Central unit coordinator, L3/L4; municipal spatial planning support programme - phase 2 (MuSPP)

Background

UN-HABITAT has been actively assisting Kosovo institutions in the fields of governance, spatial planning and municipal administration since 1999. This assistance is now entering a new 3-year phase with the “Municipal Spatial Planning Support Program Phase 2” (MuSPP 2) with financial support from the Swedish Government. The new Program will be implemented in a selection of municipalities with field offices based in the secondary cities of Peja/Pec, Prizren, Gjilan/Gnjilane, and Mitrovice/Mitrovica.

Context in Kosovo

Ever since the conflict ended in June 1999, Kosovo is facing an unprecedented construction boom and growth of urban areas. This is only partly guided and controlled by local self-governments. The new political situation after the conflict has resulted in population migrations from rural areas to cities. However, the cities are not prepared for such an influx of population. The lack of valid urban and spatial plans leads to unplanned and illegal development, both in terms of land use, infrastructure and building construction.

In the first phase of MuSPP, six municipalities that reflected problems faced by Kosovo were selected for UN-HABITAT to supply technical support and advisory services.. The primary focus of this support and advice has been in relation to the preparation of Municipal Development Plans and Urban Development Plans (MDP and UDP). All the municipalities have faced a major constraint of limited numbers of planning staff with limited training and experience.

The Law on Spatial Planning passed in September 2003 requires that municipalities prepare a MDP and UDP. These are composed of the strategic and spatial development documents. The plans are meant to be prepared using an inclusive, participatory process involving the full range of stakeholders, including relevant organisations of civil society.

One of the municipalities has completed the preparation of its MDP and UDP. It has prepared and is about to commence its Implementation Plan of these two plans. The other municipalities are at various stages of the completion of their plans. In the next phase of planning they will need to translate these spatial plans into development guidance and control plans (referred to as “Regulatory Plan” in the Law).

The Program in brief

The Municipal Level
It is envisaged that UN-HABITAT will have offices in the Municipalities of Peja/Pec, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Mitrovice/Mitrovica, and Prizren. Office space will also be provided for the UN-HABITAT/MuSPP advisors in other partner municipalities. The four mentioned municipalities will be the duty stations for the UN-HABITAT national staff. Each duty station will also have an international professional officer assigned to it. This person will head the office and report to the Field Unit Coordinator. The offices will serve as the base from which to supply technical support and advisory services to other smaller municipalities in the surrounding areas. The details of these services are subject to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with each of the municipalities.

MuSPP 2 will supply technical support and advisory services to municipalities to enable them to complete the preparation of their MDP and UDP. Provision of UN-HABITAT’s services will continue into the implementation phase of these plans. This phase will largely focus on two broad areas: firstly, identification, set up and management of capital works projects, as well as the preparation, adoption, and operationalising of regulatory plans to control development. Secondly, UN-HABITAT will supply advisory services on strategic urban development issues to the executive leadership of the Municipality.

It is envisaged that the UN-HABITAT team in each municipality will consist of one international planning advisor and two national professional officers. In certain instances, and in response to the specific work requirements, these teams may be strengthened by the temporary assignment to the UN-HABITAT team of additional staff. The UN-HABITAT team will work with the Municipal Planning Team (MPT) or the Municipal Strategic Planning Unit (SPG) and other municipal staff on a daily basis. There will be dedicated municipal counterpart staff, assigned by the municipality in terms of the MOU, to work “side-by-side” with the UN-HABITAT team. This team will, in turn, be supported by a range of specialists working out of the UN-HABITAT Pristina office.

Program Management Structure
The main UN-HABITAT office is located in Pristina. It is headed by the Chief Technical Advisor/Program Manager (CTA/PM). It is co-located with the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning. The agency also supplies technical support and advisory services to this Ministry. In addition, it is envisaged that the Ministry of Local Government Administration, the Ministry Of Transport, Kosovo Railways, and the Association of Kosovo Municipalities will also be central level counterparts with which UN-HABITAT will closely collaborate on a range of matters that support the municipalities in urban planning and development planning.

The Program builds on the earlier experience of UN-HABITAT in Kosovo, and incorporates the principles and ideals of UN-HABITAT’s flagship documents such as Habitat Agenda, Global Campaigns on Good Urban Governance and Secure Tenure, and UN-HABITAT’s Gender Policy.

The central office will be staffed by three unit coordinators: programme management officer/financial manager and two international development planning & project management specialists. One of these specialists (or is it one of these coordinators?) will be responsible for field operations and the other for the operation of the central unit in Pristina.

It is envisaged that all international positions will have been replaced by national professional officer positions by the end of the program in 3 years’ time.

Purpose of the post

To coordinate the UN-HABITAT professional staff in its central Prishtina office, and to ensure that technical support and advisory services are provided to international standards generally and EU standards specifically.

Main tasks

The Central Unit Coordinator will supervise and coordinate the work of the UN-HABITAT Pristina office professional international and national staff, including specialists in the following fields: transport planning & mobility; urban design; economic development planning; participatory planning with civil society; legal services; information & communication; project management. Additional international and national specialists will join this group as needed. All international specialist positions will be supported by national full-time professional officers with similar/complementary areas of skill.

The Unit’s staff will generally provide technical support and advisory services to both the field teams based in the four core municipalities, as well as to central level counterparts, including the Ministry of Environment & Spatial Planning, the Ministry of Local Government Administration, and the Association of Kosovo Municipalities. The unit coordinator will report to the Chief Technical Advisor/Program Manager (CTA/PM).

Under the overall supervision of the CTA/PM, and in cooperation with the Field Units Coordinator, the Central Unit Coordinator will undertake the following tasks:
- Ensure and monitor the quality of work of staff at all times. This shall include ensuring all staff develop monthly work plans and work to these. Staff will submit monthly progress reports that address outcomes, results and outputs of the previous month’s work plan. The Coordinator shall also ensure the quality of all written material drafted by the Central Unit’s staff, before it is submitted to the CTA/PM for authority to issue. Performance reviews of each staff member will also be undertaken as directed by the CTA/PM, but not less than annually.
- Coordinate and collaborate closely with the Field Units Coordinator to ensure that the Central Unit staff provide the technical support and inputs required by the field teams from the Central Unit professional staff.
- Provide substantive guidance and inputs (technical and policy) to the work of the Unit staff and their central institution counterparts. This will include work relating to: development planning, informal settlements, housing policy, disaster risk assessment and management, local economic development, public participation and stakeholder mobilisation, as well as the values and principles of UN-HABITAT such as good governance, participatory decision-making, gender equity, and civic empowerment.
- Provide substantive inputs to the multi-sectoral/multi-disciplinary work of the UN-HABITAT field teams and their counterparts, as requested and required by the Field Unit Coordinator. In all substantive matters the Coordinator must ensure European planning concepts, policies, and practices are reflected in all planning where practicable and appropriate.
- Ensure that the Central Unit staff undertakes appropriate and ongoing capacity building activities of their counterparts. This will include substantive inputs into this work by the Coordinator as well as direct participation in the activities.
- Undertake program development, e.g. to assist and support the formulation and initiation of the university-based professional education program in the broad field of urban planning, development and management. This program would also assess and accredit the in-service work of UN-HABITAT national staff and its counterparts.
- Assist in the initiation and set-up of, as well as give initial support to the establishment and operation of, the national Habitat Committee in Kosovo.
- Develop and maintain cooperation linkages with UN-HABITAT programmes in Central and South Eastern Europe.
- Maintain and strengthen inter-agency cooperation on the matters relevant to UN-HABITAT’s mandate and Kosovo programs such as e.g. gender issues, safe school environment, informal settlements, MDG’s.
- Coordinate closely with the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and other central government Ministries on substantive work as detailed in a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant Ministry or as directed by the CTA/RM.
- Draft and submit regular reports on the substantive work of the Unit staff, including their individual Work Plans and Outcomes/Results Reports to the CTA/PM as directed. This will also include staff performance assessments and reviews.
- Perform any other function and task which is required by the nature of the Program and as directed by the PM/CTA.

Qualifications and requirements

- Masters degree in public administration, economics, spatial/urban planning, project management, environmental planning or similar degree
- 10 years relevant professional experience (including strategic planning, public administration, project management)
- Supervisory and management experience and extensive involvement in the design and implementation of development programs (capacity building, program development, report writing, etc)
- Proven experience on working with multi-disciplinary teams including such disciplines/fields as: transportation & mobility planning; urban design; local economic development planning; disaster risk assessment and management; cultural heritage planning; housing policy; GIS
- Experience with facilitating inter-institutional cooperation and stakeholder involvement
- Good analytical, solution-defining and creative skills
- Readiness to work in a post-conflict context , ability to adapt to a multiethnic working environment
- Good oral and written communication skills. Spoken and written English must be excellent. The ability to edit professional documents to ensure high quality, readable publications is an essential requirement
- Valid driving license and the ability to obtain a UN driver’s licence.
- Knowledge and experience in the following areas will be an asset

Specialised knowledge and experience in one of the following fields:

- Governance and management, housing policy, informal settlements, environmental planning, community development, transport and mobility planning, local economic development planning, urban design, disaster risk assessment and management.
-Experience in transition and post-conflict context

Special considerations
The candidate should be:
- Familiar with and committed to the goals of UN-HABITAT and committed to the goals, values and principles of UN-HABITAT such as good governance, participatory decision making, gender equality, and civic empowerment
- Familiar with standard government and UN administrative and financial procedures
- Willing to take responsibility and make sure tasks are fully completed
- Sensitive to gender issues and issues of concern to vulnerable groups
- Flexible and prepared to pursue planned outcomes through teamwork
- Willing to continue learning new skills and share experiences with other members of the UN-HABITAT staff in Kosovo