This position is open to Ghana Nationals Only 

BACKGROUND

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations agency responsible for human settlements, mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities, with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all; within the overall objective of the United Nations to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development. UN-Habitat in Ghana works with partners within the framework of Government-UN Sustainable Development (UNSDP) which responds to Ghana’s development priorities and Sustainable Developments (SDGs) for People, Planet, Peace and Partnerships by 2030.

UN-Habitat contributes to the achievement of Ghana’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (2017-2024) and the Ghana Beyond Aid Charter towards Ghana@100 (2057).

An agile UN-Habitat in Ghana that is working and co-creating with partners and communities to accelerate sustainable urban development seeks to engage the services of Urban Planning and Resilience Officer.

Under the overall guidance of the Country Manager, the Urban Planning and Resilience Officer is responsible for providing technical support to the Smart SDGs Cities Programme and the overall UN-Habitat Country Programme. He/she provides substantive support to the delivery of high-quality and measurable programme results. The Urban Planning and Resilience Officer promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UN/UNDP rules and regulations.

Position Purpose:

The Urban Planning and Resilience officer provides technical and substantive support to the CO and Smart SDGs Cities programme. The incumbent works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in the CO, UN Agencies and partners ensuring successful performance in the Smart SDGs programme and overall UN-Habitat work in Ghana.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

1.) Ensuring effective Urban Planning and Resilience systems in the delivery of the Smart SDGs Cities programme and CO work focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Provide technical assistance to the implementation of Smart SDGs Cities Programme and UN-Habitat programmes and activities.
• Provide timely feedback to supervisor and senior management team on urban planning and resilience related needs.
• Collection of data from various national statistical offices and other verified sources and assessing its correctness and authenticity and integrated into the urban indicators database.
• Support capacity building sessions with Local Authorities
• Utilization of mapping tools to refine local priorities with key stakeholders
• Preparation of the collection of information and data related to spatialization, including mapping and infrastructure
• Cartography of data for the development and projection of community and social infrastructure.

2) Providing Urban Planning and Resilience Compliance for Smart SDGs Cities and CO programmes and ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing, focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Ensures compliance to and quality of UN-Habitat corporate reporting submissions and processes.
• Provide on-going technical guidance and support on planning and reporting evidence-based development results and data quality.
• Leads the data requirements during the planning, preparation and management of SDGs Cities and country programme/project evaluations
• Synthesis of lessons learned and sharing of best practices in urban planning and resilience creating strong evidence base of results and impact.
• Promotion of urban planning and resilience quality assurance/control and capacity development in Smart SDGs Cities and other programmes.

3.) Ensuring extraction of built-up areas and open spaces from satellite imagery and digitization of coordinates representing facilities from Kobo Toolbox and various open data sources focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Perform spatial map analysis on coordinates collected via Kobo Toolbox surveys
• Utilize open data sources to map out facilities
• Work with raw satellite imageries and process them to be used in GIS system
• Build required layers in GIS system (ArcGIS) that will show the full required imagery analysis and the different layers
• Analyse spatial data for geographical statistics to incorporate into documents and reports

4.) Ensures provision of quality technical services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues.
• Provides inputs to facilitate dialogue and the incorporation of these issues into national policies and other national development planning frameworks
• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to SDGs Cities and country programmes.
• Provides inputs to UN-Habitat publications and newsletters
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice
• Provide technical backstopping and support relevant research and analysis aimed at providing information and knowledge-base and readily useable methodologies to programme management team
• Participate in UN working groups as directed

5.) Ensures full support to programme implementation focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Maintain effective programme support processes to ensure successful implementation of projects and provide advisory support as required.
• Maintain effective collaboration with partners for effective programme delivery
• Facilitate programme-specific planning and reporting, including formulation and implementation of the programme budget and tracking of resources against corporate benchmarks.
• Make contributions to analytic works aiming to collect and review lessons learned from implementation and to define methodologies for effective Smart SDGs Cities and CO programmes.
• Contribute to the identification, analysis and synthesis of technical knowledge and evidence-based information in Sustainable Urbanisation
• Promote UN-Habitat’s comparative substantive role and specific contribution in the changing programme environment
• Collaborate with other UN agencies to promote and provide integrated technical support for Smart SDGs Cities and the overall country programme
• Undertake any other assignment as directed

Core Competencies: 

• Achieve Results-LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively-LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously-LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility-LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination-LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner-LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion-LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 

Business Development  Knowledge Generation- Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Finance Banking and cash management –Ability to collect, handle, and manage cash, which involves assessing market liquidity, cash flow, and investments.

Business Management  Results-based Management –Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Finance Financial planning and budgeting-Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP’s long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting.

Finance Financial reporting and analysis

• Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector.
• Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring.
• Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.

Finance Accounting (General)- Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

Business Management  Risk Management- Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Urban Planning, Urban Resilience, Data Management, Data Analytics, Computer Science, Development Planning, Social Sciences, Public Administration, or a related field.

OR

• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying   experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or – 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, and hands-on experience in design, monitoring, and evaluation of development projects in the areas of poverty reduction, livelihoods, economic policy, or planning and financing.
• Experience in establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and national governments.
• Experience in working for the UN or NGO in the field of development is an asset.
• Experience in the usage of GIS is desired.
• Experience in Urban Planning and Management is an asset.
• Demonstrable  experience in SDGs and Smart Cities related projects and programmes
• Exhibit  experience working with city and/or national government institutions

Language Requirements:

• English language and any of the local dialects in Ghana.

Applicant information about UNHABITAT rosters

UNHABITAT reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNHABITAT at the same grade level and with similar job descriptions, experience, and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

• UNHABITAT has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
• UNHABITAT is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin, or other status.

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Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements