Senior Urban Specialist, Slum Upgrading and Basic Services

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

Cities Alliance, which is hosted by UNOPS, is the global partnership promoting the role of cities in poverty reduction and sustainable development. Headquartered in Brussels and supported by a Secretariat, 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 to support strategic citywide 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.

The Senior urban specialist, slum upgrading and basic services, will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and reports to the Director, who provides direction and general supervision. S/he is responsible for achieving the ambition as set out in the Cities Alliance Strategic Plan 2022-25 to advocate and mainstream new thinking on key urban poverty issues. 

The incumbent is responsible for the substantive oversight, quality assurance and the day-to-day operations of programmes and projects focusing on social housing and slum upgrading, basic services provision in informal settlements, and urban poverty in fragility contexts. The incumbent also serves as a thematic focal point within the secretariat on Basic services, Housing and Slum Upgrading issues and for the Sub-Saharan Africa region and represents the secretariat externally in global dialogues on the subject matter to proactively grow funding opportunities and the range of strategic partners for the Cities Alliance.

S/he also contributes to the development and implementation of strategies to enhance the competencies and position of the Cities Alliance sustainable project management and services to partners, stakeholders and UN system partners.

The incumbent will be responsible for the below functional responsibilities:

Programme governance, implementation and monitoring

• Assume overall responsibility for the oversight of assigned programmatic activities of the Secretariat related to social housing and slum upgrading, basic services provision in informal settlements, and urban poverty in fragility contexts. Geographically assume responsibility to be the focal point for the Sub-Saharan Africa region and other regions and sub-regions as needed.

• Perform day-to-day programme oversight for the assigned portfolio and related personnel to ensure implementation and delivery and that project management policies, processes and methods are followed and practiced according to UNOPS standards and requirements.

Programme development and planning

• Seek and identify additional funding opportunities, and oversee the preparation of funding proposals, donor briefings and presentations in support of the programme’s goals and more broadly Cities Alliance’s mission and vision;

• Leads in the development of new programmes and projects on social housing and slum upgrading, basic services provision in informal settlements, and urban poverty in fragility contexts in line with the priorities of the post-Habitat III global agenda.

• Ensures that all normative activities advance the role of cities in the international development agenda, and highlights the importance of pro-poor urban development;

• Analyses international trends on programmes to identify strategic areas and comparative advantage for the Cities Alliance by providing substantive orientation, positioning for normative and country-level operations, and areas of business growth.

Normative coherence in programming

• Provides expertise in the development of member-driven regional and sub-regional activities, with special focus on the strengthening of regional and country activities in Sub Saharan Africa.

• Develop and implement the assigned programmes and projects governance framework and foster synergies on key urban issues between the normative work and country operations.

Networking and Partnerships

• Support the secretariat in the overall development of a global network of member and partner institutions. Specifically, lead the development of a Sub-Saharan Africa regional network as well as develop and manage the newly established Nairobi hub.

• Acts as focal point for selected CA members, such as UN Habitat, and supports outreach to partners such as the European Commission, and facilitates inter-institutional cooperation.

Advocacy

• Represent the secretariat and the Cities Alliance at conferences, panels and meetings, as requested.

• Institutionalize and share best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in housing, architecture, civil engineering, urban and regional planning or a relevant discipline is required. 

• A first Level University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent) with additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a masters degree.

• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in international cooperation and urban development is required. 

• Experience in project and programme management and implementation of interventions related to slum upgrading and basic services provision in informal settlements is required. 

• Multi-country field experience in development projects is required. 

• Experience in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is required.  

• Previous work experience in managing teams, building partnerships, and establishing and maintaining donor relations is an asset.

• Experience in a UN system organization and/or UNOPS is an asset.

• Previous work experience with communities, local authorities and national ministries in the field of urban development and in fragile contexts is an advantage.

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is considered as an asset.

1. Contract type: Staff (Fixed-Term Appointment)
2. Contract level: P4/ICS 11
3. Contract duration : One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

• 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.