Urban Planning and GIS Assistant at UN-Habitat

Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager and in close collaboration with the Ethiopia Programme team, the consultant will undertake the following:

GIS Database Development and Management

• Compile, organize and consolidate spatial and non-spatial datasets from government agencies, development partners and project sources.
• Develop and maintain a geospatial database covering settlements, infrastructure, services, environmental features and hazards.
• Prepare metadata and apply data management procedures to ensure consistency, traceability and accessibility of datasets.
• Maintain backup copies and version control, and support appropriate data sharing and knowledge management.

Spatial Data Collection and Validation

• Conduct field verification, GPS surveys and geospatial data collection in project target areas.
• Verify settlement boundaries, infrastructure locations and environmental features.
• Support community consultations and participatory mapping exercises.
• Document field observations, validate collected spatial information and integrate findings into the GIS database.

Climate-Smart Suitability Mapping

• Support the development of settlement suitability assessment criteria and undertake multi-criteria spatial analysis using agreed methodologies. • Analyse infrastructure accessibility, service coverage, and environmental and climate-related constraints.
• Prepare suitability maps and settlement development scenarios to inform planning and investment decisions.
• Contribute maps, spatial analysis and explanatory notes to the Regional GIS Planning Atlas.

Hazard and Climate Risk Mapping

• Support the preparation of flood, heat stress and other relevant environmental hazard maps using available data and agreed methodologies. • Analyse the exposure of settlements and infrastructure to identified hazards, incorporating available climate projections where appropriate. • Contribute spatial evidence to climate-resilient planning recommendations.
• Prepare clear maps and other visual products for consultations, validation and decision-making.

Settlement Planning Support

• Assist with settlement profiling and urban and territorial planning assessments.
• Provide geospatial inputs for infrastructure planning, service delivery assessments and settlement growth scenarios.
• Contribute to planning reports and technical recommendations informed by spatial analysis and field findings.
• Support the application of durable solutions planning approaches that reflect the needs of displacement-affected communities. F. Capacity Development and Training Support
• Support GIS capacity development activities for local authorities, including the preparation of training materials and technical presentations. • Demonstrate GIS applications and explain mapping outputs during workshops and training sessions.
• Prepare maps and planning evidence to support City Leaders Training activities.
• Assist with peer-learning and knowledge-sharing activities on the use of spatial information in planning.

Coordination, Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Liaise with regional bureaus, municipalities, woredas and partner institutions to obtain data, validate findings and coordinate assigned activities. • Participate in technical meetings, workshops and field missions relevant to the assignment.
• Prepare technical reports, maps, presentations and progress updates on assigned activities.
• Maintain geospatial repositories and supporting documentation, and document lessons learned and good practices.

Qualifications/special skills

• A high school diploma or equivalent is required. Additional training in urban planning, regional planning, human settlements, territorial planning, urban development, architecture or a related field is desirable.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in GIS, spatial planning, geomatics, remote sensing or a related field is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced by two years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree.
• Experience in developing and managing spatial databases is required.
• Experience in field-based geospatial data collection and GPS surveys is required.
• Experience in suitability analysis, hazard mapping and geospatial modelling is required.
• Experience supporting development, humanitarian, displacement, resilience or local government programmes is desirable.

Deadline : Sep 14, 2026