Local Development and Governance Consultant

UN Development Programme

Under the overall guidance of Project Specialist and day to day management of the relevant Area Manager and close coordination with the LED and Livelihood Specialist, the Local Development and Governance Consultant(s) will be responsible for supporting the assessments, planning, implementation, and monitoring of activities under the LDP. The Consultant (s) will ensure proper implementation of livelihood projects under the LHSP and will play a key role in facilitating local coordination among stakeholders in their respective areas, including but not limited to municipalities, unions of municipalities, Social Development Centers (SDCs), Civil Defense units, relevant ministries reginal offices and community stakeholders to strengthen participatory local governance and enhance preparedness and service delivery capacities at the local level. To ensure proper implementation of the projects the Local Development and Governance Consultant(s) will perform the following functions:

Phase 1: Local Assessment and Planning

• Coordinate and maintain regular communication with municipalities, unions of municipalities, SDCs, Civil Defense, local committees, relevant ministries reginal offices, economic actors (such as private sector, farmers, MSMEs representatives) and community representatives to ensure inclusive and participatory engagement in the local development process.
• Support in the creation of the Local Development Committees that will be created for the projects in each respective area and focus zone.
• Coordinate and maintain regular communication with the firm responsible for establishing the area observatories in the targeted focus zones. Support and contribute to community-based assessments and support the identification of local priorities in alignment with the Local Development Plans.
• Facilitate participatory workshops and consultations under the Local Development Platforms to validate findings and support the formulation of local action plans.
• Ensure that all planned interventions are consistent with national frameworks (e.g., MoIM, MoSA, MoA..etc.) and compliant with donor and UNDP requirements (legal, environmental, social, and financial).
• Coordinate with other LDP consultants and area teams to ensure synergies between local governance, livelihoods, and interventions across focus zones.
• Contribute to the drafting of local plans, concept notes, and technical briefs that feed into regional and national coordination mechanisms.
• Report to the Area Managers any observations or challenges that may arise during the different phases of the project cycle.

Phase 2: Implementation and Coordination

• Facilitate coordination among local actors during implementation to ensure effective delivery, including local development planning, service improvement, and crisis preparedness.
• Provide ongoing technical support to municipalities, Union of municipalities, SDCs, and Civil Defense to operationalize their local action plans and enhance institutional performance.
• Participate in project monitoring and site visits, ensuring that implementation aligns with quality, inclusiveness, and sustainability standards.
• Support capacity-building activities for local institutions, ensuring the inclusion of women, youth, and vulnerable groups in planning and implementation processes.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge products, case studies, and documentation of good practices emerging from the field.
• Ensure effective follow-up and monitoring of livelihood-related interventions, in close coordination with the LED and Livelihood Specialist.
• Maintain close collaboration with Area Managers, engineers, and the central LDP team to ensure consistent quality assurance and alignment across regions.

Phase 3: Monitoring, Reporting, and Follow-up

• Support data collection, reporting, and evaluation of local development and governance interventions in coordination with the M&E and reporting teams.
• Document lessons learned, success stories, and challenges to inform adaptive management and future planning.
• Contribute to the preparation of progress reports, communication materials, and visibility products that highlight achievements at the local level.
• Ensure proper archiving and documentation of project-related files, minutes, correspondence, and reports for institutional record-keeping.

Each Consultant is expected to submit a monthly progress report undertaking the above tasks and activities under the TOR noting that the total duration should not exceed 12 months (number of working days should not exceed 18 working days per month).

Institutional arrangements

• With day-to-day management, the Local Development and Governance Consultant(s) Consultant will coordinate with the respective Area Manager and the LED and Livelihood Specialist under the overall guidance of Project Specialist.
• UNDP will be responsible for providing the contractor with all necessary materials related to the project in a timely thorough and transparent manner. UNDP will be also responsible to provide clarifications and facilitation of the work.
• Day to Day transportation from home to office (& vice versa) shall be covered by the Consultant s own means. The Local Development and Governance Consultant(s) will rely on his own means of communication and transportation.