Senior Strategic Advisor

UN Development Programme

The updated NSS will align with complementary national initiatives, notably:

• The Spatial Planning Act (SPA) defining the statutory planning hierarchy and instruments.
• The National Urban Policy (NUP) outlining strategic priorities for sustainable and inclusive urban development.

Given the scale, complexity, and strategic importance of the NSS, a Senior Strategic Advisor is required to provide high-level guidance, institutional alignment, and quality assurance across the drafting process. The role requires deep familiarity with the previous iterations of Saudi Arabia s National Spatial Strategy, strong networks across planning-related ministries and agencies, and extensive knowledge of the country s spatial governance and institutional landscape.

The Senior Strategic Advisor will provide strategic oversight, technical direction, and expert consultation to ensure the coherence, quality, and institutional alignment of the updated National Spatial Strategy (NSS). The Advisor will serve as a senior member of the drafting team, supporting decision-making, inter-ministerial coordination, and strategic synthesis. The Senior Strategic Advisor will collaborate closely with the Chief Technical Advisor (UNDP), Chief National Advisor (UNDP) and the NSS Drafting and Analysis teams. The Advisor will use their networks to advocate for the NSS and play an integral role in aligning its principles with MoMaH and other ministries and national, regional and local stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Strategic Oversight of the NSS Drafting Process

Provide high-level technical advice on the conceptual structure, analytical framework, and methodological approach of the NSS revision:

• Review and guide the integration of spatial, economic, environmental, and demographic analyses into coherent strategic directions.
• Ensure alignment with Vision 2030 and other national level policy documents.
• Advise on strategic spatial concepts (e.g., settlement systems, national corridors, functional regions).

Output: Written technical guidance notes, written review comments, and contributions to the NSS conceptual framework.

Institutional Alignment and Stakeholder Coordination

Leverage prior experience and networks within Saudi ministries, authorities, and development agencies to strengthen institutional coherence:

• Advise the NSS team on effective coordination with MoMaH, DASC, MOTLS, MoE, MEWA, RCs, SDAIA, and regional planning bodies.
• Identify institutional gaps, governance challenges, and opportunities for cross-sectoral integration.
• Support the alignment between statutory planning instruments under the SPA and the spatial policy directions of the NSS.

Output: Regular meetings with senior stakeholders, institutional assessment notes, and recommendations on governance integration.

Quality Assurance of Analytical and Strategic Outputs

Review technical products (diagnostic reports, spatial models, thematic analyses) for strategic consistency:

Ensure that outputs meet international best practice and reflect Saudi Arabia s institutional context and strategic priorities.

Output: Formal quality review comments and consolidated recommendations for refinement.

Strategic Input into the National Spatial Framework

Support the articulation of the national spatial vision, spatial development pillars, and territorial priorities:

• Advise the drafting of spatial structure maps, regional typologies, economic cluster strategies, and settlement system hierarchy.
• Contribute to the formulation of spatial policies related to land use, connectivity, infrastructure corridors, environmental resilience, and regional equity.
• Provide senior-level input to ensure clarity, coherence, and feasibility of proposed policies.

Output: Section inputs, strategic review of draft chapters, and contributions to spatial framework maps.

High-Level Engagement and Representation

Participate in Technical workshops, and bilateral consultations as a senior representative of the NSS team:

• Present findings, conceptual frameworks, and policy recommendations to high-level government audiences.
• Support the preparation of briefing materials for decision-makers.

Output: Technical presentations, briefing notes, and record of stakeholder engagements.

Institutional Arrangement

The Senior Strategic Advisor will report directly to the Chief Technical Advisor (UNDP) and the Chief National Advisor (UNDP), with day-to-day coordination with the NSS technical team and relevant MoMaH departments.

Duty Station

The assignment will be office-based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with possible field missions to regional authorities, Royal Commissions, and development agencies to collect data and validate economic findings.

Travel

Field missions to regional authorities, Royal Commissions, and development authorities entailed by this assignment will be coordinated with the IC in advance. Any necessary mission travel (domestic or international) must be approved in advance by UNDP, MoMaH and the IC, with the travel expenses covered by UNDP in line with UNDP s travel policies.

Schedule of Payments

The payment term for this IC is a monthly salary upon the signing of the contract.