Urban Transport Expert (Maldives)

Consultant Finance & Economy

Overview

Support the development of a decongestion plan for Malé City.

You have:

• University degree in transport, civil engineering, urban planning, or related field.
• Experience in research and analysis in the transport sector.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Dhivehi is desirable.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

Performance indicators for evaluation of outputs. • Reliable and context-specific data collected on mobility patterns and congestion dynamics in Malé City,which will inform the development of an evidence-based decongestion plan. • Timely submission of a comprehensive analytical report presenting the findings of the UrbanMobility Survey; • Effective engagement and coordination with municipal authorities and relevant stakeholdersthroughout the assignment; • Clear presentation and dissemination of the survey methodology and key findings during theconsultation workshop to facilitate informed discussion among stakeholders.

Work Location

Maldives

Expected duration

15Mar2026-31Aug2026

Duties and Responsibilities

ESCAP’s Transport Division is responding to an official request for technical assistance from the Malé City Council, Maldives. The request reflects the urgent mobility pressures faced by Malé City, where traffic congestion has become a persistent constraint on everyday mobility. High road occupancy levels and limited public space significantly reduce traffic efficiency and increase travel time. At the same time, public transport services remain fragmented, while private vehicle ownership remains high. These structural challenges are further aggravated by frequent natural hazards, including heavy rainfall and flooding, which regularly disrupt transport operations and damage already vulnerable infrastructure. Moreover, such events affect not only private and public transport, but also other forms of mobility, limiting active alternatives such as walking and cycling. As a result, strengthening resilience to extreme weather events and integrating resilience considerations into urban transport planning have become urgent priorities for local authorities. The project aims to support the Malé City Council in addressing these challenges through the development of a comprehensive decongestion plan tailored to the Maldivian context. The initiative will bring together relevant municipal departments, transport operators, public transport providers and other key stakeholders to ensure coordinated long-term planning. The project will deliver the following activities to strengthen the City’s technical capacity: a) Designing and conducting an Urban Mobility Survey (UMS) to support the development of adecongestion plan. b) Carrying out a Disaster Risk Assessment (DRA) to evaluate the impacts of natural hazards on mobilityand infrastructure. c) Organizing a Consultation Workshop in Malé City to present the results of the UMS and the DRA andto consult stakeholders on defining next steps. d) Developing a Decongestion and Disaster Resilience Roadmap based on the findings of the UMS, theDRA, and the consultation workshop. e) Delivering a Capacity-Building Workshop in Malé City to strengthen the City’s capacity to reducecongestion, improve multimodal mobility, and enhance resilience to natural disasters. Duties and Responsibilities: Against this background, ESCAP is seeking to hire an urban mobility expert to support the implementation of the first phase of the project. Throughout the assignment, the consultant will be expected to collaborate closely with the ESCAP project team, municipal authorities and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and coordination. Under the overall guidance of ESCAP’s responsible project officer, the consultant will undertake the following tasks: 1. Design and develop an Urban Mobility Survey tailored to the context of Malé City; 2. Deliver the survey, analyse the collected data and prepare a comprehensive final report; 3. Facilitate a fact-finding mission by ESCAP experts to Malé City and contribute to the organisation ofa stakeholder consultation workshop, including liaising with relevant municipal departments and keystakeholders for both events; 4. Present the survey methodology and key findings at the consultation workshop.

Qualifications/special skills

University degree in transport, civil engineering, urban planning, or related field. Experience in research and analysis in the transport sector.

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Dhivehi is desirable.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 months ago - Updated 3 months ago - Source: careers.un.org