We are now hiring expert practitioners for the following assignment:

Functional title: Programme Officer/ Spatial Urban Planner
Duty station of assignment: Rahovec with travel to other Kosovo municipalities
Contract type: Service Contract/Individual Contractor
Duration of assignment: 6 working months (with possibility of extension)
Closing date for applications: 12 December 2019

Background

UN-Habitat has been actively assisting Kosovo institutions in the field of governance, spatial planning and municipal administration since 1999. UN-Habitat is currently implementing the Inclusive Development Programme (2016-2021) which aims 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. The Programme is financed by the Swedish Development Cooperation and is jointly implemented with PAX and Community Building Mitrovica in seven partner municipalities.
Building on its knowledge, tools and expertise, the UN-Habitat Kosovo Office provides at the demand of partners, strategic and comprehensive package of support to build or complement municipal planning and management capacities, and other functions. In that perspective, UN-Habitat Kosovo Office and the municipality of Rahovec signed in May 2019 a Memorandum of Understanding to frame the collaboration between respective institutions around spatial planning support and public space development and management, and citizen dialogue which resulted into the project Leading Urban Change in Rahovec through revitalisation of the Central City Square. The project aims to promote urban regeneration and inclusive public space development through inclusive, transparent and innovative planning and design methods. Specially, the project will provide technical support to the international design competition process for the Central City Square in Rahovec municipality. The project is financed by the municipality of Rahovec.

Further information on UN-Habitat in Kosovo and the Inclusive Development Programme can be found at:
Main UN-Habitat Kosovo Page.

To support the implementation of this project, UN-Habitat is seeking a programme officer, who will fulfil the following duties and responsibilities under the direct supervision of UN-Habitat Chief Technical Advisor.

Purpose of the post

The general purpose of the post is to lead the smooth execution of the Leading Urban Change project in Rahovec.

Main tasks of the post

Under the supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), the incumbent’s responsibilities will be as follows:

International urban design competition component

 Partner mobilization, coordination and orientation:

• Ensuring the coordination and quality implementation of the project activities in close coordination with the municipality of Rahovec;
• Mapping, mobilizing and liaising with local and national authorities, technical governmental services, academia, Non-Governmental Organizations and communities for relevant activities of the project;
• Providing technical support to the urbanism department and the municipal planning team and ensuring that the project’s main orientations are followed, in particular in terms of public outreach, participation, equity, mainstreaming of vulnerability (including disability) and gender;

Substantial contribution, advice and reporting:

• Leading the conception, sequencing and implementation of activities and products contributing to the expected outcomes of the project;
• Providing supervision, support and feedback to the UN-Habitat team as well as advice on issues related to urban planning and design processes, public space development and management and urban regeneration;
• Supporting preparation of work plans, presentations and reporting materials and ensuring quality assurance of other written materials produced;

Institutionalization, sustainability and durability:

• Strengthening capacities of local authorities and relevant stakeholders to shape and implement specific spatial planning and urban design processes, incl. local visioning, urban design competition, etc. and to develop a responsive public policies;
• Promoting outreach as well as the sustainability of know-how, knowledge and mechanisms established by the project;
• Producing pertinent guidelines in line with the project experience and lessons learned; sharing the project experience in relevant forums;

Other component as required

• Substantively support the confection of selected documents, materials, activity delivery, such as training, meetings, etc. relevant to the implementation of the programme portfolio of UN-Habitat Kosovo Office, as required;
• Provide logistical and administrative support and perform any other functions and tasks which may be required by the nature of the projects’ activities and as assigned by the CTA.

Duty Station

The work shall be performed from UN-Habitat premises located in Rahovec. Travel to other Kosovo municipalities will be covered by UN-Habitat.

Competencies

Professionalism: Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Experience in project cycle management and M&E. Ability to conduct data collection and technical assessment using various methods, including field missions and interviews. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct research and analysis. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. 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. 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. Teamwork: Ability to coordinate activities and teams. Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by valuing others ideas and expertise and is willing to learn from others. Conflict management and consensus facilitation skills. Creativity: Strong conceptual thinking. Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches, takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”, and offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs. Can easily develop clear plans in contexts with limited information and datasets. Finds ways to extract and combine data and information to create base maps.

Qualifications and requirements

NOTE: The quality and extent of the person’s qualifications, skills and experience in the requirements below will determine the grade/level to which a successful applicant will be appointed

Education and experience

• Advanced University degree (masters Level) in regional/ urban planning, or urban environment. A university degree in any relevant fields to sustainable urban development in combination with four additional years of qualifying work-experience in regional/ urban planning, or urban environment, may be acceptable in lieu of the required advanced university degree;
• Professional practical experience in related field;

Language

• English is the working language of UN-Habitat Kosovo Office; very good command of English and Albanian is required;
• Working knowledge of Serbian is an asset;

Other skills

• Have good understanding of spatial planning, sustainable development, public space creation/ development and maintenance, urban regeneration as well as the associated responsibilities at municipal and national level in Kosovo and the region;
• Have knowledge and experience with innovative participatory planning approaches and design competitions, as well as institutional capacity building;
• Have good knowledge and understanding of the Sustainable Development Global Agenda as well as European trends and best practices within the field of urban and spatial planning and public space. International experience would be an advantage;
• Be capable of coordinating activities, working in a team and undertaking initiative to ensure smooth relations and open communication within the team and with partners, incl. local level, youth groups, business community, etc.; experience in conducting focus groups and discussion with a variety of stakeholders;
• Have good analytical, solution defining and creative skills;
• Computer skill is a requirement, incl. Microsoft Office, computer-aided design (CAD) i.e. AutoCAD or ArchiCAD, Geographic Information System (GIS Software)
• Valid driving license and the ability to obtain a UN driver’s license.

Special considerations

The candidate should be:

• 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
• 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 an email quoting the post title and the duty station to the email address: recruitment@unhabitat-kosovo.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/2019/08/p11_form.doc

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

Deadline for applications: 12 December 2019

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