Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Engineer – National Consultant

Result of Service The service will help UN-Habitat and the Syrian government to develop an Integrated Natural Resource Management strategy (INRM), considering potential future climate change impacts and vulnerabilities and crisis response needs. This will allow for strategic decisions on potential investments in natural resources (especially water and land) considering cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and resilience to climate change on the long-term.

Work Location Damascus, Syria

Expected duration 10 months

Duties and Responsibilities Background: The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all.

In October 2016, at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III – member states signed the New Urban Agenda. This is an action-oriented document which sets global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development, rethinking the way we build, manage, and live-in cities. Through drawing together cooperation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors, including at all levels of government as well as the private sector, UN-Habitat is applying its technical expertise, normative work and capacity development to implement the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 11 – to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1978 to address the issues of urban growth, UN-Habitat is a knowledge institution on urban development processes and understands the aspirations of cities and their residents. For forty years, UN-Habitat has been working in human settlements throughout the world, focusing on building a brighter future for villages, towns, and cities of all sizes. Because of these four decades of extensive experience, from the highest levels of policy to a range of specific technical issues, UN-Habitat has gained unique and universally acknowledged expertise in all things urban. This has placed UN-Habitat in the best position to develop achievable solutions to the current challenges faced by our cities. UN-Habitat is capitalizing on its experience and position to work with partners to formulate urban visions of tomorrow. It strives to ensure that cities become affordable living spaces of inclusive economic growth and social development for all citizens.

Since 2015, UN-Habitat Syria Programme has worked closely with Syrian cities and communities to develop an urban resilience and recovery approach. UN-Habitat supports local authorities and communities (1) to collect better urban data to reach a common understanding on urban recovery needs; (2) to jointly identify neighborhood and municipal area response priorities – from humanitarian, to resilience, to recovery; and (3) to design and implement housing, infrastructure and basic services, urban environment, and urban cultural heritage projects that directly respond to these local priorities.

UN-Habitat Syria currently has offices in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo Deir Azzor, The UN-Habitat Syria programme operationalizes projects across Syria.

In August 2021, the Adaptation Fund approved a climate change adaptation project proposal for Syria, which will be implemented by UN-Habitat. The project will start in October 2021. As part of the project activities, an Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) Strategy will be developed targeting Eastern Ghouta and its Barada branches, to deal with future climate change impacts / vulnerabilities and crisis related water challenges. An international firm will be involved to guide the process of developing this INRM strategy. To develop this INRM strategy, climate change impacts and vulnerabilities need to be identified and integrated in the strategy.

Reporting Line: The Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the project manager of Adaptation Fund Project (Programme Management Officer, Human Settlements), and under the overall supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor in UN-Habitat Syria office. The collaboration in producing each output will be provided by international climate change expert. The Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Consultant will coordinate with relevant national UN-habitat staff in Syria office.

Duties and Responsibilities: The Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Consultant will support the climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment and planning as part of the development of the Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) strategy.

More specifically, the climate change adaptation specialist is expected to perform the following tasks: - Identify capacity gaps and needs of the target ministries and local authorities for coordination climate change vulnerability assessment and planning processes - Coordinate the capacity development of target ministries and local authorities for above - Conduct data collection and climate change vulnerability assessment and planning in coordination with target ministries and local authorities, including identification of main vulnerabilities, risks and adaptation needs, considering future scenarios of population growth, water demand, urban expansion, etc.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in environmental or climate change policy / planning or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience: - 2 years of working experience related to climate change vulnerability assessment, planning processes, and environment safety policies at national and local levels is required. - Experience working for a national government including municipalities, a consultancy firm, and/or a university in related filed is preferable. - Experience in working - with international agencies is preferable. - Proven experience in collecting, collating, evaluating, and managing primary and secondary data is required.

Language: Fluency in English and Arabic both oral and written is required.

Additional Information Special Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Word in both typing and styling is required.

Competencies: - Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to climate change. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to assist with data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

• TEMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; 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.

• PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

  No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.