Result of Service - Enhanced efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of UN-Habitat’s project design, approval, and implementation processes, resulting in technically sound, strategically aligned, and well-monitored projects that contribute to the organization’s objectives under the Strategic Plan, with strengthened regional collaboration, compliance with cross-cutting standards, and improved capacity among staff for sustainable project management. - Work Location - Home based - Expected duration - The consultancy will be home based or based in Nairobi, on a part-time basis for a period of six months.Responsibilities: - Background to UN-Habitat The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. UN-Habitat supports various stakeholders, including national and local governments, civil society, and the private sector, to implement the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. Within this mission, UN-Habitat’s efforts are organized through regional offices to better respond to the local needs and challenges of urban development. The Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC), headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one such key office responsible for developing and implementing projects in the region, with a focus on supporting national and municipal governments in formulating participative and sustainable urban policies. Over the years, ROLAC has strengthened its collaboration with local governments and stakeholders to promote integrated approaches to urban development, resource mobilization, and policy implementation. ROLAC oversees and coordinate the portfolio across the three sub-regional offices, which implement the projects on the field and liaise with the country governments of region. Background to Consultancy With UN-Habitat’s growing project portfolio and the introduction of a de Programme Review Committee (PRC) processes, there is an increased need for technical coordination to ensure that projects align with organizational objectives, regional needs, and global standards. The PRC serves as a critical quality assurance mechanism, ensuring coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness of projects across UN-Habitat’s operations. The PRC’s review and approval process supports the strategic alignment of projects through co-creation, collaboration across divisions, and mainstreaming cross-cutting themes such as environmental and social safeguards, gender equity, and risk management. The PRC Secretariat, located at UN-Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi, is responsible for coordinating project reviews and approvals across regions. It ensures that projects comply with UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan and Results-Based Management (RBM) frameworks while facilitating knowledge sharing and continuous improvement within the organization. As part of ongoing reforms to improve efficiency, UN-Habitat has decentralized certain aspects of its project review and approval processes. The Executive Director has delegated authority to regional and divisional representatives to approve projects with a budget of USD 2 million or below. This decentralization of authority is intended to enhance the speed and flexibility of project approvals, allowing regional offices to take a greater role in managing and overseeing projects while still ensuring adherence to UN-Habitat’s policies and standards. In addition, within the scope of the decentralization efforts, PRC Local Working Groups (PRC LWGs) have been established at the regional and divisional levels to handle the review and approval of smaller, region-specific projects. The Regional Representatives or Directors of Divisions chair these working groups, with support from standing members who are responsible for quality control and ensuring alignment with the Strategic Plan. Key responsibilities of the PRC LWGs include: - Reviewing and approving projects with budgets under USD 2 million within their respective regions or divisions. - Ensuring that projects comply with UN-Habitat’s Results-Based Management (RBM) principles and that cross-cutting issues, such as gender, social inclusion, and environmental safeguards, are integrated. - Ensuring the co-creation process with relevant regional or thematic experts to provide feedback on project design and implementation plans has taken place. - Facilitating collaboration between regional offices and UN-Habitat’s headquarters, ensuring a “whole-house approach” where operati