All Things Urban

UN-Habitat supports countries to implement the urban dimensions of the sustainable development agenda to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. We focus on four main domains of change: Reduced spatial inequality and poverty in communities across the urban-rural continuum; enhanced shared prosperity for cities and regions; strengthened climate action and improved urban environment; and effective urban crises prevention and response.

The Urban Planning and Design Lab (Urban Lab) of UN-Habitat is an initiative to promptly respond to the requests of national and local governments to support sustainable urban development. The Urban Lab is the integrative facility of the Agency where innovative processes and partnerships are translated into tangible and transformative solutions to complex urban challenges. The Urban Lab acts as a neutral broker, managing knowledge in complex stakeholder settings to resolve multi-sectoral, multi-scalar and multi-stakeholder challenges, by offering a multi-disciplinary team capturing the necessary thematic areas. In this context, the Urban Lab applies an integrated approach to systemic and strategic planning to deliver transformative change for sustainable urbanization and to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda.

Global Future Cities Programme

The Global Future Cities Programme (GFCP) under the UK Foreign and Commonwealth's Prosperity Fund (UK FCO) aims to deliver targeted interventions in 19 cities across 10 countries to encourage sustainable development, increase prosperity whilst alleviating high levels of urban poverty. The programme will also create significant short and long-term business opportunities in growing markets forecast to be regional growth hubs. In addition, the programme will make a significant contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA).
The Global Future Cities Programme includes cities in Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, Burma/Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The programme builds upon three integrated pillars, that collectively will address key barriers to prosperity, in selected cities: Urban planning, Transportation and Resilience.The programme is delivered in two phases: A Strategic Development Phase, followed by an Implementation Phase.

Strategic Development Phase

The Strategic Development Phase of the GFCP was implemented by UN-Habitat's Urban Lab as a lead executive agency from April to December 2018. This phase aimed at supporting the UK FCO in the identification, further definition and validation of 30 urban interventions in the 19 cities part of the Programme. UN-Habitat's contribution focused on supporting an improved definition of strategic and transformative projects that are implementable and which contribute to the city's objectives, while at the same time ensuring an adequate level of city ownership and citizen engagement. This resulted in the development of Terms of References (ToRs) for each of the 30 urban interventions, supported by 19 city context reports, eight thematic cluster papers, five policy papers and two normative reports, as input and basis for the Implementation Phase. The Strategic Development Phase contributed to demonstrating how each intervention could contribute to multiple SDGs and gave recommendations based on international practices, while aligning with city visions for development.

Implementation Phase

The Implementation Phase of the GFCP will occur from September 2019 to March 2022. During the Implementation Phase, the 30 urban interventions will be delivered also contributing to the positioning the GFCP in an international context and demonstrating the added value of bridging global and local development agendas through achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the New Urban Agenda.

While the UK FCO, including the Country Programme Managers, are ultimately responsible for the delivery of the Global Future Cities Programme, the 30 urban interventions will be carried out in the form of Technical Assistance by private sector Delivery Partners with international and national presence, as well as expertise in cross-cutting issues, SDGs and the NUA. The UK FCO has requested UN-Habitat's Urban Lab to support the Implementation Phase by providing strategic advice, knowledge management and quality recommendations on both Programme and local levels. A programme level capacity building component will be delivered with the support of an implementing partner, the United Kingdom Built Environment Advisory Group (UK BEAG). The Urban Lab's main contribution will be to work a neutral actor, facilitating a process to make sure that interventions adequately incorporate principles for sustainable urbanization, that cities are capacitated to sustain the interventions in the long-run and that knowledge will be shared on local and global level.UN-Habitat's Urban Lab now seeks to strengthen its team in the delivery of the programme by engaging local experts (Local Strategic Advisors).

Competency:

• Technological Awareness. Keeps abreast of available technology, understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office, actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks, shows willingness to learn new technology.
• Communication. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed, Excellent drafting ability and communications skills, both oral and written; proven ability to communicate complex concepts orally; ability to prepare written reports that are clear, concise and meaningful.
• Teamwork. Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Client orientation. Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients ” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Skills:

• Working knowledge and experience in urban planning, urban mobility, smart cities and/or resilience;
• Working knowledge and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals and of the New Urban Agenda;
• Strong network within local government and private sector;
• Extensive, proven experience in producing feasibility, evaluation or policy recommendation reports;
• Strong communications skills, including writing, presenting and facilitating workshops; and
• Able to work independently and as part of team and deliver on time under pressure.

Academic Qualifications:

• Advanced University degree in Architecture or Urban Planning, or related field that is
  relevant for sustainable urban development and urban planning and design is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in the fields of urban planning, mobility, smart cities, resilience, sustainable development, or similar is required;
• Experience in all levels of urban development from project development to practical completion and monitoring;
• Experience working in the South East Asian region is an asset;
• Experience working on social change projects is an asset;
• Working knowledge and experience in urban planning, urban mobility, smart cities and resilience and policies is an asset;
• Working experience with international development agencies and in particular the United Nations is an asset.

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post
advertised, fluency in oral and written English and the local language is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage.

Result of Service

The overall result of this consultancy is to enhance the national and local governments to scale up successful local-level approaches through tools development and application, and project finance, planning and policy advise towards sustainable urbanization.

Expected duration

6 months with the possibility of extension based on performance

We’re not fully sure whether this role is open to international candidates. If you would need visa sponsorship or work authorisation, we recommend checking directly with the employer before applying.