Field 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 staff in the 4 core towns of Peja, Mitrovice, Prizren and Gjilan and to ensure that technical support and advisory services are provided to international standards generally and EU standards specifically..

Main tasks

Under the overall supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor/ Programme Manager, and in cooperation with the Central Unit Coordinator, the Field Units Coordinator shall undertake the following tasks:
- Supervise and coordinate the work of the UN-HABITAT municipality-based field teams of international and national staff. The quality of work of all staff in these field teams is to be closely monitored and assured at all times by this Coordinator. This shall include ensuring all staff develop monthly work plans and work to these. The Coordinator shall also ensure the quality of all written material drafted by the Field Offices staff, before it is submitted to the CTA/PM for authority to issue. It is a requirement that this Coordinator shall undertake regular and frequent visits to each of the four field offices as well as other sites of their work.
- Provide substantive guidance and inputs (technical and policy) to the work of the field teams and their municipal counterparts. This will include work relating to: drafting of the spatial plans, including municipal and urban development plans as well as their implementation; formulation and implementation of action plans and projects; formulation and implementation of capital works projects and action projects. It is expected that the Coordinator will also provide substantive input to the UN-HABITAT field teams and their counterparts on all matters relating to project management. Ensure European planning concepts, policies, and practices are reflected in all planning where practicable and desirable
- Provide substantive guidance and inputs (technical and policy) to the work of the field teams and their municipal counterparts in relation to inter-municipal, regional and cross-border planning and project development. The Coordinator is expected to provide the lead in regard to this matter, both substantively as well as managerially.
- Advise the municipal field teams and their counterparts, on inclusive and participatory processes for planning, policy formulation and action projects and ensure that such processes are part of the planning work undertaken in the municipal field teams. In particular, guidance to the field teams on the inclusion of civil society organisations is to be given. The Coordinator shall also work with the Central Unit Coordinator to ensure that the field teams can draw on the national Professional Officer (Participatory Planning & Civil Society) provides their expertise, support and technical advice to the field teams in this regard.
- Advise the municipal mayors and their executive staff on setting-up/operation of municipal planning units (institution building)
- Ensure that the field teams undertake appropriate and ongoing capacity building activities of their municipal counterparts. This will include substantive inputs into this work as well as direct participation in the activities.
- Coordinate the work in the municipalities with the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and other central government Ministries
- Draft and submit regular reports on the substantive work of the field teams including team and individual Work Plans and Outcomes/Results Reports to the PM/CTA as directed. This will also include staff performance assessments and reviews as directed by the PM/CTA.
- Performing any other function and task which is required by the nature of the Project and as directed by the PM/CTA

Qualifications and requirements

- Masters degree in spatial/urban planning, project management, environment planning or similar degree
- 10 years relevant professional experience (including strategic spatial or urban planning in European planning context, project management)
- Proven experience with innovative strategic and participatory planning approaches and modern planning techniques; knowledge of European trends and concepts in planning
- Proven experience on working with multi-disciplinary teams including such fields as: transportation & mobility planning; urban design; local economic development planning; disaster risk assessment and management; cultural heritage planning; housing policy; GIS.
- Supervisory and management experience and extensive involvement in the implementation of development programmes (capacity building)
- 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
- Valid driving license

Knowledge and experience in the following areas will be an asset:

- Specialized knowledge and experience in one of the following fields: 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

The candidate should be:

- Familiar with and committed to the goals of UN-HABITAT
- Familiarity 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 goals through teamwork
- Willing to continue learning new skills and share experiences with other members of the UN-HABITAT staff in Kosovo