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CONSULTANCY JOB OPENING
Issued on: 28 June 2016

BACKGROUND

In 2012, UN-Habitat created a tool to measure the sustainability of cities. This tool known as The City Prosperity Index was accompanied by a conceptual matrix, the Wheel of Urban Prosperity. In 2013, UN- Habitat received numerous requests from local authorities and central governments to estimate their respective prosperity indexes. Mayors and other decision-makers wanted to know how their cities feature in comparison with other cities. This included knowledge on how to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants, including gaining critical insights in to which programmes and policies work, and the possible impacts these actions may have.
As a result of these demands, UN-Habitat transformed the City Prosperity Index into a global initiative known as the City Prosperity Initiative. UN-Habitat’s City Prosperity Initiative (CPI) enables city authorities, as well as local and national stakeholders, to identify opportunities and potential areas of intervention for their cities to become more prosperous. Its composite index made of six dimensions serves to define targets and goals that can support the formulation of evidence-based policies, including the definition of city-visions and long-term plans that are both ambitious and measurable.
The CPI the CPI is an integral part of the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development and is being adopted as a monitoring framework of the SDG Goal 11 and other SDGs that include urban components, as well as the New Urban Agenda. The CPI will enhance monitoring capacities of cities and will increase the prospects of higher accountability in the implementation of the 2030 Development Agenda and of the New Urban Agenda. Countries that decide to use the CPI will be able to identify, quantify, evaluate, monitor and report on progress made by cities and countries in a more structure manner.

WORKPLAN

The consultant shall:

• Assist the Research and Capacity Development Branch Coordinator and the City Prosperity Initiative Coordinator, in the substantive, methodological and technical activities related to the initiative, particularly with regards to Asian and Arab regions.
• Work in collaboration with UN-Habitat regional Offices to inform and support cities and countries in joining the City Prosperity Initiative, preparing project documents and project proposals, and liaising with partners
• Coordinate with International City Leaders, with regards to the implementation activities of the CPI-MC
• Develop technical information and communication material on the adaptation of the City Prosperity Index to the Sustainable Development Goal targets and indicators, as well as for the upcoming New Urban Agenda
• Represent the Branch in the CPI and SDGs related event and activities in New York Area
• Supervise and follow up on the activities of the CPI Platform in collaboration with the Advocacy, Outreach and Communication branch of UN-Habitat
• Organize and prepare side events on the CPI for the entire Habitat III process, till its conclusion in Quito with the Habitat III Conference
• Establish contact in cities where the initiative is taking place and maintaining close liaison with consultant and project partners
• Prepare communications ensuring a smooth flow of information to help the development of the project
• Support in the preparation of workshops, training and meeting for the CPI
• Support the City Prosperity Initiative by researching best practices, and extracting lessons learnt from the current participating cities
• Assist in the preparation of documents of dissemination on CPI
• Develop technical information necessary for the preparation of Memorandum of Understanding, Agreement of Cooperation and draft Terms of Reference for consultants
• Provide substantive inputs to project documents and assist in any other duties related to the initiative as assigned by the UN-Habitat staff responsible for the initiative.

COMPETENCIES

Professionalism: analytical, research and policy analysis skills in the field of international development; ability to manage a global scale project involving multiple stakeholders and partners; knowledge of urban development issues; ability to observe deadlines and achieve set goals.
Communication: excellent written and oral presentation skills in English; proven ability to prepare written reports and promotional materials for publication with tailored language, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve agreed goals.
Planning& Organizing: ability to identify priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Commitment to Continuous Learning: ability to keep abreast of new developments in the urban development field; willingness to learn from others.
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.

EDUCATION

The consultant should have a Master level degree in Social Science, Urban Planning, Geography and Economics, Urban Management or any other related fields.

WORK EXPERIENCE

The consultant should have at least 1 year of professional experience in research and project management on urban, social, economic or development issues.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post knowledge of an other official United Nations Language is an advantage.  

REMUNERATION
Payments will be based on deliverables over the consultancy period. There are set remuneration rates for consultancies. The rate is determined by functions performed and experience of the consultant. The fees will be paid on a monthly basis.

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