INTER-REGIONAL ADVISER, P5 (Temporary Job Opening) UN-Habitat NAIROBI

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN Habitat is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. This post is located in the Programme Division (Nairobi, Kenya), under the supervision of the Director Programme Division.

Promote sustainable urbanization and related programmes, in the framework of the Work Programme of UN-Habitat by providing expert advisory services and developing and supervising the execution of priority projects and programmes. The Inter-Regional Adviser for Eastern Europe will ensure that the quality of the project designs and their implementation meets all partners’ expectations. Under the overall supervision of the Director, Programme Division, the post incumbent will perform the following tasks: 1.Programme Implementation a)Promoting broad-based policy dialogue with national constituencies and development partners in the respective countries b)Contributing to overall policy and strategy development within UN-Habitat by bringing specific perspectives, issues and trends related to decentralization, institutional development and urban municipal governance from the region c)Providing inputs to human settlements analyses and needs assessment and other activities aimed at human settlements policy, strategy and programme development at the national/regional/international levels d)Coordinating relevant activities within the work programme through interaction within national level public institutions, local governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), civil society and private sector. e)Facilitating dissemination of information on good practices and their adoption at local and national levels in the countries of Eastern Europe and with economies in transition. 2.Project/Programme Development a) Identifying key areas for interventions in human settlements within the framework of the New Urban Agenda, Habitat Country Programme Documents and sector reviews. b) Participating in the development and review of project documentation. c) Negotiating with multi-lateral/bilateral partners for resource mobilization and promoting/coordinating joint activities; d) Identifying and working with senior policy makers, associations of local authorities, urban managers, training/research institutions, NGOs, professional associations and networks of such institutions, and providing assistance in the development of training programmes. 3. Project Management a) Providing effective management support, policy guidance and technical capacity to the work of UN-Habitat Programme Managers and timely and appropriate technical advice to the project. b) Conducting the process of identification and selection of staff and consultants. c) Monitoring financial and technical performance of the activities and projects to ensure effective implementation of programmes/projects. 4. Advisory Services a) Contributing to the overall policy and strategy development within UN-Habitat. b) Undertaking technical advisory missions to carry out high level consultations and to develop policy initiatives on human settlement issues. c) Assisting governments in organizing and convening meetings of policy makers and technical experts both at national and municipal levels to formulate, review, adopt and implement National Plans of Action. d) Assisting national and local governments and their associations in developing cooperation activities at the regional level, I the definition of urban policies, with a focus on participatory mechanisms, decentralization, human settlements, legislation and institutional development. e) Assisting national governments and their associations in seeking financial support from other UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors, regional organizations f) Representing UN-Habitat in major regional and national conferences and meetings focused on urban and municipal challenges. g) Advising the Executive Director, through the Director, Programme Division, on relevant programme and policy issues related to the region 5. Office a) Liaising with Programme Management Officer and responsible units in recruitment procedures and programme management to ensure effective implementation of operational activities b) Organizing and participating in project evaluation in accordance with established guidelines c) Preparing inputs including policy recommendations to reporting on the Division’s activities as may be required within UN-Habitat or by auditors and others for monitoring and information purposes. d) Supervising and monitoring the performance of assigned specialized professional and general service field staff working in project/programme in accordance with the Habitat Technical Cooperation Manual and agreement between the parties. In addition, the Advisor will monitor the performance of the support staff assigned to him/her at the Headquarters; e) Undertaking other assignments within the incumbents area of competence as may be reasonable required

Professionalism: Expert knowledge in the area of specialization of the post. Proven ability to produce reports and technical papers, ability to prepare project documents and funding proposals ensuring that the quality of the project design and their implementation meets all partners’ expectation. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction by promoting sustainable human settlement development and related programmes, policies and strategies in the countries of assignment in the framework of the Work Programme of Habitat. Demonstrated ability to provide expert advisory services and developing and supervising the execution of priority projects and programmes in cost effective and efficient manner. Ability to communicate clearly links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks at the regional, country and city level. Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Ability to present clear ideas to different audiences. Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Leadership: Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts. Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or higher degree) in architecture, civil engineering, urban and regional planning, sociology, economics or physical sciences relevant to development and management of human settlements.

A minimum of ten years of responsible experience in human settlements projects and programmes at national level, of which at least five of similar experience at international level; with experience in Eastern Europe. Experience in human settlements development fields, projects/ programme design and implementation with the UN or other international agencies is highly desirable. Practical and relevant experience in Technical Co-Operation is highly desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Working knowledge of Russian will be an asset.

No job description available

Notes: • A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified. • Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat. • Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. • Subject to the funding source of the position, this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. • While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions. • The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15. • Please note that candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. • For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. • The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English • Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. • Staff members are not eligible to apply for the current temporary job opening if they are unable to serve the specified duration of temporary need before reaching the mandatory age of separation. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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