Consultant - Strengthening Digital Learning and Engagement for Financing for Small Island Developing States (FINS)

Result of ServiceThe ultimate result of the service is an enhanced and more accessible digital knowledge platform under the FINS initiative, designed to support policymakers and financing practitioners particularly in requested countries and SIDS through improved capacity-building resources. This includes a restructured FINS website with better navigation and organization of INFF-related materials, a suite of high-quality instructional and explainer videos tailored to SDG Budget Tagging and financing strategies, and integrated accessibility features such as subtitles and transcripts. The service also delivers an analysis of stakeholder engagement and the effectiveness of the materials, providing strategic recommendations to strengthen future communication and training efforts under the FINS and INFF frameworks. Work LocationNew-York Expected duration8 Months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS) recognizes the importance of strengthening the links between public policy planning and financing to increase the expenditure efficiency of public resources. The Financing for Small Island Developing States (FINS), a United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) pilot initiative, aims to support targeted Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in strengthening their capacity to mobilize and align financing with their national priorities using the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFFs) approach. INFFs help to lay out the full range of financing sources – domestic and international sources of both public and private finance – and allows countries to develop a strategy to increase investment, manage risks and achieve sustainable development priorities, as identified in a country’s national plan. INFFs are developed and implemented through four building blocks: assessment and diagnostics, financing strategy, monitoring and review, governance and coordination. Each building block represents a critical component in building national capacity to strategically plan and manage the financing of sustainable development actions. Designing and implementing activities within each of these building blocks is an iterative process, with progress in each building block reinforcing the development of the others. The Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO) of UNDESA seeks to engage a consultant to strengthen knowledge accessibility and capacity-building efforts through digital content. The consultant will work closely on the FINS initiative, focusing on improving the FINS website at https://financing.desa.un.org/capacity-development/topics/fins, developing comprehensive digital training materials, and strengthening stakeholder engagement to ensure accessibility of FINS training resources to support policymakers in requested countries. Work Assignments: Under the supervision of the Inter-Regional Adviser on Financing for Sustainable Development and in collaboration with staff, interns and other consultants in the office, the consultant will: 1. Improve FINS Knowledge Accessibility & Website Structure • Assess and enhance the structure, usability, and navigation of the FINS website. • If there are code changes or new modules used to improve the website structure, the revised site will need to go through the United Nations Office of Information and Communications (OICT) security to go live. The consultant will need to work with the United Nations Strategic Planning and Communication Services (SPCS) and the United Nations Global Service Centre (GSC) colleagues to do the deployment on both development and production environments. 2. Develop training materials • Lead the production of SDG budget tagging and tailored FINS training videos. • Coordinate with subject matter experts to ensure the training content aligns with relevant methodologies and policy priorities. • Develop explainer videos to communicate the key concepts of INFF and other FINS knowledge products in an engaging and accessible manner. 3. Strengthen Outreach & Stakeholder Engagement • Upload and integrate training videos into the FINS website, ensuring accessibility for target stakeholders. • Develop supporting materials (e.g., transcripts, subtitles, summary guides) to enhance usability and comprehension. 4. Monitor and Evaluate Knowledge Dissemination • Track engagement metrics such as downloads, views, and direct access to training materials via the FINS website. • Collect and analyze stakeholder feedback on the clarity, relevance, and applicability of the developed training materials. • Provide recommendations to further enhance FINS and INFF communication and capacity-building efforts. 5. Perform other related duties as required. Qualifications/special skills• Advanced university degree in communications, media studies, journalism, public relations, marketing, development studies, international relations, economics, political science or other relevant academic discipline is required; • A minimum five (5) years of professional work experience in media and communications is required; • Experience in website development in Drupal (10 or 11) is required. • Experience in developing and implementing communication strategies for development projects or initiatives is desired. • Proven ability to produce high-quality communication materials, including videos, messaging, and written content. • Understanding of INFFs is an advantage. • Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills (in English). • Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders in a collaborative and consultative manner. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.