International Consultant for the Formulation of the 2027-2031 Maldives UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework

Result of ServiceA fully formulated and validated United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2027–2031 for the Maldives, developed through a participatory and evidence-based process. The framework will reflect national priorities, UN comparative advantages, and strategic development goals, Work LocationMale Expected duration15 Feb to 30 May Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground information The United Nations in the Maldives is initiating the formulation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2027–2031, which will serve as the key strategic framework guiding the UN’s collective support to the country in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing its national development priorities. Following the reforms that repositioned the UN development system, the UNSDCF is the most important planning and implementation instrument of the UN system at the country level. It outlines the UN’s shared vision and integrated response to the national development agenda and SDG acceleration, rooted in the principles of Leaving no One Behind (LNOB), a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA), gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE), sustainability, and resilience. The framework will provide the foundation for the preparation of individual UN agency country programmes and ensure coherence and impact in delivering results for people and the planet. The new UNSDCF will be aligned with national strategies and sectoral policies and will build on evidence and learning from the Country Analysis (CA), independent evaluations, and ongoing strategic dialogues. The process will emphasize broad-based and inclusive consultations, ensuring the meaningful participation of national and non-state development actors, including government institutions, civil society, youth groups, women’s groups, organizations of persons with disabilities, migrant rights groups, trade unions and employers’ organizations, representatives of vulnerable groups that are at risk of being left behind, the media, private sector, academia, international financial institutions, bilateral partners and regional entities. The Maldives UNCT’s previous cycle of support was guided by the UNSDCF 2022–2026, whose independent evaluation marked the beginning of the transition to a new UNSDCF. As part of the new programming cycle, a participatory CA would be initiated in July 2025, which would identify the key development challenges and vulnerabilities in the country. This analysis, enriched by the Voluntary National Review 2023 (VNR) would help shape policy entry points to “build forward better”, while steering longer-term SDG transformation. Other critical inputs to the formulation include the UNCT Gender Scorecard, the Business Operations Strategy (BOS 2.0), and training for all participating UN agencies on Theory of Change, results-based management, gender, LNOB, HRBA, disability inclusion, environmental sustainability and climate change, digital transformation and UN 2.0. The formulation of the upcoming UNSDCF (2027–2031) builds on these foundations. It will be informed by the updated CA and further refined through multi-stakeholder consultations. The framework will articulate how the UN can play a catalytic role in supporting SDG financing, leveraging broader public and private sector resources for sustainable development in the Maldives. It will also reflect and align with the priorities identified in the ABAS framework. Additionally, the implementation of the UNSDCF will be supported by tools such as UNINFO and related joint work plans, promoting transparency, alignment, and accountability across the UN system. To ensure a high-quality, inclusive, and forward-looking Cooperation Framework, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, with the technical input from the UNSDCF Technical Team (UNTT) and strategic input from UN Country Team, is recruiting an international consultant to facilitate and lead the formulation process. The consultant will ensure alignment with the latest UNSDCF guidance and consolidate inputs from all relevant stakeholders to finalize a robust and impactful framework that reflects the Maldives’ development context and aspirations. Duties and Responsibilities In accordance with the UN Cooperation Framework Internal Guidance, the consultant will: (a) Conduct an initial desk review of national strategies, the CA, evaluation reports, and relevant frameworks; develop an inception report with an approach, action plan, and timeline. (b) Facilitate internal UN visioning and strategic analysis, including: o A comparative advantage and capacity analysis across UN agencies. o SWOT/Root Cause analysis. o Collaborative development of the overarching Theory of Change (c) Lead the UN Strategic Planning and Prioritization Process, capturing dialogues to inform: o Prioritized strategic areas. o Development outcomes and outputs. o Thematic focus aligned with national priorities and global frameworks. (d) Draft the UNSDCF narrative, following the structure outlined in the Consolidated Annexes to the Guidance: o Justification and context. o Strategic priorities. o Theory of Change. o Results and M&E frameworks. o Governance structure (unsdg.un.org+1unsdg.un.org+1undp.org). (e) Develop the Results Matrix, including: o Outcome and output-level indicators. o Baselines and targets. o Means of verification. (f) Organize and facilitate the UNSDCF validation workshop, engaging government counterparts, development partners, civil society, and other stakeholders to review and endorse the draft framework. (e) Support the configuration of the UN Country Team, ensuring: o The appropriate mix of personnel and resources. o A tailored governance and coordination structure that enables effective UNSDCF delivery (unsdg.un.org+15unsdg.un.org+15undp.org+15unsdg.un.org+1procurement-notices.undp.org+1). Reporting Line: The consultant will be accountable to the UN Resident Coordinator and will work in close consultation with the UNSDCF Technical Team (UNTT), the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and the UN Country Team to finalize the UNSDCF 2027–2031 document in full compliance with UN guidance. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in development studies, economics, social sciences, public policy, international relations, or a related field. A minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic planning, development cooperation, programming, policy analysis, or results-based management, preferably within the UN system or international development organizations. Demonstrated experience in the formulation of UN Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs), Country Analyses (CAs), or similar multi-agency strategic frameworks in different country contexts. Proven expertise in applying programming principles including human rights-based approach (HRBA), gender equality and women’s empowerment, Leave No One Behind (LNOB), environmental sustainability, and resilience. Extensive knowledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, with experience in SDG localization, monitoring and reporting processes. Familiarity with the latest UNSDCF Guidance and its operationalization, including the integrated approach to programming and results-based frameworks. Sound knowledge of the UN reform agenda, UN development system repositioning, and the role of the UN Resident Coordinator system. Experience in designing and facilitating participatory, inclusive multi-stakeholder consultations and strategic prioritization workshops. Ability to synthesize complex information and deliver high-quality analytical reports under tight deadlines. Prior experience working in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), upper middle income countries, especially past experience in Maldives, is highly desirable. Languages• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. • Working knowledge of other UN languages will be considered an asset. Additional Informationa) Output/Work Assignments To formulate the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2027–2031 for the Maldives, which will serve as the strategic blueprint guiding the UN's collective support towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing national development priorities through inclusive, evidence-based, and multi-stakeholder engagement Deliverable 1 Inception Report Desk review of national priorities, CCA, evaluations, and strategic frameworks including the inception methodology, detailed work plan, and timeline aligned with roadmap Estimated amount of actual time to worked: 5 days Modality: Remotely Due Date: 28 February 2026 Deliverable 2 Internal UN Visioning and Comparative Advantage Session Facilitate participatory exercises including Theory of Change and UN comparative advantage analysis. Deliver summary report. Estimated amount of actual time to worked: 5 days Modality: Remotely Due Date: 15 March 2026 Deliverable 3 Strategic Prioritization Workshop Lead multi stakeholder retreat (UNCT, Government, partners) to identify strategic priorities and expected results, capturing discussions in workshop report. Estimated amount of actual time to worked: 5 days Modality: In-Country Due Date: 2 April 2026 Deliverable 4 First Draft UNSDCF Produce the initial draft document following the Consolidated Annexes outline, including narrative, results framework (with indicators, baselines, targets), M&E plan, and legal/governance annexes. Estimated amount of actual time to worked: 10 days Modality: Remotely Due Date: 20 April 2026 Deliverable 5 Validation Workshop and Revised Draft TOR: 25-Resident Coordinator System-265317-Consultant Page 5 of 6 Facilitate validation workshop; integrate feedback into a revised draft; produce feedback matrix. Estimated amount of actual time to worked: 10 days Modality: In-country Due Date: 10 May 2026 b) Travel Details Travel 1 Details: Deliverable 3: Strategic Prioritization Workshop TOR: 25-Resident Coordinator System-265317-Consultant Page 4 of 6 Duration: 5 days Timeline: Between 23 March to 2 April 2026 Travel 2 Details: Deliverable 5: Validation Workshop Duration: 5 days Timeline: Between 10 May 2026 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.