Urban and Regional Planner

To provide technical advisory on urban planning interventions and develop city extension plans

Nairobi

6 months

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements. It 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. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, healthier, greener places with better opportunities where everyone can live in with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The consultancy is located in the Somalia Programme, Regional Office for Africa (ROAF). Prolonged instability in Somalia has culminated in widespread adverse social and economic consequences that have inhibited the development of the livelihood asset base of the Somali people. The country’s 25 year conflict has seen the destruction of key economic infrastructure on a scale seen nowhere else on earth; government buildings, public facilities, roads, and transportation and communication networks have been destroyed or severely damaged. Although this destruction has been wide-spread and affected populations throughout the country, urban centres – hubs for economic activity and development – have been adversely affected. The lack of economic infrastructure that stimulates enterprise development and supports economic growth has resulted in limited investment in the productive sectors, effectively constraining the urban population to rely predominantly on an informal economy based on trade, transport, utilities, communication and construction, for income and service provision. Subsistence petty trading and micro-sized enterprises have become the primary sources of employment and income for most city-dwellers. The Urban and Regional Planner will be under the overall coordination of the SHSO/ Head of Country Programme Somalia Programme and direct supervision of the Head of Programmes The Urban and Regional Planner will be responsible for the following duties: • Remote collection, generation and management of geo-spatial and socio-economic data, risk analysis, and urban resilience in the project locations • Layout and compilation of research study and other relevant documents, as such FIMM profiles, urban profiles, community action plans, and district development plans, capacity assessments • Preparation of training materials for government staff and government training providers on participatory and rapid urban planning and urban resilience aspects; • Prepare and edit spatial and socio-economic analyses and coordinate with further programme partners to make the data available; • Draft, review and finalize spatial development plans incl. preparation of urban regeneration plans; • Produce and visualize thematic area maps and other socio-economic data to be used for participatory and inclusive planning processes and land management aspects; • Prepare information material for planning exercises at neighbourhood, city and regional level by using various means of communication (online tools, apps, flyers, website, presentations); • Provide substantial inputs to the formulation of project proposals and concept notes and review them related to settlement planning and upgrading with regard to Durable Solutions and Urban Regeneration; • Review technical plans and their compliance with necessary formal and professional requirements (e.g. application of integrated planning standards and principles as per UN-Habitat policies as well as construction projects); • Prepare and review site maps and locations provided by programme partners to minimize and mitigate any associated risk with community infrastructure projects; • Contribute to technical and methodological manuals on urban regeneration and reintegration of displaced communities • Provide input for preparation of visibility tools related to project activities such as pictures, sketches, video clips, reports and press articles, social media statements;

Advanced University degree in Urban and Regional Planning, or Architecture and Urban Planning, or Urban Management or any other relevant field to strategic urban planning, urban management and design is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree At least five years’ working experience in urban planning and design, urban management and participatory planning processes and /or local governance matters is required Previous work experience related to working with displacements or environmental context is an added advantage. Previous work experience working with international agencies is a major asset.

For the position advertised, fluency in English is required

Not available.

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.