Vacancies

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VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Issued on: 5 July 2016

BACKGROUND 

UN-Habitat Somalia is implementing the Federal Government of Somalia – United Nations Joint Programme on Youth Employment together with UNDP, FAO and ILO under the Peace and State Building Goal 4 “Economic Foundations”. The Joint Programme targets three outcomes:

• Improved long-term potential for growth, productivity and inclusive employment through six value chains implementation plans.
• Enhanced longer-term employability of youth in sectors with high growth and employment potential.
• Productive infrastructure rehabilitated through labour-intensive methods.

UN-Habitat’s contribution lies in component 2: Enhancing longer-term employability of youth through skills development. The goal of UN-Habitat’s contribution to the joint programme is to improve the livelihoods of conflict affected youth, both men and women, through the development of a One Stop Youth Resource Centre in Mogadishu and 2 satellite canters in other urban districts in Somalia that address the livelihood and psychosocial needs of Somali youth in a holistic manner.

The main objectives of the One Stop Youth Resource Centre are to:

• Increase employment opportunities for youth through vocational and business skills training and promotion of entrepreneurial practices,
• Provide safe spaces for youth to meet and access - in addition to livelihood and employment training - life skills training, psychosocial information and support as well as educational and social resources and activities.

Previous and on-going experience in Mogadishu has enabled the development of key focus areas based on primary needs and gaps in the local economy. A key component of the One Stop Youth Resource Centre in Mogadishu will therefore focus on construction skills training and construction material production. Mogadishu’s construction sector is booming and strongly contributes to the recovery and development of the city, not only in enabling the physical reconstruction of the city but also in stimulating further economic growth through linkages to other economic sectors such as ancillary industries, suppliers and contractors. Construction also plays a significant role in employment as it is a labor-intensive industry with manpower requirements ranging from highly skilled professionals to unskilled laborers.
The construction industry in the city also sees a high percentage of imported construction materials; this leads to high construction and transportation costs. Producing basic construction materials locally not only protects the environment and reduces dependency on the world market, but also constitutes a large economic opportunity for the city, and the wider country.

Providing vocational skills training in the production of construction materials to unemployed youth and supporting them to generate their own income, access wider employment in the sector, or potentially start-up a small construction business, offers an unequalled opportunity to create livelihoods for a whole sector of society; one whose potential to boost the economy and promote peace is often disregarded or underutilized.

The present consultancy assignment contributes to assisting the project management team in all project implementation and management issues.

Project Context

As a consequence of 20 years of conflict, Somalia is faced with a very young population at a median age of 17.7 years old. 37% of the total population is urban, a number which is expected to increase at a rate of 3.79% annually. The conflict has led to large-scale internal displacement. Lacking the funds to move and resettle elsewhere, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and rural-urban migrants remain in the city, as their best chance of accessing livelihood opportunities.

Unemployment rates have soared, particularly among youth. 67% of Somali youth are unemployed. In a country where youth (aged between 14 – 29 years old) comprise 42% of the population, this constitutes a significant challenge. Faced with grim prospects for the future, over 60% of Somali youth have intentions to leave the country for better livelihood opportunities. Conflict, poverty, being jobless and voiceless leave youth frustrated, and can fuel conflict escalation and anti-social or violent behavior; this has significant social costs.
For example, with regards to inland militia activities and piracy, youth form the bulk of the force hired to carry out risky manual tasks such as manning the frontline and leading attacks. Payout for these tasks is estimated to be very meager— an average of $50 USD per month. With a major section of society in destitution, youth are drawn to these illicit engagements partly out of the need to make ends meet.

In the Somali region, as in most other post-conflict contexts, institutions have to be built again, and with them, the human capacity to manage and guide development. In this context, capacity development is not easy, but it remains the foundational activity for creating sustainable urban centres.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) and the direct supervision of the
Programme Managers, the incumbent will be in charge of implementation of the projects work plan. More specifically the responsibilities of the staff member will be:

General Activities:

• Programme/ Projects Management
• Conduct required research and analyses
• Contribute to the formulation of Terms of Reference for project partners and consultants
•  Contribute to developing and managing Agreements of Cooperation with implementing partners, consultancy contracts, small scale service agreements and other contracts
• Contribute to managing consultants and partners ensuring timely delivery of outputs
• Contribute to narrative and financial reporting, monitoring and evaluation, including data cleaning and analysing
• Contribute to visibility and communication measures
• Assist the UN-Habitat Somalia Programme in developing project proposals, concept notes and other documents for development of new projects
• Liaise with UNHABITAT staff and implementing partners in Nairobi and Somalia to regularly follow-up on implementation of projects
• Contribute to the management of new small-scale projects (e.g. human rights mainstreaming at the One Stop Youth Centre)
• Contribute to organising and coordinating relevant projects in Mogadishu as required and in close cooperation with project staff and counterparts
• Provide programme implementation support to the Joint Programme on Youth Employment
• Ensure results based management
•  

Other Duties:

• Maintain regular documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to IDPs, refugee returnees and mixed migration and the Joint Programme on Youth Employment
• Establish and maintain a tracking sheet for reporting and contract deadlines
• Keep track of all reporting and contract compliance requirements from donors and implementing partners
• Undertake any other duties and responsibilities which are within the incumbent’s expertise and experience and related to IDPs, refugee returnees and mixed migration and the Youth Employment Programme.

COMPETENCIES

Demonstrate integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards. Promote the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN-Habitat. Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

EDUCATION

Advanced university degree in development studies, urban development, human settlements, international relations, or in a related field. A first level university degree in combination with relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
WORK EXPERIENCE

A minimum of two years of experience in human settlements projects and development programmes at an international level. Proven experience in urban development fields, and implementation with the UN or other international agencies is desirable. Experience in post-conflict environments is desirable.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Proficiency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of Somali language is an advantage.

OTHER SKILLS

• Strong conceptual and analytical capacity with ability to conduct independent analysis and evaluation, to identify issues, and to formulate sound recommendations.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Knowledge of UN-HABITAT and its global mandate is an asset.
• Knowledge of basic computer programmes such as Microsoft Word, Excel Spreadsheet, PowerPoint, e-mail and internet search functions.

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 as per agreement.

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