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Vacancy No 08-PGM-UN-HABITAT-418331-R-NAIROBI (G)
Responsibilities
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the United Nations 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. The post is located in the Urban Development Branch (UDB) within Shelter and Sustainable Human Settlements Development - Global Division (GD) and reporting to the Division's Director.
The Branch's formal core functions comprise: responsibility for the Global Campaign on Urban Governance by promotion of sustainable urban development policies through co-operation with scientific and research institutions and substantive dialogues and partnerships among governmental authorities and community organizations and the private sector; provision of appropriate support to regional activities and expert advice to Member States and partners in the field of human settlements generally. Under the direction of the Director, the Head of UDB will be responsible for the urban development component of the Agency's Work Programme, as well as Focal Point for the formulation and execution of the new Global Campaign on Sustainable Urbanization.
1. Policy Making:
a. Incorporating urban governance-related experiences and information generated by the Campaign and the Agency's global programmes into the normative work of the Agency.
b. Cooperating with the Regional and Technical Cooperation Division on the provision of expert advice and support to member states and partners in the field of urban governance and sustainable urban development-related issues.
c. Feed-back of experiences from field projects in support of normative development.
2. Management Functions:
a. Providing managerial and substantive leadership in the conceptualization, formulation and implementation of the new Global Campaign and possible follow-up campaigns, in organizing in-house activities in support of the Campaign and in promoting sustainable urban development policies;
b. Organizing the Branch into functional units;
c. Providing supervision and guidance to the Section Coordinators;
d. Providing substantive guidance to Section Coordinators for the conceptualization, formulation and completion of the sustainable urban development-related tasks under the successive Work Programmes by, among other things, setting out long-term, medium-term and short-term objectives, assigning resources for production of outputs and anticipating/analyzing/solving major problems and difficulties in the implementation of the Work Programme.
3. Coordination Functions:
a. Ensuring synergy between the Branch and Global Programmes, assuring the harmonization of these programmes with the aims of the Campaign;
b. Providing appropriate support to regional activities for the formation of partnerships and exchange of good policies and best practices on urban governance and sustainable urban development;
c. Conducting consultative processes with local authorities and other Habitat Partners in setting priorities for the Campaign;
d. Promoting substantive dialogue, cooperation and partnership with the Habitat Partners for the development of regional, national and local urban management capacity-building and development of urban policy options;
e. Cooperating with the Regional and Technical Cooperation Division on the provision of appropriate support to regional and national activities for the integration of regional work plans and harmonization with the Strategic Vision;
f. Liaising with national governments, all other United Nations agencies, inclusive of the Bretton-Woods institutions and other NGO's, on matters related to the Campaign.
4. Undertaking any other assignments which may be required by the Director, Global Division.
Competencies
The incumbent must have core values and competencies generally required of United Nations staff members especially in the areas of sustainable urban development:
Professionalism: Expert knowledge in management of large-scale programmes related to slum upgrading, urban governance, disaster mitigation, urban safety, urban environment, proven ability to produce reports and papers on these technical issues; ability to review and edit the work of others.
Client orientation: Ability to identify clients' needs and propose appropriate solutions as well as establish and maintain effective relationships with outside collaborators and other contacts, including potential donors,representatives of Member States and the public.
Leadership: Proven track record of excellent management and technical leadership skills and ability to delegate appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision making authority. Proven Record of building and managing teams and creating an enabling work environment, including the ability to effectively lead, supervise, mentor, develop and evaluate staff and design training skills enhancement initiatives to ensure effective transfer of knowledge/skills. Demonstrated flexibility in leadership by performing and/or overseeing change initiatives including the analysis of complex human resources, budgetary, financial or administrative management policy and programmatic issues. Ability to provide leadership and take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives into substantive work; commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing.
Education
An advanced university degree, preferably PhD,in Urban and/or Regional Planning, Civil Engineering, Housing, Urban Management, Urban Economics, Architecture, and /or other disciplines related to human settlements; or a first degree with relevant combination of academic and professional qualifications.
Work Experience
Minimum of fifteen years of substantive professional experience, including at the senior level, in housing, urban/regional planning, urban policy development, urban sustainability and other human settlements related areas, with special reference to developing and transitional countries; ten years of which should be in the field of international co-operation, and proven familiarity with the work and activities of the United Nations system in the area of human settlements; Experience should preferably include work at the city level, with bilateral support agencies; NGOs/CBOs and the private sector.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in written and spoken English required. Given the global nature of the post, working knowledge of other official United Nations languages will be considered an important asset.
Other Skills
Proven ability of preparing funding applications, policy reports and evaluation studies within the broad areas of sustainable urban development; Demonstrated programme design, execution and implementation skills. Familiarity with the work and activities of the United Nations system.
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=5778&catid=435&type...