Vacancies

CONSULTANT VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
 Issued on: 29/04/2019

BACKGROUND
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. For close to forty years, UN-Habitat has been working in human settlements throughout the world, focusing on building a brighter future for villages, towns, and cities of all sizes.
UN-Habitat’s Urban Planning and Design Branch supports countries in developing urban planning methods and promotes urban planning approaches to address urban growth and urban transformation processes in countries with rapid urbanization and where cities face urban challenges. The Branch consists of three units, including the Climate Change Planning Unit (CCPU). The Climate Change Planning Unit within the Urban Planning and Design Branch of UN-Habitat is leading and coordinating UN-Habitat’s work on Urban Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, implementing several flagship Initiatives:

• The Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI), launched in August 2008, supports small- and medium-sized cities in developing countries to address the Climate Challenge, and become more resilient to climate change and embrace low-carbon strategies.
• Further projects on (i) Developing and Financing City Climate Action Plans, (ii) Pro-poor planning of Climate Resilience in Marginalized Neighborhoods;
• CCPU is also overseeing the mainstreaming of Climate Change, one of UN-Habitat’s four cross cutting topics, into the agency’s normative and operational work.

The Climate Change Planning Consultant is located in the Climate Change Planning Unit and directly report to the Unit Leader. He/she will support some of the Unit’s ongoing projects:

• UN-Habitat developed a guide on “Addressing Urban and Human Settlement Issues in National Adaptation Plans, a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines on National Adaptation Plan Process” (NAP-HS). At present UN-Habitat is looking for opportunities to support Member States in integrating Human Settlements more strongly into National Adaptation Plans.
• Under the Urban Health and Short-lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) Reduction Project, UN-Habitat is co-organizing a “Planning for Climate Action, improved Air Quality and Health in Accra” workshop in Accra, Ghana. The workshop will take place in May 2019. The workshop report will be developed in June and July 2019.
• UN-Habitat is beginning to develop a line of work related to urban air quality management, with much of the work in CCPU. At present the Unit is working on a paper titled “Working paper: Integrated clean air and climate action planning: case studies in Madrid & Mexico City”, and a publication “Planning for improved air quality in African cities: selected case studies”. 

RESPONSIBILITIES
The consultant will work for key activities as follows:

• Addressing Urban and Human Settlements Issues in National Adaptation Plans (NAP-HS)
• Facilitate the collaboration with countries (e.g., Guinea, Liberia and Malawi) interested in activities on the NAPs, including supporting the city-related work for NAPs.

• Proposal development
• Develop urban adaptation and mitigation proposals for resource mobilization, targeting diverse potential donors (e.g., GCF and IKI) and countries.

• Urban Health and SLCP Reduction Project
• Provide inputs and draft some sections of the “Planning for Climate Action, improved Air Quality and Health in Accra – Progress and Challenges” workshop report; and
• Support the completion of the Urban Health and SLCP Reduction Project.

• Urban air quality management
• Provide inputs to “Working paper: Integrated clean air and climate action planning: case studies in Madrid & Mexico City”, and assist with the editing and publishing; and
• Provide inputs to “Planning for improved air quality in African cities: selected case studies”, and assist with the editing and publishing.

• Other tasks assigned by the Unit Leader  

Outputs

• Project proposals for the NAP-HS project.
• Inputs to other urban adaptation project proposals.
• Inputs to Urban Health Initiative workshop report. Inputs to other documents of the Urban Health and SLCP Reduction Project.
• Inputs to the above-mentioned urban air quality management paper and publication.

Outcomes

• NAP-HS proposals are developed (and approved). 
• Other urban adaptation and mitigation project proposals are developed (and approved).
• The outcome of the Urban Health Initiative workshop is well captured. Workshop report is submitted to CCAC.  The Urban Health and SLCP Reduction Project is wrapped up.
• The above-mentioned urban air quality management paper and publication are finalized and published.

COMPETENCIES
Communication:

• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively.
• Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately.
• Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication.
• Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience.
• Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Teamwork:

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals.
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others.
• Places team agenda before personal agenda.
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Client Orientation:

• Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view.
• Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect.
• Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions.
• Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems.
• Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects.
• Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• University degree (M.Sc. or equivalent) in Urban Planning/Design.

Professional Experience

• A minimum of four years of experience in urban planning or sustainable urban development, significant part of which should be directly related to the focus areas of this consultancy: climate change adaptation in urban areas and mainstreaming urban adaptation into National Adaptation Plans. Good understanding of urban and climate change, good understanding of urban air quality management, experience in activities of the United Nations, proposal development and workshop organization would be considered as advantages.

Language

• Proficiency in spoken and written English is mandatory. 

Remuneration
Payments will be based on deliverables over the consultancy period.