Background

Contract Modality:   International ICA
Grade:   IICA-1 equivalent

UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable and resilient towns and cities. It is the focal point agency for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat envisions well-planned, well-governed and efficient cities and towns, with adequate housing, infrastructure and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation. Responding to crisis and post-crisis context is part of UN-Habitat’s mandate and strategic plan.

In Ukraine, UN-Habitat is supporting national and subnational governments in their recovery efforts, linking short term reconstruction needs to longer term resilience solutions. At national level, UN-Habitat provides support to the government of Ukraine on the development of national policies and instruments that guide regional and local governments’ recovery. The programme also strives to increasing Ukrainian urban planning and design capacities, through support to academia, think tanks and practitioners among others. At local level, UN-Habitat provides support to recovery planning efforts of local governments, through its Urban Lab established in Kyiv.

UN-Habitat’s support builds upon three main inter-linked components; 1) support to the national government and ministries for the improvement of regulatory frameworks and instruments for a sustainable urban recovery; 2) support to urban and territorial recovery towards more inclusive, green and healthy urban recovery in selected regions and municipalities; 3) strengthened urban planning capacity among urban stakeholders, and specifically within public institutions.

Rationale and context of the assignment

UN-Habitat is now planning to engage an associate project development officer to support with the development of its portfolio of projects and activities in Ukraine.

The incumbent will be supporting with the identification and formulation of projects in order to achieve the following objectives:

1. Effective formulation of projects for mobilization of funding; and
2. Enhancement of partnerships with relevant stakeholders to increase opportunities for joint programming and for funding of projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will report directly to the Head of UN-Habitat Country Office in Ukraine and the designated technical lead on programme development. The incumbent is expected to fulfill the following general duties and responsibilities:

• Participate in the conceptualization of new projects and programmes for UN-Habitat in Ukraine;
• Draft concept papers, project documents and other written materials in support of project development and fundraising;
• Produce meetings notes and reports, stories, presentations, publications and visibility materials lay-out and design etc. as required;
• Ensure effective formulation of new projects in support of urban recovery in Ukraine, for mobilization of funding, through:
  • Research, compilation, analysis, summaries and presentation of basic information/data on wide range of topics on the local context relevant for urban recovery;
  • Consultation and close coordination with the technical advisors in Ukraine and at headquarters in Nairobi;
  • Consultation with relevant counterparts in Ukraine (Government, Ukrainian experts, UN agencies, etc.);
  • Effective application of UN-Habitat policies and tools in project formulation, including budget drafting;
• Ensure enhancement of partnerships with relevant counterparts in the Government, in the UN, in specialized agencies, NGOs etc. in Ukraine, aiming at the identification of new interventions and potential funding opportunities, through:
  • Thorough analysis and research of information on funding windows and any other potential funding sources;
  • Mapping and preparation of short substantive briefs on possible opportunities for project funding and joint programming;
  • Coordination of activities and communications with all relevant stakeholders to strengthen relationships, including preparation of reports for donors.

Results Expected

The ultimate result of this assignment is to provide technical contributions in support of effective formulation of projects for resource mobilization, and enhancement of partnerships with relevant stakeholders to increase opportunities for joint programming and for funding of projects.

Reporting requirements

The incumbent will report directly to the Head of UN-Habitat Country Office in Ukraine and the designated technical lead on programme development. The incumbent will collaborate closely with the technical teams based in Ukraine as well as technical advisors at UN-Habitat’s headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya.

Outputs and Expected Deliverables

The incumbent is required to provide various project outputs as above and submit a monthly report that details the project activities and achievements, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the assignment.

Working location and travel

The assignment is expected to be conducted from the UN-Habitat office in Kyiv. Travel to field locations required for site visits, technical missions and engagement with stakeholders and partners will be covered by UN-Habitat. In the event that the consultant cannot relocate to Ukraine, alternative work arrangements, including missions, reporting, and communication methods, will be discussed and agreed upon.

Competencies

Professional: Demonstrates conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills to conduct research and analysis using various resources; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; observes deadlines and achieving results; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, respecting deadlines and achieving results.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed; Excellent drafting ability and communications skills, both oral and written; proven ability to communicate complex concepts orally; Ability to prepare written reports that are clear, concise and meaningful.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; 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 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. 

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Political Science, Business Administration, Development studies, Economics or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

• No working experience is required for candidates with a Master's Degree. 2 years of working experience is required for candidates with a Bachelor's Degree;
• Excellent writing skills in English is required;
• Understanding of and experience in programme development is an asset;
• Working knowledge and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (and their monitoring/evaluation) and of the New Urban Agenda is an asset;
• Working experience with international development agencies and in particular the United Nations is an asset.

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Special Considerations:

The candidate should be familiar with, and committed to the goals of UN-Habitat, and have:

• Basic knowledge and understanding of approaches to urban development particularly in an international development context including crisis and/or post-crisis contexts;
• Strong communications skills, including writing and presenting;
• Ability to develop concise written outputs and analysis, as well as substantive reports;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in multi-national/ cultural environment and flexibility in understanding and accepting different assignments;
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritize and meet deadlines; work well under time constraints while retaining attention to detail, and;
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow.