Policy Support – Uttarakhand Vision 2047
1. POSITION VACANT: Policy Support – Uttarakhand Vision 2047, Uttarakhand, SAMS
2. ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Our Client, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development - from systems and institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods, as well as sustainable energy, environment and resilience. With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to support the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.
UNDP India’s new Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on the prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:
· Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs
· Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized
· Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability
For more information about UNDP India, please visit https://www.undp.org/india
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
Uttarakhand, carved out of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000 as the 27th state of India, occupies a geopolitically strategic location along the country’s northern frontier, sharing borders with Tibet and Nepal. The state’s diverse topography—from snow-clad Himalayan ranges to subtropical plains—results in varied climatic conditions, ecological systems, and development patterns. While Hindi, Garhwali, and Kumaoni are widely spoken, English remains a common medium of instruction. Despite progress, Uttarakhand is currently classified as an “Aspirant State” in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and requires strengthened strategies, institutional capacity, and targeted action to accelerate progress.
The Government of Uttarakhand has initiated multiple steps toward SDG adoption, including the
nomination of a nodal department, development of a Vision Document aligned with sectoral SDG priorities, mapping of departmental schemes, and preparation of an SDG implementation plan incorporating gender budgeting. The Directorate of Economics and Statistics under the Planning Department has been designated as the lead agency for data collection, validation, and monitoring, with the state planning to adopt the National Indicator Framework for SDG tracking. With emerging leadership in select development sectors and its potential to evolve as a model for localizing the 2030 Agenda, the state seeks enhanced technical support to strengthen institutional mechanisms, evidence-based planning, innovation ecosystems, and multi-level SDG integration.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Uttarakhand demonstrated strong economic performance, with GSDP growth rates exceeding national averages between 2016–2019. However, disparities persist—particularly between hilly and non-hilly districts—accompanied by consumption inequality, demographic pressures, gender imbalances, climate vulnerability, and developmental gaps across health, education, livelihoods, environment, and disaster resilience.
To address these challenges, the Government has established the Centre for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPPGG) with a mandate to support policy formulation, strategic planning, and reforms. To advance this agenda, the Government of Uttarakhand partnered with UNDP to establish a Project Management Unit (PMU) within the CPPGG. Phase I (CPPGG 1.0) focused on SDG localization, integration, and foundational institutional strengthening. Building on the results and learnings of Phase I, Phase II of the project will deepen efforts toward SDG acceleration, with an emphasis on gender-responsive budgeting, Panchayati Raj level SDG integration, enhanced monitoring systems, and sectoral policy support. Under the leadership of the Secretary, Planning, UNDP will provide technical expertise across key economic and social sectors to drive inclusive growth, gender equality, and sustainable development outcomes for the state through PMU. UNDP is also currently working with the State Government in the
realization of Viksit Bharat, Viksit Uttarakhand by 2047.
3. JOB PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF WORK (SOW):
UNDP, under the CPPGG 2.0 project, proposes to engage a Policy Support Consultant to provide technical and strategic support to the Centre for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPPGG) in the preparation of Uttarakhand’s Vision Plan 2047. The Consultant will be responsible for compiling the visioning framework, facilitating inter-departmental and stakeholder consultations, consolidating data and inputs from various sectors, and contributing to the drafting of a comprehensive and inclusive long-term development strategy for the state. This role is critical to enhancing CPPGG’s capacity for evidence-based planning and ensuring
alignment with the state’s development priorities under Sashakt Uttarakhand Vision 2030 and Viksit Uttarakhand Vision 2047, with a focus on sustainable growth, inclusive industrialization, and good governance.
Duties and Responsibilities:
· Support the development of the overall structure and thematic framework for Vision Plan 2047, ensuring alignment with the state’s long-term development priorities and national goals;
· Facilitate effective coordination with line departments, sectoral experts, civil society, and development partners to gather inputs and foster collaboration across sectors.
· Assist in compiling and interpreting socio-economic, demographic, and sectoral data in
collaboration with the Data Associate and other technical teams, to inform visioning and policy recommendations.
· Contribute to the drafting of the Vision Plan, including background papers, sectoral strategies, and key policy narratives based on consultation outcomes and data analysis.
· Ensure consistency, coherence, and quality control of inputs received from departments and stakeholders throughout the drafting process.
· Provide regular progress reports to CPPGG and UNDP, and maintain liaison with government officials, consultants, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure timely and effective delivery of milestones.
· Any other duties as assigned by the CPPGG Project Head, UNDP, within the purview of the programme to support data-driven governance.
4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:
Qualification:
Master’s degree in International Development, Development Studies, Economics, or a related field from a recognized institution.
Experience:
At least 3 years of relevant professional experience in policy planning, governance, program coordination, or development sector roles, preferably with government, UN agencies, or development organizations.
Required Skills:
· Strong understanding of governance and development issues, especially within the Indian or Uttarakhand context.
· Knowledge of government planning systems, national and sub national development strategies, and SDG frameworks.
· Ability to collaborate with technical teams to incorporate data insights into policy planning.
· Excellent writing skills to contribute to reports, vision documents, policy briefs, and presentations.
· Skilled in coordinating across departments, tracking deliverables, and ensuring timely completion of tasks.
Core Competencies:
· Ability to interpret socio-economic and sectoral data, derive insights, and translate evidence into policy directions.
· Demonstrated capacity to deliver outputs within timelines while managing multiple workstreams.
· Ability to articulate complex policy ideas clearly for diverse audiences, including government stakeholders.
· Strong interpersonal skills to facilitate consultations, build consensus, and navigate multi-departmental collaboration.
· Ability to work in dynamic policy environments and respond to evolving government requirements.
Technical / Functional Competencies
· Experience in preparing vision documents, policy frameworks, sectoral papers, or strategic planning reports.
· Understanding of government functioning, institutional planning processes, and administrative structures.
· Ability to integrate SDG principles, Sashakt Uttarakhand Vision 2030, and Viksit Bharat 2047 alignment.
· Competence in analysing socio-economic indicators, demographic trends, and sector performance metrics.
· Ability to structure, guide, and document multi-stakeholder consultations and thematic workshops.
· Skills in synthesizing inputs from multiple contributors to ensure coherence and uniformity of the Vision Plan.
Behavioural Competencies
· Works effectively with government counterparts, experts, and UNDP teams in a cooperative manner.
· Demonstrates awareness of state context, regional diversity, and bureaucratic protocols.
· Upholds ethical standards in handling government information and policy materials.
· Contributes ideas that support forward-looking, future-ready policy directions.
5. LANGUAGES: Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and Hindi is essential.
6. DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT: Three months (Renewable based on performance and other factors)
7. CONSULTANCY FEE:
The monthly consultancy fee for the position shall be commensurate with the Government norms, as applicable for the position. The professional fee will be subject to withholding taxes, as applicable.
8. NATURE OF ENGAGEMENT:
The selected candidate shall be engaged as a Consultant on the rolls of SAMS, a third-party payrolling agency, for a full-time consultancy engagement for a period of one year. It is explicitly clarified that this consultancy engagement does not constitute a promise or guarantee of future employment, with SAMS, or our client, or any other organization associated with the project.
9. LOCATION: Dehradun, Uttarakhand
10. REFERENCE: PS-UK
11. CONTACT INFORMATION:
Team SAMS
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
B-18, Sector-06, Gautam Buddh Nagar,
NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh -201301
Phone Nos.: 0120- 4161355/56
www.sams.co.in | www.samsconsult.com
12. APPLICATION PROCESS:
Eligible candidates interested in the position are requested to upload their applications by or before January 05, 2026.
