Project Coordinator

Contract

This is a SB-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Service Board / Service Contract. It is normally only for nationals. More about SB-4 contracts.

Background

The Special Human Settlements Programme for the Palestinian People (SHSPPP) (UN-Habitat, Palestine) is seeking a candidate to fill the position of Project Coordinator, under the overall guidance of the team leader and the direct supervision of Sr. Urban Programme Officer. As this position is related to the project: Achieving Planning and Land Rights in Area C, West Bank (2019-2023) in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Service Contract extension will be conditioned to satisfactory performance evaluation as well as availability of funding under the project.

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible of coordinating project activities, substantially contributing to reporting, analytical, and policy requirements of the project with the ultimate goal of building resilience through people’s methodology. Furthermore, s/he will support in managing transactions and operations activities related to work and keep records of budget expenditures.

The incumbent will initiate and coordinate external partnerships and joint resource mobilization efforts for follow-up or new related work, and provide strategic guidance on effective, quality and timely UN support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially Goal 11, and the New Urban Agenda. S/he is expected to contribute in managing knowledge management and capacity development activities in and outside the UN System and ensure efficient and effective substantive coordination support to work activities while ensure adherence to organizational policies and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will contribute to building up and maintaining a network of local organizations and professionals working on planning, land, and housing related matters, liaise with relevant counterparts with the Palestinian Authority, sister UN Agencies and project partners on project activities, as requested by the supervisor. More specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for:

1) Project coordination: Organizing and conducting field visits on regular basis and provide advocacy support, where needed to protect planning and land rights and establish networks with all relevant stakeholder (through regular meetings, workshops and conferences), and work closely with local implementing partners during the design, implementation, management of interventions in Area C and beyond;

2) Contribute to Tenure Security: Support efforts to foster tenure security, build resilience, and safeguard housing, land, and property rights following gender sensitive approaches, during the design and implementation phases of project activities and ensure effective involvement of women and youth in all participatory activities related to this project;

3) Contribute to Sustainable Development: Encourage new patterns of field work, protect existing natural and cultural heritage and historical sites and promote those sites as potential for tourism development, and balance user needs and desires with consideration of design, engineering, costs, regulations, and promote proper investment in the local communities, encourage local and eco-tourism, and support COVID-19 socio-economic response plans of local communities; and

4) Knowledge management and reporting along with other tasks that may be required: Leading on specific technical initiatives at the request of the supervisor at UN-Habitat, including the contribution to country, regional, and headquarters reports.

Impact of Results:

In alignment with the Palestine (National) Policy Agenda (2017-2022) that seeks a ‘citizen-centric’ development path, interventions and priorities identified in the UNDAF (2018-2022) related to housing and urban development in Palestine have been grouped under two strategic priorities, with the bulk of interventions under Strategic Priority 1: supporting Palestine’s path to independence, where the geopolitical fragmentation of the oPt would be reversed through fostering tenure security and mapping of land rights and spatial planning support in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip to build-back-better. Furthermore, rehabilitation work will continue to be provided to generate local economic development and build resilience, especially to women and youth groups within the targeted the Palestinian communities. Under Strategic Priority 4: leaving no one behind - social development and protection, UN-Habitat plans to extend its support in the field of urban basic services and address violence against women through the implementation of placemaking and public spaces across Palestine, with more focus on the most vulnerable groups. The UN Common Country Analysis (2016) identified the key drivers of vulnerability to those furthest behind and the challenges they face under Palestine’s current development course, including: locational, economic, socio-cultural, and institutional and political drivers.

Competencies

Core Competencies: Innovation Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Leadership Ability to persuade others to follow

People Management Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Communication Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Delivery Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Technical/Functional Competencies: Planning & Organizing Ability to plan and organize work activities ensuring value for money, and monitor and adjust plans and actions as necessary

Teamwork Ability to work in harmony with other team members and provide support where needed, and build consensus for task purpose and direction with team members

Creativity Ability to foresee challenges and employ solutions that are people-centered in a timely manner and take calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks "outside the box"

Client Orientation Ability to consider all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view and establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect and meet time line for delivery of product or services to client.

Accountability Ability to take ownership for work and honours commitments and deliver outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards.

Communication Ability to speak and write clearly and effectively, and listen to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately, and tailor language, tone, style and format to match the audience.

Commitment to continuous learning Ability to keep abreast of new developments in own profession, and show willingness to learn from others, and seek feedback to learn and improve.

Technological awareness Ability to keep abreast of available technology and show willingness to learn new technology

Required Skills and Experience

Master's degree in land management, public policy, development studies, spatial planning or a related area.

Minimum of 3 years of relevant working experience in areas related to land management, spatial and urban planning, and development studies preferably within the context of Area C of the West Bank.

Previous experience working with UN is an asset.

Proficiency in English and Arabic. Working knowledge of other UN language desirable

Non-Smoking environment

Knowledge of the land and planning legal framework and processes in Palestine/Israel, with specific demonstrated knowledge of Area C.

Good knowledge of MS-Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); knowledge of ADOBE design suite (ID, Illustrator, Photoshop) and/or standard GIS software (ArcView, ArcGIS, QGIS), and AutoCAD programmes.

Proficient in website and internet applications, database management.

Valid driving license.

Application:

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UNDP Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from

UNDP P11 form (new Personal History form) (google.com) Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UNDP P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.