VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Issued on 3 June 2025 

Functional Title: International Housing Policy Expert
Duty Station of Assignment: Home office and Prishtina/Pristina
Type of Contract: Individual Contract (Consultancy Assignment- IC)
Duration of Assignment: 6 w/months over the period from July 2025 to May 2026
Closing Date for Applications: 22 June 2025

BACKGROUND

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the lead United Nations agency for cities and human settlements. The agency 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 and sustainable development. UN-Habitat has been actively assisting Kosovo institutions in the field of governance, spatial planning, and municipal administration since 1999. In addition, UN-Habitat has implemented the Inclusive Development Programme (2016-2021+) which aimed to build municipal planning and management capacities, strengthen the social contract and social cohesion, and enhance coordination within a framework of inter-municipal cooperation and multi-level governance with a view to foster inclusive development and good governance in northern Kosovo.

Currently, UN-Habitat is supporting the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (MESPI), particularly the Department of Planning, Construction and Housing of MESPI in the implementation of the Social and Affordable Housing Support Programme for Kosovo, developed on the basis of the Feasibility Study on Adequate Social Housing Programme for Kosovo implemented by UN-Habitat Kosovo.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT 

The International Housing Policy Expert will provide strategic guidance and technical expertise to support the implementation of the Social and Affordable Housing Support Programme in Kosovo. The expert will be responsible for drafting the National Housing Strategy for Kosovo, as recommended in the Feasibility Study on Adequate Social Housing. In addition, the expert will prepare a concise proposal for the restructuring of the current Housing Division and develop a preliminary organizational structure for the anticipated Kosovo Housing Agency, subject to the adoption of the relevant legislation.

SKILLS SETS REQUIRED 

The assignment requires a multidisciplinary and policy-focused skill set, including:

• Demonstrated experience in drafting national housing strategies, policy frameworks, and legal instruments related to social and affordable housing.
• Strong understanding of housing finance, subsidy models, and regulatory frameworks for adequate (social and affordable) housing, including housing loans, rent control, and housing support schemes.
• Experience in designing or advising on housing-related institutional structures, including housing agencies, public housing divisions, and intergovernmental coordination mechanisms.
• Familiarity with international norms and standards related to the right to adequate housing, tenure security, and social inclusion in housing policy.
• Basic understanding of the intersection between housing, urban development, spatial planning, and land use.
• Ability to analyze housing data, interpret feasibility studies, and translate findings into actionable strategies.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with government institutions, development partners, and civil society through consultative and participatory approaches.
• Prior work in fragile or post-conflict environments, preferably in the Western Balkans or similar regions, is a strong asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proficiency in preparing high-quality reports, policy papers, and presentations.

MAIN TASKS 

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager/Task Manager and in coordination with MESPI and UN-Habitat Kosovo, the International Housing Policy Expert will carry out the following key tasks:

• Prepare an Inception Report outlining the approach, methodology, timeline, and coordination mechanisms for the development of the Housing Strategy.
• Conduct a comprehensive review of the housing sector, including housing supply and demand, affordability, access for vulnerable groups, spatial distribution, and regional disparities.
• Analyse the legal, policy, institutional, and financial frameworks related to housing at both national and municipal levels, identifying key gaps and opportunities for reform.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including central and local government institutions, civil society, private sector, and development partners, to gather insights, build consensus, and ensure alignment with ongoing initiatives.
• Develop a long-term strategic vision and define priority areas for housing policy, including options for affordable and social housing, housing finance, rental regulation, sustainable construction, resilience and other related matters.
• Propose policy measures and implementation tools, taking into account Kosovo’s socio-economic context, international best practices, and alignment with SDGs, EU integration, and Kosovo’s priorities.
• Prepare a costed action plan with clear priorities, institutional responsibilities, indicative timelines, and financing options.
• Recommend monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress, outcomes, and impact, and to support adaptive implementation.
• Identify key capacity-building needs for institutions involved in housing policy and implementation, and suggest relevant support measures.
• Support the finalization and validation of the strategy through consultation processes, integration of feedback, and preparation of presentation and launch materials.
• Perform any additional duties related to housing and urban development, as may reasonably arise during the assignment, and as requested by the Programme Manager/Task Manager.
• Participate in regular and ad-hoc consultative meetings with UN-Habitat and MESPI to provide expert input and ensure alignment on programme activities.
• Prepare and submit mission reports.

DELIVERABLES AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE 

The International Housing Policy Expert will be responsible for delivering the following main outputs within the specified timeline as presented below.

This consultancy should include but not be limited to the following list of activities:

DUTY STATION 

The work shall be performed from home office with two missions (timing to be agreed with UN-Habitat staff, respectively the Programme Manager/Task Manager) to Prishtina. Missions to Prishtina will be covered by the project.

PROGRESS CONTROLS AND PAYMENT INSTALLMENTS 

The fees will be paid in instalments upon satisfactory completion and acceptance of the outputs as specified in section Deliverables and Schedule above. A time sheet must be submitted by the individual contractor, duly approved by the Head of Office which shall serve as the basis for the payment of fees. Payment amount will be based on actual days worked for that period.

COMPETENCIES 

Professionalism: Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; – Ability to conduct data collection using various methods; – Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, among which electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases; – Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. 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. Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; – Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; – Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; -Uses time efficiently. Communication: Excellent and effective written and oral skills; ability to persuade people with varying points of view and to present information in a concise and accurate manner, ability to clearly communicate links between the organizations.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Education and experience

• Advanced university degree in housing policy, urban planning, architecture, urban management, development studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in housing policy and strategy development, including drafting national housing strategies and designing housing programmes aligned with international and national frameworks.
• Proven expertise in developing housing programme proposals, including cost estimation, timelines, institutional responsibilities, and implementation pathways.
• Demonstrated experience in assessing legal, policy, and institutional frameworks relevant to the social and affordable housing sector, including (housing data systems and central registries; municipal-level social welfare and housing systems; allocation criteria and modalities for social housing units; existing housing schemes and their implementation capacities, and other related topics).
• Strong knowledge of thematic areas such as housing finance (rents, subsidies, loans), public housing maintenance, tenure security, housing rights (including the right to adequate housing), gender and social inclusion in housing, and their integration with spatial planning and urban development.
• Familiarity with the housing sector in Kosovo and/or experience in EU countries or other transitional/post-conflict contexts is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of good governance practices, participatory policy-making, and multi-level coordination in the housing sector.
• Familiarity with international frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN Right to Adequate Housing, and global best practices in social housing policy.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with government institutions, civil society, and international development partners.
• Excellent analytical, strategic thinking, and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information into actionable recommendations.
• Proficiency in standard office and research software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required.

Language

• English is the working language of UN-Habitat Kosovo Office; very good command of English is required – reading, writing and speaking; and
• Fluency (reading, writing and speaking) of at least one local language of Kosovo will be an additional advantage.

Others

• Outstanding experience within the housing sector, incl. housing legislation and policies, housing rights; housing finance, management and maintenance of the housing stock, housing IT platforms, and housing programmes;
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of the best practices within the field of housing and urban management. International experience would be an advantage.
• Solid experience of working and negotiating with various teams and a wide range of actors;
• Good analytical, solution defining, creative and interpersonal skills;
• Computer skill is a requirement;

Special considerations

The candidate should be:

• Familiar with, and committed to the goals of UN-Habitat
• Willing to take responsibility, act professionally at all times, and make sure tasks are fully completed
• Able to work under pressure in diverse environments with minimum supervision
• Sensitive to gender issues and issues of concern to vulnerable groups
• Flexible and prepared to pursue goals through teamwork
• Able to meet deadlines for reporting and all project work
• Express enthusiasm and willingness to continue learning new skills and share experiences with other members of the team.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates must submit to the email quoting the post title and the duty station to the email address: unhabitat-kosovo.office@un.org

with the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Cover letter explaining why they are the most suitable for the work

2. Completion of a CV in P11 Form which can be downloaded at: http://unhabitat-kosovo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/p11_form.doc

The CV shall include information on the past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.

3. Financial Proposal. The offeror’s letter including form for the financial proposal can be downloaded at:http://unhabitat-kosovo.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Financial_proposal_IC.docx

4 .Diplomas and copy of Passport or National ID Card. 

Deadline for applications: 22 June 2025

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