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 consultancy will focus on:
1) support cities develop practical, feasible approaches to implementing urban planning interventions through direct planning and GIS support;
2) assisting national governments to scale up successful local-level approaches through tools
Development on GIS tools,
3) build the capacities of planning and facilitating institutions on urban planning and GIS (development control, construction plan scrutiny, etc.)
4) increase Lab and Section portfolio and contribute to the management of the Lab and Section
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. The main documents outlining the mandate of the organization are the Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements, the Habitat Agenda, the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements, the Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium, and UN General Assembly Resolution A/56/206.
The Urban Planning and Design Lab (UPD-LAB) is an initiative from UN-HABITAT to promptly respond to the requests of national and local governments to support sustainable urban development. The LAB acts as the integrative facility of the Agency in which spatial planning is used as the tool coordinating economic, legal, social and environmental aspects of urban development, translating them into concrete and implementable projects that materialize the normative work of UN-HABITAT. The UPD-LAB is formed by a multidisciplinary team of urban planners, legal and financial experts providing a holistic proactive approach. Due to this, the UPD-LAB has become the team building facility inside the Agency where different areas of expertise come together to deliver concrete and integrated solutions.
The focus areas of the LAB are:
The LAB is currently working in concrete projects joining international and local expertise in more than 20 countries and over 60 cities in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
The objective of this assignment is to provide technical and on-job capacity development on GIS and related issues to the Urban Lab projects.
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Urban Planning and Design Lab and the overall supervision of the leader of the Planning, Finance and Economy Section. She/he will contribute to the implementation of the Lab and Units activities by performing the following tasks:
Specific Responsibilities
Provide GIS expertize to planning and design inputs to ongoing planning initiatives, including citywide strategies, extension plans and urban transformation plans.
Develop clear planning proposals, drawings and related reports for partner cities.
Develop critical analysis of existing planning documents and instruments with GIS support
Develop training materials for GIS, remote sensing, data analysis, visualization and deliver workshops / training events
Take part in field missions in collaboration with UN-Habitat's regional and country offices.
Develop and organize participatory, multi-stakeholder processes tailor made for the projects in a specific context.
Provide input to Urban Lab documents and publications.
Attend meetings and conferences within and outside UN-Habitat on behalf of the Lab
Contribute to the development of the Lab and Section project portfolio on technology and innovation
Develop papers and methodologies for open-source data platforms for UN-Habitat and partners
Minimum 1 year experience in GIS, urban planning and design with direct proven experience in drawing and preparing plan graphical material using computer assisted design tools. Strong graphic representation skills required. Good hand drawing / sketching is an advantage. The candidate has a portfolio of plans and designs of which he/she is the author
Language: For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is required. Although not a requirement, knowledge of French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian will be an advantage
Full time
Based on experience and academic achievements
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.