VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Issued on 2nd July 2025 

Functional Title: National Urban Mobility Planner
Duty Station of Assignment: Prishtina/Pristina (with frequent presence required in Vushtrri/Vucitern)
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Duration of Assignment:1 August 2025 – 31 May 2026
Closing Date for Applications: 16 July 2025

BACKGROUND

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, 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. UN-Habitat works with varied partners, including cities, central governments, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, Goal 11 of “Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.

As cities around the world rapidly urbanise, they are increasingly facing urban mobility challenges, key among them traffic congestion, pollution and road traffic crashes. The transport sector also significantly contributes to global energy-related carbon emissions. Public transport comprising efficient bus systems, trams, metros and non-motorised mobility such as walking and cycling is emerging as a plausible mix to curb the growing urban transport challenges and meet the transport needs of citizens. UN-Habitat collaborates with governments at city, regional and national levels on the development and implementation of policy, guides and tools for sustainable urban mobility; provides technical support for the development of effective transport systems and supports knowledge, advocacy and capacity building. Since 1999, UN-Habitat has been actively supporting institutions in Kosovo in the areas of governance, spatial planning, and municipal administration.

UN-Habitat is the lead implementing agency for the Project: “Building back safe, sustainable and resilient transport and urban mobility systems in Western Balkan and Central Asian landlocked developing regions”. This initiative is funded by the 15th tranche of the United Nations Development Account with the primary objective to strengthen the capacity of local and national governments within the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regions in sustainable urban mobility planning. The focus is on establishing durable, long-term investment strategies that improve accessibility and connectivity for all while concurrently addressing climate emissions and reducing road fatalities. Through the project, UN-Habitat is supporting the Municipality of Vushtrri in the development of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP). It aims to promote safe, accessible, low-emission, and climate-resilient mobility in Vushtrri. This initiative is implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (MESPI) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THIS POST

The main purpose of the assignment is to provide technical and coordination support to the Municipality of Vushtrri/Vucitrn in developing a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP). The selected candidate will contribute to both the assessment of the current mobility situation and the formulation of a SUMP concept and implementation framework.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The objective of this assignment is to support UN-Habitat in the development of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) for the Municipality of Vushtrri/Vucitrn, while also contributing to the strengthening of local and national capacities for long-term sustainable urban mobility planning. This includes promoting informed investment in public transport, walking, and cycling, and delivering co-benefits such as improved air quality and urban resilience.

The SUMP aims to enhance connectivity through an integrated, accessible, efficient, and reliable mobility system. Its core goal is to improve urban sustainability by reducing air and noise pollution and lowering energy consumption. Additional objectives include enhancing quality of life, promoting social inclusion, ensuring intermodal integration, fostering economic sustainability, and increasing Vushtrri’s urban attractiveness.

MAIN TASKS 

The National Urban Mobility Planner will work under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer for Urban Mobility through the head of the UN-Habitat Kosovo office (or his/her designated representative). He/She will work in close collaboration with the Spatial/Urban Planning Advisor, the international experts (Sustainable Urban Planning Experts and Transport Data and Planning Experts), and the designated municipal counterparts as well as with the local implementing partners to coordinate and implement the project and engage in day-to-day communication with the local stakeholders for the project to support the municipality of Vushtrri in developing a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP). This would include undertaking activities regarding capacity building and training activities, data gathering and analytic works, providing technical advice on stakeholder engagements through Workshops, drafting of reports and documents under the guidance of UN-Habitat team and international experts and collaboration with local stakeholders. Specifically, he/she will perform the following tasks:

1. Capacity building and training activities
   • Supporting the assessment of the level of skills and experiences for collecting and utilising transport data, and urban mobility planning in the relevant team in the City of Vushtrri;
   • Supporting the planning and implementation of capacity building and training activities according to the identified future human resources requirements while ensuring alignment to the City’s priorities;
2. Data gathering and analysis
   • Collect data and review/analyse the current mobility situation of motorized (private vehicles, freight, and public transport) and non-motorized (pedestrian and cycling) transport network, physical condition, accessibility, efficiency, safety, and congestion;
   • Desk review of legal framework (central and local strategies, plans etc.) and make sure that these are taken into account for implementing an efficient mobility strategy at study area level;
   • Identify and assess the transport data gaps through literature review and consultation with the key stakeholders.
   • Support the provision of technical guidance for the transport data collection and analysis through a co-development approach, where municipal officials would work alongside the international and national experts in the data collection;
3. Stakeholder engagements and communication
   • Provide technical inputs to the development of urban mobility future vision and strategy, and identify priority measures and actions through participatory process, engaging with key stakeholders at the local and national level;
   • Support public engagement on proposals for the development of the urban mobility plan concept with relevant stakeholder groups;
   • Identify and engage key decision-makers, private sector, investors and various transport operators to explore opportunities on collaboration for the planning process and operationalization of the plan.
4. Drafting of reports and documents
   • Draft reports documenting findings, activities, analytic work, capacity building and technical inputs for the sustainable urban mobility plan for the municipality of Vushtrri that integrates findings from collected transport data and analysis, co-developed and consulted goals and objectives, priority actions and plan of activities with proposed budgeting and investment, and monitoring frameworks.

DUTY STATION

The assignment will be based in Prishtina/Pristina with regular travel to Vushtrri/Vucitrn. Regular presence in Vushtrri during key phases is required (the assignment will be conducted through a combination of the UN-Habitat office in Prishtina/Pristina and the Municipality of Vushtrri/Vucitrn). The candidate is expected to work closely with municipal staff and participate in field activities, workshops, and coordination meetings in Vushtrri/Vucitrn, with regular presence in the municipality during key phases of the assignment.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE

The contractor will operate under the general guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Manager/Task Manager. Progress will be monitored based on the timely completion of agreed outputs and tasks. Regular check-ins with the UN-Habitat team and active reporting on activities conducted in Vushtrri will be required throughout the assignment. Progress reports need to be submitted at the end of each working month, detailing the outputs, key observations, and work plan for the following months. Work plans will be agreed with the relevant UN-Habitat Spatial Planner/s and the Programme Management Officer for Mobility, approved by the Chief Technical Advisor in advance on a monthly basis subject to the main tasks of the assignment (above) and in consideration of the workload priorities at that time.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

COMPETENCIES

• Professionalism: Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Good research, analytical and problem-solving skills. Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.
• 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. Promotes a learning and knowledge shared environment. Excellent mentoring and training skills.
• Planning and Organizing: Proven ability to plan, coordinate and monitor own work and that of others. Ability to work under pressure and uses time efficiently. Identifies priority activities and assignments, adjust priorities as required.
• Management and coordination: Skills for co-implementing the activities with International consultants, counterpart organisations, or other entities such as NGOs, academic institutions, and Community-Based Organisations.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by valuing others’ ideas and expertise and is willing to learn from others.
• Functional Competencies: Preferably a minimum of five years’ experience in the field of transport engineering/planning, civil engineering, or an urban-sector discipline, particularly in SUMP development and transport data collection and analysis. Experience in conducting travel demand and supply analysis, including but not limited to: designing of transport surveys, transport data collection, transport demand data analysis, transport demand forecasting, and transport modelling. Having already led an external expert team on one or several projects in the transport and urban mobility planning or urban transport data collection and survey is an asset.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• Advanced University degree (Masters and/or higher degree) in Transportation Planning or Engineering, Economics, Urban or Regional Planning, Urban Design or related fields with knowledge on sustainable urban transportation and mobility issues or a first degree with the relevant combination of professional and academic qualifications is required;
• At least 5 years of practical working experience in the fields of transport or urban planning, mobility, and sustainable development, combined with demonstrated knowledge and experience of conducting transport demand analysis working with national and local governments, is required;
• Demonstrated experience in mobility assessments, transport data analysis, and the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) or related frameworks, with a strong understanding of sustainable urban mobility principles.
• Proficiency in interpreting and analysing mobility data (e.g. traffic counts, surveys, GIS-based mapping).
• Experience with transport modelling procedures and fluency in relevant modelling tools.
• Proven experience in developing low-carbon urban mobility strategies and solutions.
• Familiarity with integrated, multi-modal transport systems, including non-motorised and public transport networks.
• Familiarity with the SUMP framework, tools, and guidelines developed by the EU and other relevant organisations.
• Experience in capacity-building for SUMP development throughout the project lifecycle.
• Experience in urban transport planning in resource-constrained or post-conflict settings.
• Experience with participatory planning, stakeholder engagement, and workshop facilitation, particularly at the municipal level.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with previous experience working in cross-cultural environments.
• Experience working in cities in Kosovo* or other countries in the Western Balkans is an advantage.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Excellent proficiency in spoken and written English;
• Fluency (reading, writing and speaking) in Albanian is required.
• Knowledge of Serbian or other local languages is considered an advantage.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

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.Diplomas and copy of Passport or National ID Card. 

Deadline for applications: 16 July 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