Technical Support to Strengthen the SDG Coordinating Mechanism in Saint Lucia

Result of Service The main objective of the consultancy is to provide support to the Government of Saint Lucia, to strengthen the national coordinating mechanism for the implementation of the SDGs. It is envisaged that this consultancy will result in an improved coordinating mechanism that is more functional and effective to accelerate Saint Lucia’s progress towards attainment of the SDGs. It will also provide concrete recommendations on other key relevant tactical strategies to fast-track SDG implementation in Saint Lucia.

The consultant would be expected to complete the following tasks, inter alia:

1. Diagnostic assessment and gap analysis (10 working days) Working closely with the Department of Sustainable Department and the Department of Economic Development, the consultant will: - Undertake a thorough review of existing relevant information and reports, paying particular attention to making recommendations and conclusions; - Consult with key stakeholders, including but not limited to the existing members of the coordination committees; and - Conduct research to identify relevant best practices and applicable guidelines.

2. Presentation of preliminary findings and recommendations (12 working days) Based on the gap analysis undertaken above, the consultant shall facilitate a validation workshop with the following two groups respectively: - Highest / Political level – Ministers /parliamentarians - Senior technical level – Permanent secretaries and senior technical officers. The presentation should be based on a draft report that comprises, inter alia: - Key findings and recommendations for a strengthened national SDG coordinating mechanism; - A schematic to illustrate the proposed improved institutional architecture; and - Proposed strategies to support the effective functioning of the coordinating mechanism, and consequently accelerate SDG progress in Saint Lucia. The draft report should be shared at least a week before the workshop.

3. Final Report (8 working days) Based on feedback obtained and recommendations made at the consultations, as well as findings from Task 1 (above), the consultant shall prepare a reader-friendly and actionable report, which contains: - Clear and concise recommendations for a strengthened national SDG coordinating mechanism - A schematic to illustrate the proposed improved institutional architecture; and - Proposed strategies to support the effective functioning of the coordinating mechanism, and consequently accelerate SDG progress in Saint Lucia

Work Location Castries, St Lucia

Expected duration The consultancy is expected to commence in September 2022 and be completed by November 2022. A total of 30 working days is estimated for this consultancy. The consultant must ensure that the entire process of the exercise will be completed within a six-week timeframe.

Duties and Responsibilities The 2030 Agenda prescribes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which relate to different dimensions of sustainability and accentuates the need for an inclusive and localized approach to the SDGs. The SDGs are designed to address 169 related targets, with a total of 232 indicators developed to assess progress in meeting the goals. As such, the 17 SDGs are very comprehensive in their scope, and are also strongly interconnected. Therefore, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda necessitates a multi-stakeholder process, requiring concerted efforts from all levels of government, propelled by strong leadership at the highest level.

Saint Lucia has made reasonable strides towards attainment of the SDGs . Pursuant to adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015, the Government of Saint Lucia (GoSL) convened a subcommittee of permanent secretaries, to review the sustainable development goals and attendant targets. The review gave rise to the conclusion, that there was a need to establish a monitoring and evaluation framework for the SDGs; and to develop a coordinating mechanism amongst ministries for reporting on SDGs.

Accordingly, in 2017 the GoSL established its National Coordination Mechanism for the 2030 Agenda. It comprises an SDG Cabinet Sub-Committee of Ministers (CSC) who provide policy guidance to the Sustainable Development Goals National Coordinating Committee (SDGNCC) - the governing committee tasked to guide the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs in Saint Lucia. Soon after its establishment, the SDGNCC engaged in a sensitization campaign to raise awareness of the 2030 Agenda across public sector institutions.

Notwithstanding these strides, in more recent times, the momentum of the coordinating mechanism has diminished. Moreover, several key SDG assessments and reviews conducted for Saint Lucia also highlight the need to recalibrate the institutional architecture for national coordination of the SDGs, to ensure greater functionality and more effective coordination. With only seven years away from the established SDG milestone (2030), the need to strengthen the coordinating mechanism to propel and accelerate SDG implementation cannot be overemphasized.

Qualifications/special skills Competency: - Capacity to gather and critically analyze information - Sound knowledge of the SDGs and related targets and indicators; - Demonstrated analytical and conceptual ability, good communication and facilitation skills; Academic Qualifications: Advanced University degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Sustainable Development International Development, Law or related area Experience: - Minimum 7 years progressive experience in public service, sustainable development programming, strategic planning, or project management - Demonstrated experience in providing technical assistance to strengthen institutional arrangements - Experience of carrying out program and organizational assessments, audits, and reviews. - Experience of participatory research methodologies. - Demonstrated track record of delivering high quality written outputs on time in a consultancy environment; - Experience with SDG programming within the Caribbean context Language: - Excellent writing skills in English

Additional Information Travel may be applicable if the consultant resides outside of Saint. Lucia

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.