Urban Planning and Management Specialist (Part-time)

Cities Alliance, which is hosted by UNOPS, is a global partnership promoting the role of cities in poverty reduction and sustainable development. Managed by a Secretariat based in Brussels, it is a unique partnership with a diverse membership which has come together to strengthen both impacts and coherence in urban development. Cities Alliance is a global leader with a strong track record in grant-making, which supports strategic city planning, slum upgrading strategies and national policies designed to make cities more inclusive and sustainable. Through UNOPS, the Cities Alliance operates a Multi-Donor Fund supported by an efficient, flexible grant-making mechanism with global reach.

Projects Information

Cities Alliance provides financial and technical assistance to local city stakeholders in low-income countries to identify and implement approaches for improved local migration management that are relevant to each city’s context. As migration and displacement in developing countries are characterized by informality, Cities Alliance builds partnerships among various constituencies at the local, national, and global levels to jointly identify and negotiate a better way forward. Sustainable urban planning instruments, such as urban expansion planning, are at the forefront of Cities Alliance’s work to provide equitable access to a city for all. The Cities Alliance Global Programme on Cities and Migration is seeking for an urban planning and management specialist. 

Starting in 2024 for a period of 48 months, Cities Alliance, hosted by UNOPS will be responsible for the indirect management of the “Sustainable Urban Integration of Displacement-Affected Communities” (SUIDAC) in Sub-Saharan African cities – financed by the European Union. The Action will address the nexus between forced displacement and urban development in five Sub-Saharan countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.

The Action aims to:

1. Improve social cohesion and self-reliance of Displacement-Affected Communities (DACs) in urban and peri-urban areas and expand legal protection (e.g., access to rights, documentation), with specific attention to forcibly displaced populations (refugees, returnees, and IDPs) and including persons with specific needs.

2. Strengthen local authorities’ capacities to adopt integrated approaches to forced displacement management in urban contexts and promote political and evidence-based policy dialogue at regional, national, and local levels to improve policy frameworks and influence future policy discussions on urban forced displacement.

The Action target beneficiaries are Displacement-Affected Communities (DACs), as well as their hosting cities. Cities are a new environment for the implementation of EU forced displacement programs. SUIDAC will be the first urban displacement program financed through the 'Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation instrument – Global Europe' ('NDICI-Global Europe') in the SSA region.

The Action builds on and expands the EU Trust Fund program “CRRF: Inclusive Urban Development and Mobility” which ended  in 2023. Moving forward, SUIDAC will help tackle the challenges arising from sudden and/or sustained forced displacement currently happening in the secondary cities targeted by the Action.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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

1. Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement
2. Contract level: IICA 2/ ICS 10
3. Contract duration : One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability 
4. This position is 50% part-time

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.