Vacancies

Vacancies

Task Coordinator - City Prosperity Initiative (CPI)

Issue Date 16 Aug 2017 Closing Date 22 Aug 2017
Grade Post Duration
Duty Station Nairobi Organizational Unit Capacity Development and Training
Job Opening

The city is the home of prosperity. It is the place where human beings find satisfaction of basic needs and access to essential public goods. The city is also where the ambitions, aspirations and other aspects of life are realized, providing contentment and happiness and where goods and culture is produced. 

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Issued on: 16 August 2017

ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION:

Kenya

DUTY STATION:

Nairobi

FUNCTIONAL TITLE:

Task Coordinator - City Prosperity Initiative (CPI)

DURATION:

6 months

CLOSING DATE:

22 August 2017

BACKGROUND

The city is the home of prosperity. It is the place where human beings find satisfaction of basic needs and access to essential public goods. The city is also where the ambitions, aspirations and other aspects of life are realized, providing contentment and happiness and where goods and culture is produced.  

However, there is a need for a shift in thinking to better conceptualize a more robust notion of urban development – one that looks beyond the narrow domain of economic growth that has informed ill-balanced policy agendas over the last decades. Prosperity is much more than economic growth and must include other vital dimensions such as quality of life, adequate infrastructure, equity and environmental sustainability.

In order to measure present and future progress of cities, UN-Habitat has recently developed a new tool, the City Prosperity Index, together with a conceptual matrix, the Wheel of Prosperity, both of which are meant to assist decision makers to design clear policy interventions. The Index ranks cities based on their prosperity, across six dimensions; The Wheel of Prosperity controls the direction and pace of growth towards a city’s prosperity.

Using these two new tools, UN-Habitat’s City Prosperity Initiative will work with cities across the world to develop policy interventions that will assist them in becoming more prosperous. The objectives of the Initiative are to create a fresh approach to prosperity that is holistic and integrated and which helps cities to become more economically, socially, politically and environmentally prosperous. Specifically, UN-Habitat will help cities improve wellbeing through localized urban planning and design interventions, implementing technical solutions to achieve sustainable urban form. The Agency will also assist with pre-feasibility studies and project viability for financing.

WORKPLAN

The consultant shall continue assisting the Research and Capacity Development Branch Coordinator with the technical coordination and development of the Prosperous Cities Initiative. This includes the preparation of studies linking the City Prosperity Initiative with the Spatial Analysis, Best Practices, and City Prosperity Reports. The consultant will continue providing technical assistance on indicator development and policy development for the CPI-SDG connection, the City Prosperity Initiative in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, China and Iran as well as activities of the linkages of the CPI with the Agenda 2030.

This work will entail:
a. Establish contacts with city focal points and local authorities to prepare the new proposals.
b. Identify of local and international experts to provide technical assistance in the data collection, estimation of the index and preparation of action plans, policy reports and spatial analysis
c. Prepare Terms of Reference for the consultants and follow up their work, providing substantive and technical support.
d. Liaise with local authorities and technical staff from cities to revise documents and advance smoothly in the work.
e. Provide substantive coordination to the documents prepared by consultants such as Action Plans and Best Practice analysis
f. Develop and provide training based on the City Prosperity Initiative.

2. Coordinate the City Prosperity Initiative in various cities and countries in the world, namely Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, China and Iran.
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
a. Provide timely coordination of the local and international teams, HQ and regional offices.
b. Respond to new requests from governments (i.e. in China, India, Middle East and Central Asia) and ensure that all communications and progress reports are done in time.
c. Provide 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.
d. Support the Global Urban Observatory in providing technical assistance to partner cities in the process of data collection, selection of indicators and preparation and review of the reports.
e. Support the preparation of the indicator frameworks for the cities working on the CPI and provide technical assistance in the revision of the City Prosperity Index, the Street Connectivity and the contextualization of the index to the local requirements.

3. Undertake specific missions to support in the implementation of the City Prosperity Initiative. This entails:
a. a Mission to China and Korea to train local government officials and other institutions in the needs to collect urban data in view of the preparation of the index and to revise indicators, proxies and forms of collecting data.
b. Missions to present and showcase results of the City Prosperity Initiative to support the advancement of the initiative into new cities/countries.

DELIVERABLES
The consultant shall deliver monthly reports of the performed activities as described in the workplan.

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 and Spanish; proven ability to prepare written reports and promotional materials for publication in both languages.
  • Teamwork:  Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve agreed goals.
  • Planning and Organizing: Ability to prioritize activities and assignments.
  • Commitment to Continuous Learning:  Ability to keep abreast of new developments in the urban development field; willingness to learn from others.

 

EDUCATION
The consultant should have a Masters level degree in Social Sciences, Urban Planning, Geography, Economics, Urban Development or any other related fields.

WORK EXPERIENCE
At least 5 years 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, high proficiency in written and spoken English is essential. Knowledge of another official United Nations Language is an advantage.

DURATION OF THE CONTRACT
6 MONTHS

 

Applications should include:

  • Cover memo or motivation letter (maximum 1 page)
  • Summary CV (maximum 2 pages), indicating the following information:
  • Educational Background (incl. dates)
  • Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months)
  • Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)
  • Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments
  • Expectations regarding remuneration
  • UN Personal History Form (please use the United Nations standard personal history form available upon request or via: http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?typeid=24&catid=435&id=3867)
  • Proof of relevant work (at least two)

All applications should be submitted via email to:

Anne Idukitta
Email: Anne.Idukitta@unhabitat.org

 

Deadline for applications: 22 August 2017

UN-Habitat does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning persons or  companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org