Consultant to Develop a UN Strategy for strengthening government capacities at national and sub national level in Armenia

Result of ServiceThe United Nations in Armenia seeks to engage a consultant to develop a strategic document that will guide the work of UN agencies in Armenia in supporting national and sub national institutions to strengthen, expand and diversify capacities in pursuit of the country's ambitious reform and development priorities. Such a comprehensive approach to capacity development will also enable the full implementation of the 2026 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), the expression of the joint commitment between the UN and the Government of Armenia towards the achievement of Agenda 2030. The strategic document will ensure that UN programming across sectors includes comprehensive, coherent and consistent capacity building efforts targeting government, national and sub national institutions. This consultancy will focus on designing a strategic approach for the UN system anchored in data-driven governance, inclusive digitalization, and evidence-based decision-making. The consultancy will use the most recent progress evaluations on the government public administration reform. • Inception Report: Methodology, initial stakeholder mapping, and work plan. Due: 30 September 2025 • Mapping Report: Overview of current capacity building efforts from the UN and other key stakeholders. Due: 15 October 2025 • Draft Strategy Document: Strategic framework for coherent UN support to government capacity building. Due: 15 November 2025 • Validation Workshop: Facilitation of a stakeholder workshop to review and refine the strategy. Due: 30 November 2025 • Final Strategy Document: Including implementation roadmap, coordination mechanisms, and monitoring framework. Due: 31 December 2025 Note: Dates for deliverables can be subject to change due to stakeholder requirements. Work LocationArmenia Expected duration15 Sept-31 Dec 2025 Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe consultant will work under the supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator and in close consultation with the UN country team, key government counterparts, development partners and the relevant international financial institutions. Key tasks and responsibilities include: • Review the progress evaluation reports on government reform (EU, government and third party, reports will be provided to the consultant) as well as the key priorities of the 2026 2030 UNSDCF and relevant national strategies to identify entry points for the UN for institutional and organizational capacity building. • Map existing UN agencies current capacity building modalities, good practices, and reported impact. Identify gaps and opportunities for a more consistent approach to capacity strengthening, towards sustainable impact – looking at incentives (such as salary) / disincentives, ongoing organizational re-engineering, cross sectoral mechanisms, and impact on policy coherence (i.e. how do 2 or more agencies supporting the same government institution ensure coherence in their respective action). • The above should include a focus on local administration (2 out of 10 regions could be used for the purpose of developing this strategy). • Propose key areas for UN capacity building interventions, for maximum impact (this could be selected sectors, or selected modalities) – considering the specific value added of UN agencies vis a vis modalities used by IFIs (e.g. PIU) or key development partners (e.g. budget support or peer2peer). • Develop a strategic framework that outlines how UN agencies can provide more effective support to government institutions over the next five years. • Ensure the strategy reflects the principle of Leave No One Behind (looking at gender equality). • Provide recommendations for operationalizing the strategy, including coordination mechanisms, monitoring indicators, funding opportunities and capacity building modalities. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree in public administration, development studies, political science, or related field is required. Minimum 7 years of experience in institutional capacity building, preferably with government institutions, is required. Proven experience in strategy development and UN programming or similar is required. Familiarity with the UNSDCF and UN reform agenda is required. Experience working in post-conflict or displacement contexts is desirable. LanguagesEnglish fluency is required. Knowledge of Armenian and/or Russian 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.