Consultant Urban Planning Expert

CONSULTANT VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Issued on: 24 December 2014

ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION:UN-Habitat, Urban Planning and Design Branch in Nairobi, Kenya

DUTY STATION:UN-Habitat in Nairobi, Kenya

FUNCTIONAL TITLE:Consultant Urban Planning Expert

DURATION:7 months spread over 11 months

CLOSING DATE:5th January 2015

BACKGROUND

The Urban Planning and Design Branch (UPDB) of UN-Habitat supports countries in developing urban planning methods and systems that address current urbanization challenges. It promotes urban planning approaches to address urban expansion and transformation.

Cities face an enormous backlog of services and housing. There is indeed an urban planning crisis: the unplanned city is largely inefficient and requires increasing resources to make it more functional and liveable. In an era of growing oil prices and climate change challenges, low-carbon development also needs to be envisaged. Only those cities able to embrace different patterns of growth and address inequalities and inefficiencies will be able to provide better lives for their residents, while limiting ecological damage.

In order to further advance innovations, five principles of sustainable urban planning are being promoted by UN-Habitat:

1. Plan in advance of population increase, with the view to remain basic but relevant and comprehensible but not necessarily comprehensive, and to leverage plans for revenue creation through value capture.
2. Plan at the scale of the problem, particularly the projected growth of the urban population.
3. Plan incrementally, starting with streets and following with water and sanitation, drainage, energy and lighting, transport, etc. This gives priority to improving the proportion of land allocated to streets and in turn supports service delivery and progressive taxation.
4. Plan for density and mixed land use, aiming at vertical features that lower transaction costs, positively impact the economies of scale (and economies of agglomeration), and improve revenue from taxation.
5. Provide for urban networks for sustainable mobility and sustainable energy.

In this respect, UN-HABITAT is implementing Achieving Sustainable Urban Development and Urban Planning for Sustainable Development and at the same time has developed an ambitious workplan for Focus Area 2 – Urban Planning and Design targeting the production of improved plans and designs for cities across the globe. As part of this work, UN-Habitat envisage the development of innovative urban planning tools for physical and strategic planning at the city level as well as for city extension and city infills. It has also initiated their application in selected countries in order to 1) helping cities develop practical, feasible approaches to implementing urban planning interventions and 2) assisting national governments to scale up successful local-level approaches, build the capacities of planning and facilitating institutions (cadastres, development control, construction plan scrutiny, etc.), and reflect the resulting lessons in national policies.
In relation to the above, the UPDB has launched a Urban Planning and Design Laboratory which operates from its premises in Nairobi to provide direct support to projects in the field through development of plans and designs.

Given the need to strengthen its planning capacity, a consultant is required to provide technical support to UPDB and its field of activities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical inputs to the new focus of UN-HABITAT on basic planning for city extension, provide access to international good practices and lessons learnt and to contribute to development of a new generation extension plans for the project cities.

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Leader of the City Planning, Extension and Design Unit and in close collaboration with the Urban Planning and Design Manager and she/he will contribute to the implementation of the Unit activities by performing the following tasks:

General focus:

The consultancy will focus on 1) helping cities develop practical, feasible approaches to implementing urban planning interventions through direct planning support; 2) assisting national governments to scale up successful local-level approaches through tools development, and 3) build the capacities of planning and facilitating institutions (development control, construction plan scrutiny, etc.)

Specific Responsibilities:

• Provision of planning support to city level activities in the Philippines, Mozambique and Rwanda (3 work months) including:
• Development of the workplans for the local process and support
• Comments and inputs to plans and designs to be provided remotely
• Conduct support missions (as per demand, likely 2 per country)
• Provision on urban planning inputs to training and workshops organized by planning support initiatives in different countries (Kenya, Indonesia, Ethiopia, to be defined as per the Unit workplan in collaboration with the Regional Offices) ( 1.5 work months)
• Consolidate urban planning tools and training materials in liaison with training as well as other UN-Habitat Branches (1.5 work month)
• Provide technical inputs to selected planning initiatives as part of the UN-Habitat Planning Lab rapid response capacity (1 month)

In addition, the consultant will provide inputs as requested on planning documents and initiatives, undertaken by the Unit and develop presentations related to the above outputs.

DELIVERABLES

The key Outputs expected are:

• Report on planning support in Mozambique, Philippines and Rwanda
• Compiled Urban Planning Tools and Training Materials
• Mission reports for the Planning Lab missions

Outputs production will be documented through interim reports and one final report as follows:

• Interim reports on progress produced for every task and submitted bi-monthly
• Backstopping and mission reports will be produced timely upon conclusion of the mission ( 1 week after)
• Final report to be submitted at the end of the consultancy comprising final version of the 3 reports above mentioned (Planning Support; Training Report, Compiled Tools Report and Mission Reports)

COMPETENCIES

The consultant must have the following expected competencies:

Corporate Competencies:

• Promotes UN values and ethical standards (tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation, impartiality)
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Management and Leadership

• Work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Provides inspiration and leadership to city leaders and urban planners (training participants)

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to work as team
• Ability to follow work plans and schedule.
• Ability to affect local staffs behavioural/ attitudinal change

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment in the community through leadership and personal example.
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development.

EDUCATION

• Minimum advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Architecture or Urban/Regional Planning, or related field that is relevant for sustainable urban development. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

WORK EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of ten years of experience in urban planning or sustainable urban development, of which at least three at the international level with substantial recent work experience in developing countries, a significant part of which should be directly related to different aspects of urban planning such as city-wide planning, urban extension plans, urban redevelopment, land management, etc. Experience in training of planners and other urban stakeholders in urban planning is also required. Experience in activities of the United Nations, both in field projects and policy dialogues with member states of developing countries is desirable.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is required. Although not a requirement, knowledge of a second UN official language will be an advantage and in particular good working knowledge of Spanish or French would be a definite asset.

OTHER SKILLS

Technical capabilities

• Technical knowledge of urban planning contemporary approaches.
• Research and analytical skills combined with good drafting and drawing skills, manipulation of graphic materials and production of complex urban planning documents. Writing skills, in English and possibly another UN language

Personal qualities

• Ability to work with multi-disciplinary team.
• Consultative and empowering working style and willingness to learn from others.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team and to deliver on time under pressure.

REMUNERATION

Payments will be based on deliverables over the consultancy period. There are set remuneration rates for consultancies. The rate is determined by functions performed and experience of the consultant. The fees will be paid as per agreement.Post is home based and travel, when required, will be authorised and paid separately.

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HOW TO APPLY:

Applications should include:
• Cover memo (maximum 1 page)
• CV in the PHP format, accessible through the INSPIRA website (inspira.un.org) Please note, if using INSPIRA for the first time, you need to register in order to activate your account, which will allow you to log in and create a personal History Profile.
• The PHP should be attached to the application as a PDF file.
• Summary CV (maximum 2 pages), indicating the following information:

1. Educational Background (incl. dates)
2. Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months)
3. Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)
4. Expectations regarding remuneration
   • Urban Planning projects portfolio (preferably one table A4 or A3 for each project).

Please also be advised that since April 15th 2010, applicants for consultancies must be part of the
UN-HABITAT e-Roster in order for their application to be considered. You can reach the e-Roster
through the following link: http://e-roster.unhabitat.org

All applications should be submitted to:
Mr. Geoffrey Oluoch
UN-HABITAT
P.O. Box 30030, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Email: geoffrey.oluoch@unhabitat.org
Deadline for applications: 5th January 2015

UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact:recruitment@unon.org