About the Organization

UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment, supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all. 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 supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.  
  

UNDP India’s Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our 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;  
• South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.  

About the Proposal 

Project context: 

India’s cities are at the center of the country’s development trajectory and represent a critical governance inflection point. Rapid urbanization, a youthful workforce, and expanding digital and data ecosystems offer unprecedented opportunities for cities to accelerate human development and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet urban outcomes remain highly uneven. Persistent inter and intra-city disparities, gender and social inequalities, environmental stress, and fragmented service delivery reflect deep-seated weaknesses in urban governance particularly at the level of municipal institutions responsible for planning, financing, and implementation. 

A major urban challenge stems from patterns of rural-to-urban migration, particularly among young people seeking better employment opportunities, education, and improved living standards. While this migration fuels urban growth, the pace of influx has far exceeded the capacity of city economies to generate secure and meaningful jobs. These exclusions are further reflected in gendered labour market outcomes. Women’s participation in urban labour markets remains low, in part due to inadequate and poorly governed care systems. The care economy spanning childcare, eldercare, and allied services suffers from fragmented service delivery, weak financing mechanisms, and the informality and precarity of care work.  

Urban environmental challenges further underscore governance gaps. Inefficient waste management systems and linear urban consumption patterns continue to generate environmental and public health risks while missing opportunities to transition toward circular economy models. Cities have the potential to demonstrate circularity and waste-to-resource systems that create green jobs and inclusive livelihoods, particularly for women. However, the absence of documented, gender- responsive models and limited institutional mechanisms for learning and scale constrain their wider adoption. Underlying these challenges is the structural weakness of urban financing. Municipal revenues remain constrained and poorly aligned with expenditure needs, while opportunities to leverage private investment and innovative financing remain fragmented. The XVI Finance Commission has significantly increased the urban share of local body grants from 36% to 45%, totalling over ₹3.56 lakh crore for 2026–31, and introduced a performance-linked model where 20% of grants depend on cities increasing their own source revenue. Without coherent urban financing frameworks, however, cities will continue to struggle to sustain service delivery, scale proven solutions, or invest in inclusive and climate-resilient infrastructure.  

At the same time, local governments are increasingly cognizant of these social and economic pressures and are actively exploring ways to address them. The primary urban governance challenge is no longer the absence of plans or national missions but limited institutional capacity and accountability at the local level. Urban local bodies have inadequate systems, skills, and incentives to use data for participatory decision-making, performance monitoring, and responsive service delivery. While cities generate vast amounts of administrative and digital data, these are rarely translated into actionable insights for local governance. The potential of AI and digital tools, when combined with the reach and legitimacy of civil society organizations (CSOs), remains underutilized in strengthening transparency, social accountability, and last-mile implementation. 

In this context, UNDP India aims to adapt and customise a future ready urban governance approach to the Indian context and demonstrate a scalable pathway for cities (specifically Tier II cities) to align local priorities, institutionalize gender equity, social inclusion and climate and disaster resilience, and systematically leverage data and innovation for better planning and decision making. UNDP will implement pilot activities in two cities — Bhubaneswar (Odisha) and Tiruchirappalli/Trichy (Tamil Nadu) — across five thematic components: (i) Caring and Inclusive Urban Economic Ecosystem; (ii) Climate Smart and Resilient Urban Management System; (iii) Inclusive Data System and Data-Driven Digital Governance; (iv) Improved Institutional Capacity; and (v) Sustainable and Integrated Urban Financing. 

Scope of Work 

The Individual Consultant will provide strategic, programmatic and operational support to ensure the effective implementation of the planned interventions. The scope of work will include, but not be limited to, the following components:  

Programme Management and Implementation 

• Monitor, coordinate, and provide oversight to implementation partners in Bhubaneswar and Trichy to ensure overall project performance and timely delivery across all five thematic components. Conduct field visits as required to verify project activities and ensure quality of implementation. 
• Support engagement and coordination with city, state and central government stakeholders and critical ecosystem players where needed to ensure that pilot interventions are aligned and integrated with their priorities.  
• Engage with implementing partners to support their onboarding, provide technical advisory, and act as a liaison between UNDP and partners.  

Knowledge Management  

• Prepare consolidated monthly progress reports.  
• Ensure comprehensive documentation of project activities, lessons learned, and good practices across all workstreams.  
• Support positioning of UNDP India as a thought leader on urban governance through participation in key national forums, policy dialogues, and conferences, including MoHUA’s 20-city peer learning network. 

Urban Governance Portfolio Development 

• Develop UNDP India's Urban Governance Programming Offer, articulating a coherent theory of change, thematic priorities, and a 3–5-year programming roadmap.  
• Map existing and potential funding opportunities, donor landscapes, and partnership ecosystems and a pipeline of bankable project concepts to inform portfolio growth. 
• Develop at least two concept notes or project briefs for potential new urban programming interventions, informed by pilot learnings. 

Duration of Assignment: The total duration of the assignment is expected to be from 1 July 2026 to 31 March 2027.  

Institutional Arrangement : The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Head, SIG Unit, UNDP India. The consultant is requested to propose the best and most cost-effective solution to meet UNDP’s requirements, while ensuring a high level of service.  The individual consultant is expected to utilize their own equipment to complete the assignment.  

Duty Station and Expected Places of Travel: This is an onsite assignment, and the Consultant is expected to work from UNDP Delhi office throughout the duration of the assignment. The assignment may also require periodic travel within India for fieldwork, capacity-building activities, and stakeholder engagement, in line with project requirements and UNDP travel policies. The Consultant’s travel expenses will be borne out of the project budgets, depending on the project needs and subject to approval.  

Eligibility 

Required Qualification and Experience:

Education Requirements: 

• Master's degree in development studies, urban management, business administration, economics, social sciences, or any other related field. 
• A bachelor's degree in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Work experience: 

• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in the development sector, with demonstrated expertise in urban governance, urban development, local governance systems, or related fields. 
• Proven track record of programme management and implementation, including oversight of implementing partners, financial management, and delivery against results frameworks in complex, multi-workstream environments. 
• Strong understanding of India's urban development ecosystem including familiarity with relevant national and state flagship schemes.   
• Demonstrated experience in knowledge management and communications, including development of policy briefs, reports, and advocacy materials for diverse stakeholder audiences. 
• Experience in portfolio development, pipeline building, or new programme design within a multilateral, bilateral, or large NGO context. 
• Demonstrated ability to engage donors and mobilise resources, including experience developing concept notes and full proposals for institutional funders 

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required; working knowledge of Hindi is an asset. 

How to Apply

Deadline: 17-Jun-26 @ 08:00 AM (New York time)

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