Programme Development Advisor, Disaster Risk Mitigation

Result of Service - A report on outcome of the studies and guidance documents related to services for WB Project to be delivered within the 4th week of contract signature - A report on UN-Habitat’s involvement in Turkey including the draft HCPD document with recommendations on way forward to be delivered within the 8th week of contract signature. - Reports capturing technical guidance on progress attained on UN-Habitat’s involvement in Lebanon with recommendations on way forward to be delivered within the 12th week of contract signature. - Development of the concept notes, programme document and frameworks related to establishment of the Joint Programme with EIB to be delivered within the 16th week of contract signature. - A report on UN-Habitat’s involvement in Turkey including the draft HCPD and HCA documents and notes of all stakeholder consultations and other activities, with recommendations on way forward to be delivered within the 20th week of contract signature. - A final report of the consultancy to be delivered within the 24th week of contract signature.

Work Location Remote, home-based

Expected duration 6 Months

Duties and Responsibilities Organizational Settings: UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the lead United Nations agency for cities and human settlements. The agency 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 and sustainable development. 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.

UN-Habitat, being the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system, has a role in delivering the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, adopted by Member States in 2015, specifically goal 11: make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

As our cities and towns grow at unprecedented rates, setting the social, political, cultural and environmental trends of the world, sustainable urbanization is one of the most pressing challenges for the global community in the 21st century. In 1950, one-third of the world’s population lived in cities. Just 50 years later, this proportion has risen to one-half and will continue to grow to two-thirds, or six billion people, by 2050. Cities are now home to half of humankind. They are the hub for national production and consumption - economic processes that generate wealth and opportunity. But they also create disease, crime, pollution and poverty. In many cities, especially in developing countries, slum dwellers number more than 50% of the population and have little or no access to shelter, water and sanitation.

UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2020 - 2023 UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan for the years 2020 – 2023 reinforces UN-Habitat’s position as the global centre of excellence on sustainable urban development, offering solutions that help seize the opportunities presented by urbanisation, while bringing about transformational change for the benefit of millions of people, ensuring that no one and no place is left behind. The Strategic Plan lays out a recalibrated vision and mission, and a sharpened focus. UN-Habitat proposes to serve Member States, sub-national and local governments, and other key urban actors in the pursuit of four mutually reinforcing and integrated domains of change: - Reduced poverty and spatial inequality in urban and rural communities; - Enhanced shared prosperity of cities and regions; - Strengthened climate action and improved urban environment; and - Effective urban crisis prevention and response.

The implementation of the Strategic Plan 2020 - 2030 is also supported by six “organizational performance enablers”: (1) monitoring and knowledge; (2) innovation; (3) advocacy, communication and outreach; (4) partnerships; (5) capacity building; and (6) systems and processes. UN-Habitat needs to put in place the adequate institutional, managerial and financial conditions. Moreover, “drivers of change” for achieving sustainable urbanization have been outlined: (1) policy and legislation; (2) urban planning and design; (3) governance; and (4) finance mechanisms.

ROAS The UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS) was established in 2011. UN-Habitat ROAS has a mandate to provide technical cooperation and capacity building for 18 countries across the Arab region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Currently there are active projects in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Sudan. UN-Habitat supports Arab countries in their efforts to advance sustainable urbanization as a driver of development and peace. UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States provides knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action for eighteen countries across the Arab region and is currently present in thirteen Arab countries, supporting partners through a diversified portfolio of more than USD 290 million, centering around the four main pillars of action of the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.

LEBANON Since October 2019, Lebanon has been going through multiple socio- economic, health, financial, and political crises that have pushed the country to unprecedented levels of poverty, unemployment rates, depreciation of local currency and rapid increased migration of youth and professionals to other countries. This has entailed the Country Programme to reposition itself to respond to the huge implications of the multiple crises mainly on cities and their surrounding poverty pockets. For that, a Habitat Country Programme Document (HCPD) was developed in consultation with different relevant counterparts aiming to respond to emerging challenges while at the same time taking into account the other humanitarian and development frameworks. The HCPD is expected to become a live document that will be reviewed occasionally to incorporate emerging issues. The August 4 Beirut Port explosion has added up huge burden on the country’s fragile security and economic situation and led to a complete disconnect between the international community and the Lebanese government in terms of financial support. A Reform, Recovery, and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) was developed by the UN, the World Bank and the EU with the aim to move the country from emergency into the recovery phase yet proposing relevant reforms. A financial facility (LFF) was created by the 3RF partners to ensure that funding provided through donors and managed by international and local actors will reach to the maximum number of needy and affected households. UN-Habitat was identified by the 3RF Committee to implement a 13 million Housing and Cultural and Creative Industries Project managed by the World Bank. This constitutes a challenging endeavor for the Country Programme being the 1st experience working with the World Bank rules and procedures.

TURKEY Following a mission of the UN-Habitat Executive Director to Turkey, in June 2021, the Government of Turkey has requested a stronger UN-Habitat presence in the country, either in the form of a sub-regional or country office. While the negotiations for a Host Country Agreement (HCA) are ongoing, close collaboration with the UN Country Team lead by the UN Resident Coordinator is fostered and the development of joint programmes with UN-Habitat as a non-resident agency planned. Areas for collaboration have been outlined as well as contributions made to the Common Country Assessment (CCA) as well as the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF); both are currently in the process of endorsement by the Government of Turkey. Following the mission of UN-Habitat’s Executive Director, concrete action points were agreed upon and require implementation. This consultancy will provide the necessary support in order to advance towards a UN-Habitat operational presence in Turkey.

Reporting Line: The consultant will directly report to the UN-Habitat Regional Representative to the Arab States (for ROAS), Head of Country Programme in Lebanon (for Lebanon) and Inter-regional Advisor based at the Global Solutions Branch, Programme Development Branch (for Turkey). In addition, the consultant will work closely with the Chief of Staff of UN-Habitat’s Office of the Executive Director on the political dimension of the assignment as well as the Chief of Global Solutions Branch, Urban Practices Branch on substantive matters.

Duties and Responsibilities: The external expert is required to prepare three main deliverables in support of the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS), the UN-Habitat office in Lebanon as well as UN-Habitat headquarters in following main tasks:

UN-Habitat Country team in Lebanon - Advise in implementation of the World Bank funded Beirut Housing Rehabilitation and Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries Recovery Project with specific focus on overseeing technical matters related to unsound buildings and in monitoring respective indicators. - Provide guidance and tools for successful implementation of the project in accordance with the reporting requirement of the World Bank. - Guide the country team in operationalizing Habitat Country Programme Document (HCPD) that aims to respond to identified national and local challenges from an urban lens, fully aligned to nationally identified priorities, and ongoing UN and international community frameworks. In line with the HCPD assist the rejuvenation of the National Habitat Committee as part of the HCPD and the Urban Recovery Framework.

Regional Office for Arab States - Advise teams in formulating project proposals at regional context (Turkey - Syria) with particular focus on refugees and concerned vulnerable people, including development of programme to demonstrate cultural and historical values through establishment of refugee centres and environment friendly campaigns. - Guide the teams in formulating and developing a joint programme with European Investment Bank (EIB) and EU for selected MENA region countries focusing on sustainable development, investment in urban infrastructure, rapid urbanisation and linkage to SDGs and the global climate crisis through the Urban Agenda.

Headquarters (Turkey related) - Take stock of recent and existing programmes/projects/initiatives before undertaking the forward-looking strategic value proposition and programme concept notes for new focus areas, geographies, programming, partnerships and resource mobilisation opportunities for UN-Habitat over the next years. - Provide guidance in development of a Habitat Country Programme Document (HCPD) for Turkey for the period 2022 - 2025 (3 years) that aims to respond to identified national and local challenges from an urban lens, fully aligned to nationally identified priorities, and ongoing UN and international community frameworks. - Act as focal point for UN-Habitat’s activities in Turkey, including in relation to establishment of a country office. This will include conducting consultations with concerned national and local Government authorities (i.e. MoFA, MoEU, MoIT, MoE, affiliated institutions, UNCT, NGOs and other stakeholders as relevant) targeted to at reaching a Host Country Agreement (HCA). - In line with the HCPD and HCA, assist in the establishment of a National Habitat Committee in Turkey. - In close collaboration with relevant HQ units and in consultation with relevant in-country stakeholders, prepare project documents and funding proposals in-line with the objectives and scope of the mutual cooperation.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree in architecture, civil engineering, urban and/ or public policy, urbanism, housing, environment and climate change is required.

Experience: At least 5 years of experience undertaking research related to urban sustainable development, and an associated publication track record is required. At least 5 years of progressive experience in the humanitarian and development field, particularly related to urban analysis is desirable. At least 3 years of experience in shelter and/or housing technical sectoral coordination is desirable. Significant experience of developing policies, strategies, guides and toolkits for MENA audiences; substantial experience of developing and implementing capacity building programmes; experience of working with and advising cities and local governments on urban sustainability; experience of working with and advising multilateral organizations, for example the United Nations, the European Commission and International Financing Institutions; experience in resource mobilization; experience in establishing partnerships; large and comprehensive network in the urban sustainability field is preferred.

Language: Fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage. Outputs will be delivered in English language.

Additional Information Competencies: Professionalism: Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to communicate clearly links between the Organization's strategy and UN-Habitat Kosovo’s goals. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment 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.

Planning and 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.

Communication: Excellent written and oral presentation skills in English. Excellent capacity to produce and manipulate graphic documents and drawings. Good presentation skills. Ability to communicate complex interventions in a clear language and convincing narratives. Sketching capabilities to effectively communicate in workshop settings and teams.

Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve agreed goals.

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.