VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Issued on 14 January 2025 

Project Title: Towards Inclusive and Resilient Urban Recovery in Ukraine

Post Title: Coordination Expert for Thematic Papers Development

Duration of assignment / or end date (if applicable):The duration of the assignment is from February 2025 to April 2025

Duty Station/ Country: Home based

Expected places of travel (if applicable): Not applicable. Any eventual travel will be arranged separately.

Supervisor’s name and functional post: Chief Technical Advisor

Payment arrangements: Lump-sum (payments linked to deliverables)

Administrative arrangements: The contractor will rent/use at his/her own expense any equipment, materials, or premises that may be required for the completion of the task.

Selection method: Desk review of applications, with interviews for shortlisted candidates for further assessment

Deadline for applications: 21 January 2025, 17:00 hrs (CET)

1.Background

1.1 Overview of UN-Habitat

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations system’s designated entity for addressing and promoting socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements, development, and the achievement of adequate shelter for all (www.unhabitat.org). Its New Urban Agenda sets out a shared vision for cities and other human settlements towards an improved urban environment and strengthened climate action responses.

Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the built environment and critical infrastructure in Ukraine have been severely impacted also causing large humanitarian concerns for millions of civilians, including internally displaced persons and refugees.

The Ukrainian Government (GoU) has a strong ambition to ‘build back better’, making progress towards the SDGs with a specific focus on addressing climate change. This includes a desire for an overhaul of existing towns and neighbourhoods, which typically are mono-functional with inadequate provision of public space and access to public services and functions. Considerations need to be directed towards the changing demographics (including rapid aging and the increased number of people with disabilities) and economics in the country. National, regional and local economic development strategies need to be developed and implemented, including approaches for urban and territorial regeneration on local level. A sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine calls for the introduction of a systemic shift in the recovery planning and design of cities, towns and neighbourhoods in Ukraine, while also embedding measures to build capacity within the built environment professions, including urban planning.

The war has affected the availability of Ukrainian expertise within urban development, which was already scarce before the war, increasing the risk to jeopardise the ambition of Ukraine to Building Back Better. While several organisations have emerged to support the development of capacities in Ukraine on urban and territorial development and management, the access to knowledge and best practises on these issues is still limited.

The project aims at providing contextual analysis on urban related issues in Ukraine, to better inform decision makers, and enhance knowledge and expertise of Ukrainian stakeholders engaged in the urban recovery and reconstruction efforts.

2. Objectives of the assignment / Scope of services

The general purpose of the post is to support the coordination of Implementing Partners and/or Individual Contractors collaborating with UN-Habitat for the development of thematic briefs on issues relevant for urban recovery in Ukraine. The incumbent will be responsible for coordinating the scoping, drafting, providing editorial feedback and review of the selected thematic papers. The coordination expert will also be responsible for identifying options for institutionalisation, communication and dissemination of the papers, as for implementing selected ones.

3. Scope of work and the measurable outputs of the work assignment/deliverables

Based on the above, the consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

The assignment is expected to be 47 working days. It should start on 3rd February and finish not later than 31st April 2025. Any required travel will be arranged and covered by UN-Habitat.

4. Management arrangements

The Individual Consultant will be responsible for achieving the objectives of the assignment. He/She will be responsible for all personal administrative expenses associated with the assignment.

UN-Habitat will be responsible for:

• Providing all required documentation and briefings to the Consultant
• Facilitating access to key informants
• Organising the logistics and procurement related to the organisation of the Forum
• Providing comments to the draft to be addressed in the final versions

The Consultant will be responsible for:

• Conducting and delivering activities and outputs as outlined above
• Demonstrating professional and ethical standards in conducting the tasks
• Performing the tasks in line with the allocated timeframe
• Informing programme management about progress of the assignment
• Delivering high quality products

All the activities will be conducted in cooperation with the project team.

5. Monitoring requirements / Terms of payment

The Individual Consultant for Thematic Papers Development will work under the overall supervision of the  Chief Technical Advisor.

All deliverables shall be approved by UN-Habitat in written form through e-mail. No documents should be published or distributed to third parties without the approval of UN-Habitat.  The fees will be paid in instalments upon completion and acceptance of the outputs as specified in section Deliverables and Schedule above. Payments shall be done on a deliverable basis based, upon verification of completion of deliverables.

UN-Habitat will provide payment upon provision of each deliverable duly certified by UN-Habitat in accordance with the schedule below:

• Deliverables 1 and 2 – 33%
• Deliverable 3 – 33%
• Deliverables 4 and 5 – 34%

6. Organisational Competencies 

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• 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.
• 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,
• Skills for co-implementing the activities with National consultants, counterpart organisations, or other entities such as NGOs, academic institutions, and Community-Based Organisations
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN-Habitat;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

7. Required experience and qualifications

• Advanced degree in urban development, spatial planning, economics, conflict studies, political science, public administration or a related social science field required;
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in related fields.
• Experience on urban recovery issues in Ukraine is required;
• Experience in coordination of organisations in conflict/post conflict contexts is required;
• Experience in reviewing and editing of thematic papers, reports, publications, essays or similar is required;
• Strong writing and drafting skills;
• Significant experience in engaging with researchers, experts, universities, think tanks;
• Experience in post-conflict/post disaster analysis, in urban recovery activities, national housing policies in conflict/post conflict or disaster contexts;
• Experience in the organisation of medium size events (around 80-100 participants);
• Pro-active attitude towards work and motivation to take on new challenges;
• Familiarity with UN-Habitat’s mandate and urban development issues.

8. Documents to be included when submitting the proposal. 

☒ A cover letter explaining their suitability for the role.

☒ A detailed personal CV, including information about experience, as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references;

☒ Financial proposal in line with information presented in Section 3. Measurable outputs of the work assignment/deliverables;

9. Financial Proposal

☒ Lump sum contract

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (please, refer to Section 3 Measurable outputs of the work assignment/deliverables). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of Cost by Components.

Please take note that the currency of the proposal is USD.

 Payment for services shall be made through bank transfer to the Contractor’s account during 30 (thirty) days from the date of services rendered.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates must submit to the email address: unhabitat-ukraine@un.org no later than 21 January 2025, 17:00 hrs CET, including:

• All required documents as outlined in Section 8, including
• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)/P11: please use this format: https://bit.ly/4adZ5ot
• Financial Proposal. The form for the financial proposal can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/42eReoM

Deadline for applications: 21 January 2025, 17:00 hrs CET

 IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Ensure all submitted documents are in English, except where Ukrainian deliverables are specified.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further evaluation.
• 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