Urban Planning and Management Specialist

Dutystation: Home based

Functional responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Senior Migration Specialist, the Urban Planning and Management Specialist advice on inclusive and sustainable urban planning. Including planning for (1) resilient host communities (2) the inclusion of migrants and displaced people into host communities (3) climate sensitive urban development (4) gender responsive urban development. The position will entail detailed understanding of the urban issues and human mobility impacting the Horn of Africa region including those that relates to land financing and governance, plan approval and infrastructure and housing consolidation.

The Urban Planning and Management Specialist will work directly with local city stakeholders (including displaced people) to develop in city capacities for the development of land expansion plans and their implementations.

The Urban Planning and Management Specialist will work at a regional level to integrate land expansion planning into the hierarchy of plans required by national law and will develop the systems and data required for the monitoring of the implementation of plans and the evaluation for the long term impacts of such plans. This position requires regular travel to the SUIDAC project sites.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide advisory services to partner cities on inclusion of migration dynamics into urban planning and management approaches.

• Review research and feasibility studies undertaken by the partners and local authorities in targeted cities and advise on urban development plans.

• Provide technical assistance and capacity building to local authorities to strengthen knowledge of, and response to, urban development and infrastructure needs, public service provision, good governance, legal protection, access to rights, and forced displacement issues.

• Prepare capacity building and Training of Trainers (TOTs) material on urban expansion planning, adapt curriculums to national and local contexts, conduct TOTs, and oversee the certification of trainers as well as local Cities Alliance staff in Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan, DRC and Somalia.

• Provide regular support and technical advice to Cities Alliance staff including local staff in country and in country technical advisors.

• Engage national ministries in charge of regulatory frameworks and policies to enhance the uptake and financing of urban expansion approaches, in coordination with the Senior Migration Specialist.

• Work closely with the MEL specialist towards the provision of accurate data.

• Support and/or conduct field missions of the Secretariat in partner countries, if required.

• Ensure compliance with UNOPS policies and donor policies.

The capacity of national and local government officials and other stakeholders to plan for the inclusion of migrants into city development plans is enhanced.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• Master’s degree preferably in migration studies, urban development, urban planning, public policy and administration or related fields is required.
• A bachelor's degree or equivalent preferably in migration studies, urban development, urban planning, public policy and administration or related fields with additional 2 years of experience may be accepted in lieu of a masters degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years with a master's degree of demonstrated experience in migration and urban planning in low income countries is required.
• Out of the 5 years of experience, a minimum of two years of experience in the Africa region is required.
• Demonstrated experience working with local and central government stakeholders is desired.
• Demonstrated experience with urban expansion planning will be considered as an asset.
• Strong knowledge of sustainable urban growth in secondary cities in the Horn of Africa is an asset.
• In-depth understanding of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the field of migration and urban planning in the Horn of Africa is a distinctive advantage.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (written and oral) is required. Knowledge of any other UN Languages is desirable.