All Things Urban

The United Nations Development Programme works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 commits the organization to help countries find faster, more durable solutions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and address long-standing, complex challenges, such as urbanization, climate change, and rising inequalities that may impede achievement of Agenda 2030. Among the new generation of solutions launched by UNDP is the Accelerator Lab Network. Aiming to build the largest and fastest learning global network embedded in its bureaucracy, UNDP has set up Accelerator Labs in an initial set of 60 countries, including the Philippines. The labs are tasked to pursue interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd in the collective efforts of variety of partners and tap into local insights and the knowledge of people closest to the problem and the solutions. Through the Accelerator Labs, UNDP aims to introduce a range of new services to partners—including sensemaking, collective intelligence, solutions mapping, and experimentation—to accelerate the testing and dissemination of solutions within and across countries. With the arrival of the COVID-19 virus, cities are on the frontline of both the current phase of managing and coping with the immediate effects of virus transmission as well as being confronted with the challenge of recovery and resilience planning. UNDP Philippines led by the Accelerator Lab team has been engaging with two cities in Metro Manila – Pasig and Marikina – to develop a program of support based around the concept of “strategic risk management”.[1] The COVID context makes such work more urgent but with the ongoing community quarantine in the Philippines, the mode of delivery and content of the planned training sessions would need to reviewed and revised. The focus of UNDP’s support is to enable selected cities in Metro Manila to futureproof and accelerate sustainable development impact through dynamic management of strategic risks, opportunities and innovation. It aims to empower city leaders and their teams by providing a series of strategic options to better understand the key risks they are facing and exploit the transformative opportunities available to them and ultimately increase their effectiveness in creating citizen centered, livable and sustainable city spaces. This is anchored in the view of strengthening democracy and scaling participatory governance, while ensuring that no one is left behind. UNDP requires the services of a Sustainable Cities Specialist as an individual consultant (IC) with deep local knowledge and experience of urban issues and strong partner networks to provide analysis and advice to both the CO and the private sector partner implementing the program of technical assistance based in the two cities being currently supported under the project.

The IC shall support the ALab team in undertaking operations related to project management, partnership engagement, research and knowledge management of the #NextGenCities Philippines initiative. In particular: 1. Strategic engagement – strengthening city partnerships and relationship management, including: a. Engagement with and securing commitment of city champions for #NextGenCities activities; b. Provide strategic entry points to engage a diverse range of external partners across sectors i.e. government, development partners, private sector, academic partners and unusual partners; c. Mapping stakeholders, capabilities and advocacies for programmatic synergies; d. Other related support. 2. Experiment design and knowledge management – contribute technical expertise and analysis for cities programming through: a. Provision of technical analysis and insights into #NextGenCities programming and reference to related case studies, literature, policies, academic research, data and other materials; b. Facilitate co-design of experiment portfolio between international expertise and local champions; c. Drafting of policy notes, strategic briefs, presentations, communication materials, and other materials; d. Other related support. 3. Project management and operational support – planning and implementation of #NextGenCities activities, through: a. Lead coordination with international consultants, responsible parties and grantees; b. Organization and documentation of activities such as field missions, workshops, training, meetings, etc.; c. Compliance with management requirements and progress tracking; d. Other related support.

Duty station is Manila. The expected duration of the assignment is 90 working days between 29 June to 30 November 2020, unless revised in a mutually agreed upon timetable between the Consultant, ALab PH Head of Exploration, and IAT-SPA. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work and travel of the Individual consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local and national government. Field work, trainings, meetings, and coordination shall be done in compliance with community quarantine policies.

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