Urban Planner - Technical Expert - International Consultant

Result of Service The objective of this assignment is to support UN-Habitat Syria in the implementation of its urban recovery framework through technical assistance that will support the delivery of ‘Support to the Restoration of Minimal Functionality of Services and Enhancement of Social Cohesion in Urban Communities in Syria – Phase II’ project and further policy reflections on the uptake of URF in Syria and beyond.

Work Location Home-Based

Expected duration Part time within 3 months with 60 working days

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 and Aleppo and in Deir Azzor, The UN-Habitat Syria programme operationalizes projects across Syria. Building on previous urban profiling experiences in Syria, UN-Habitat in 2020 started the project called “Urban Recovery Framework Syria” with support of the European Union. The objective of the URF Syria is to act as a vehicle to clarify institutional roles and responsibilities at the national, provincial/state, municipal and community levels, clarifying local leadership, coordination and accountability.

Reporting Line: The expert will work under the overall supervision and report to the Chief Technical Advisor Head of Syria Programme.

Duties and Responsibilities: The consultant will provide advisory, including preparing advocacy material for high level meetings, on the adoption of URF within the “Support to the Restoration of Minimal Functionality of Services and Enhancement of Social Cohesion in Urban Communities in Syria – Phase II” project in Syria and beyond, as well as the finalisation of a research paper on URF and returns (as necessitated by the 2 Governorates in focus under the project).

- Deliver an amended research paper on URF and area-based returns support. Edit the paper and update specific elements of the earlier draft in order to address the international and national policy and aid debate on returns, and implications of returns scenarios for cities in Syria to understand overall and context specific conditions, including: conditions such as socio-economic recovery, and service functionality; outline the main ‘due diligence’ or ‘safeguard process’ requirements to promote returns responsive urban recovery programming; identify entry points for returns responsive urban recovery programming, including addressing specific push and pull factors, such as HLP issues, livelihoods, and social cohesion; and identify cross-linkages with other Urban Recovery pillars, and urban recovery along the urban rural-continuum.

- Provide advisory and overall support to UN-Habitat in framing the adoption of URF as an enabling institutional and policy framework and related programming to support resilient urban recovery in within the “Support to the Restoration of Minimal Functionality of Services and Enhancement of Social Cohesion in Urban Communities in Syria – Phase II” project, to be presented at key meetings and events, including donor dialogue in European capitals, the Brussels VI Conference on Syria and the Region, and the World Urban Forum.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: A master's degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Engineering and/or related field is required. A bachelor's degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree.

Experience: - 10 years’ experience in in urban planning, urban recovery/crises response and city profiling is required; - Proven experience in spatial planning and urban data analysis is desirable; - Capable of working in a team and undertaking initiative to ensure smooth relations and open communication within the team and with partners; - Field experience in relevant conflict context and working experience in the Arab region are desirable. - Experience within International organizations is preferable.

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

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

Competencies: - Professionalism: 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 & 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.

• Teamwork: 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.

  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.