JOB DESCRIPTION

Result of Service

The Sustainable Urban Development Consultant reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/She shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under this Terms of Reference. The Consultant will work in close collaboration with the UN-Habitat’s operational and technical teams.

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

Five (5) months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis in developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. Since 2017, the project Urban, Sustainable, and Inclusive Prosperity in the State of Alagoas – An Integrated Initiative (known as “Visão Alagoas 2030”), a partnership between the State Government and UN-Habitat, has strengthened institutional capacity to plan and implement state public policies aimed at sustainable urban development. Among the initiatives to be implemented, the Laboratory of Planning and Projects for Sustainable Urban Development of Alagoas should be consolidated through the development of guidelines for the establishment of a State System for Sustainable Urban Development, including the proposal of programs, projects, and/or strategic actions for its implementation, as well as the detailing of at least one structuring initiative of the system. The development of this work also aims to consolidate previous project initiatives related to the urban agenda, such as the activities of the first stage of the Laboratory of Planning and Projects, which resulted in recommendations for the strengthening of the state programs ‘Vida Nova nas Grotas’ and ‘Minha Cidade Linda’; the management of Cities 2030 – Program to Support Alagoas Municipalities for Sustainable Urban Development; and the preparation of the Guidelines for the Housing Policy of Alagoas, the State Tourism Policy, and the State Strategy for Smart Cities. The State System for Sustainable Urban Development should also take into account ongoing state public policies, such as urban infrastructure, mobility, and logistics projects, the development of the Integrated Urban Development Plan for the Metropolitan Region of Maceió and the Integrated Development Plans for Sustainable Tourism, as well as the holding of the Cities Conference and other ongoing actions and development plans in the state. To properly implement this initiative, a Sustainable Urban Development Consultant is required to provide technical support in the normative development and initial planning of this policy. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Sustainable Urban Development Consultant reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Sustainable Urban Development Consultant will support the implementation of the project, and its activities, with the following responsibilities: a) Develop the consultancy work plan, detailing the stages, methodology, timetable, stakeholders involved in the product’s development, interim deliverables, and other elements necessary for monitoring implementation. b) Conduct a mapping of state initiatives related to sustainable urban development and the main concepts and best national and international practices on state urban development systems. c) Systematize and analyze the main state public policies related to urban development in Alagoas, identifying strengths, challenges, and gaps for the establishment of the State System. d) Conduct collaborative activities with public managers, academia, and/or civil society for the design of the State System, its portfolio, and its structuring initiative, in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda. e) Participate in meetings with UN-Habitat, the Government of Alagoas, and other relevant stakeholders, contributing to technical discussions and formal presentations on the progress and results of the consultancy. f) Conduct technical meetings and other essential activities for the development of the outputs, such as workshops or stakeholder interviews, ensuring dissemination, visibility, and the sharing of lessons learned. g) Deliver all documentation used in the preparation of the report in a detailed and organised manner, and h) Systematize and consolidate the outputs into a final synthesis document, to be validated by UN-Habitat and the Government of Alagoas. The Consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The Consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Sustainable Urban Development Consultant shall assist the implementation of the project, according to the stated responsibilities and the delivery of the following products: Product 1 – Work Plan Description: The Work Plan must contain methodology, activities to be carried out, timetable, local stakeholders to be involved, key guiding concepts, and other elements for the development of the product. Expected delivery date: 15 days after signing the contract. Product 2 – Proposal for a State System for Sustainable Urban Development in Alagoas Description: The Proposal for a State System for Sustainable Urban Development in Alagoas, must contain (i) the definition of the territorial scope and governance; and (ii) thematic integration with sustainable development agendas. Expected delivery date: 45 days after signing the contract. Product 3 – Portfolio for the Implementation of the State System for Sustainable Urban Development in Alagoas Description: The Portfolio for the Implementation of the State System for Sustainable Urban Development in Alagoas must contain the proposal of programs, projects, and/or actions for the implementation of the State System, considering ongoing, planned, and/or to-be-developed initiatives by the Government of Alagoas, based on the approaches outlined in Product 2. The proposal must also include the detailing of at least one structuring initiative for the System. Expected delivery date: 90 days after signing the contract. Product 4 – Consolidation of the State System for Sustainable Urban Development and Portfolio Description: The Consolidation of the State System for Sustainable Urban Development and Portfolio must contain the final version of Products 2 and 3, integrated into a unified document, ready for presentation and formal approval by the State Government. Expected delivery date: 120 days after signing the contract.

Qualifications/special skills

Education Required:

• Postgraduate degree (Latu Sensu or Stricto Sensu) in Urban Planning, Architecture and Urbanism, Public Administration, Engineering, or related fields is required, or additional three (3) years of relevant experience to the post, beyond the requirement. Work experience:
• Minimum six (6) years of experience in sustainable urban development public policies is required.
• Good knowledge of international, national or subnational good practices of state sustainable urban development systems is desirable.
• Experience in developing, planning, monitoring, and evaluating public policies related to social control and democratic governance, housing, mobility, basic sanitation, urban governance, and other topics on the urban agenda is desirable.
• Previous experience within the UN System is desirable. Skills:
• Good handling of technological tools, such as Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office, is required.
• Ability to develop urban planning instruments with appropriate structure and language is desirable.
• Understanding sustainable urban development concepts and their integration into planning and policy frameworks is desirable. Competencies
• Professionalism: Experience working in an inter-institutional environment, project management, monitoring-evaluation; approaches and strategies regarding good urban governance and local and regional development.
• Planning and organization: Professional approach to work, strong sense of responsibility, operate with minimal supervision; proven organizational skills and ability to manage a workload efficiently and within set deadlines.
• Communication: Ability to write clearly and effectively; listen to others, interpret messages correctly and respond appropriately; show openness in information sharing and keep everyone informed; solid abstract reasoning skills together with a proven capacity to write documents for diverse audiences.
• Teamwork: Ability to work with teams, demonstrate leadership, conflict management and consensus facilitation skills; ability to work in a multicultural and multi-ethnic environment, and to respect diversity; sensitivity to the main streaming of vulnerability; willingness and ability to work in difficult environments. Knowledge Management
• The person must know the processes, procedures, and norms of UN-Habitat, to guarantee an adequate quality of the activities described above, following the standards of the organization.
• The person will propose formats and procedures that allow the efficient implementation of the activities related to the project development.
• The person must know the file of the Office, work with it, and ensure its proper maintenance, accessibility for all staff, and due updating.
• The person will prepare databases related to the project running.
• The person will make sure that all relevant technical information will be adequately shared with the correspondent staff.
• The person will ensure that all produced material will be fit-for-purpose and delivered, in an organized way, for posterior consultation and use of the Agency.
• The person will only share the information produced with the team agency, assuring the privacy of the content.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Spanish is the working language of the Regional Office.
• For the post advertised, fluency in Portuguese is required.

Additional Information

Travel details: The Consultant must be available to travel to the places related to the activities in the country, if requested by the Head of Brazil Office. Missions will be coordinated and financed by UN-Habitat, according to the United Nations travel rules and guidelines. Remuneration LICA 3 – BRL: 53.440 (Total net amount) UNOPS Salary Scale The Consultant will receive a total amount of BRL: 53.440, according to the following schedule:

• Payment 1 [10%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 1 (BRL: 5.344)
• Payment 2 [30%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 2 (BRL: 16.032)
• Payment 3 [30%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 3 (BRL: 16.032)
• Payment 4 [30%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 4 (BRL: 16.032) Notes Appointment against this post is on local basis and only nationals from Brazil or external candidates who hold a permanent visa in Brazil may apply.  The extension of this contract is subject to availability of funds and/or performance. Any contract extension is not automatic.    It is required for all the curricular information to be inserted in the system, which may take a few hours. Only complete applications in English will be considered.    All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of applications cannot be acknowledged individually. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.  Applications should be submitted through INSPIRA and must include all documents required at the system, please be ready to include the following information at the “Candidate Profile” (CP) at Inspira:
• Cover memo (maximum 1 page)
• Educational Background (incl. dates)
• Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months)
• Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments
• Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)*   * Please note that Internships, self-employment and part-time count as 50%. In addition to it, note experience not relevant to the position will not be considered.    All applications should be submitted to: Inspira    UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning people or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: [email protected].

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.