Urban Development Specialist

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.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment 

Cities Alliance is seeking a highly motivated and dynamic Urban Development Specialist to support its operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of Global Programmes, the incumbent is responsible for the management of the Innovation Programme, located in the global window, and which includes among other, projects aimed at capacity strengthening of society and grassroots organizations working in informal settlements. She/He leads the conceptualization, implementation and day-to-day operations of the various projects under the Innovation Programme which rely significantly on grant-making. The urban specialist will also provide substantive inputs and advice, project management services and cross-support to other Cities Alliance Programmes and projects within its global window, particularly on informality in cities, adaptation to climate change, and gender equality in accordance with the priorities of the Strategic Plan 2022-25. S/he will be required to represent Cities Alliance internationally, contribute to effective and efficient teamwork, delivering results on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.

• Leads the Innovation Programme and its various projects focused on providing grants for innovators and community organizations in cities. Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of Global Programmes, s/he will be responsible for all technical and institutional aspects such as proposal appraisal, partnership, analysis and research, business development, communication as well as operational aspects such as call for proposals, award, monitoring and management of grantees.

• Ensures regular reporting to the Board and donors, as well as overall compliance with UNOPS policies and rules and the Cities Alliance Standard Operating Procedures, Manuals and Guidelines.

• Promotes the Programme and initiatives under her/his responsibilities internally and externally, and reinforce its positioning as key instruments of Cities Alliance as well as advice the management team on how to further develop, re-think and expand the Programme.

• Provides a knowledge management and learning plan for the programme, drawing key substantive and process lessons from the projects under her/his responsibility and, where appropriate, wider dissemination. This includes, using the results and learnings to refine programmatic design and improve efficiency, generating knowledge products to be shared externally and facilitating links and collaboration with other internal and external teams.

• Provides technical and managerial support for Cities Alliance advocacy and programmatic work on informality and other key themes of the Strategic Plan and co-leads initiatives on Climate Adaptation in informal settlements, with a focus on People-Public Partnerships.

• Conducts research and analysis in sustainable urban development and poverty reduction to support advocacy and business development efforts.

• Contributes to current and future growth plans for the Cities Alliance, ensuring alignment with the Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

• Supervises the work of consultants and technical specialists.

•  Master’s degree in urban studies, development studies, social and political science or related fields is required.

• A bachelor's degree in any of the above disciplines, combined with additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a Masters degree.
  
  

• Minimum of 5 (five) years of working experience in the design, implementation and monitoring of urban development projects and Programmes is required.
• Experience working in developing countries (Global South) is required.
• Proven experience working in urban informal settlement contexts, strengthening civil society/grassroot movements and fostering dialogue with local and national authorities is an asset.
• Proven experience in drafting project and Programme proposals and acquiring funding is an asset.
• Demonstrated partnership skills, specifically with multilateral and bilateral development partners is an asset.
• Experience with UNOPS grant making modalities and procedures is a strong asset.

• Fluency in English (Written and oral) is required.

1. Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level: IICA 2 / ICS-10
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA contract , subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• 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.