

All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in conducting development research and providing policy advice is required. Excellent understanding of the SDGs, other relevant regional or global frameworks and their implications for sustainable development is required. Experience in building strategic alliances for development interventions and work with national governments is required. Advanced analytical, communication and presentation skills is required.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

For this position, fluency in English and Arabic is required.

Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

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.