Vacancies at UN-Habitat

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary:

The main objective of this consultancy is to lead the design, development and implementation of an information management and GIS(IM/GIS) strategy for HAPSO/ABSG on Aba city structure/spatial plan project. Processing geospatial data from satellite imaging, aerial photography and remote sensors for the creation of a digital base map. Support the collection, storage, and analysis of additional data to better understand current needs for Aba city, and support design to fulfil those needs with the ability to pull together the vast amounts of information necessary to balance competing priorities and solve complicated problems.

Organisational Setting and Reporting

• The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It 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.
• The overall objective of this project is to support the preparation of Structure Plan for Aba City in Abia State, Nigeria as an overall framework for guiding the future growth and development of Aba City and environs as well as Abia State and the wider sub-region. The Structure Plan will be an important tool contributing to informed strategic decision-making and present a framework for further activities aiming to meet the urban challenges of the targeted areas.
• A team of experts will be recruited for the project under the coordination of Technical Adviser. The Technical team will comprise 10 theme consultants made up of Urban Planner, Transportation Planner, Infrastructure Planner, Economist, Data/GIS Consultant, Urban Management Expert/Urban Psychologist, Waste Management Expert, Quantity Surveyor, Gender Specialist and Youth Specialist. The team will work with one GIS expert.
• The Data/GIS Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Africa (ROAf), Nairobi, Kenya, the overall supervision of the Human Settlements Officer responsible for Nigeria, the immediate supervision of the Project Technical Adviser and the Coordination of the Habitat Programme Support Office (HAPSO), Abuja.
• The duty station shall be in Aba, Abia State and the incumbent, as a member of the Technical Team, will support the Abia State Government in implementation of this project working closely with relevant state ministries especially the Ministry of Lands and Survey, in collaboration with relevant UN-Habitat branches: Urban and Regional Planning Branch (Metropolitan Planning Unit, Urban Planning and Design Lab), Global Urban Observatory/Data and Statistics Unit, Urban Basic Services, and Urban Economy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Within delegated authority and working in close collaboration with other thematic area Consultants, the Data/GIS Consultant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Lead the design, development and implementation of an information management and GIS (IM/GIS) strategy for HAPSO/ABSG on Aba city structure/spatial plan project.
• Provide guidance for acquisition of the most recent satellite imageries to establish base map for the Aba city, standardize and clean geospatial datasets.
• Coordinate the development of standard reporting and analytical products to support data- driven decision making in emergencies. More precisely: design, develop and implement data collection tools and reporting mechanisms to gather and share relevant information;
• Develop Enterprise GIS for the preparation of structure/spatial plan Aba city system using FOSS4g Stack and administer the online platform with PostgreSQL/PostGIS
• Undertake comprehensive survey of existing LU/LC patterns and ascertain trends and direction of the growth within Aba City by conducting change detection with QGIS & R
• Transportation planner in carrying out traffic transport surveys (road, rail and water) including public parking facilities to identify existing bottlenecks and opportunities that may affect or influence future demand and plan linkages that can solve the existing traffic congestion within the study area.
• In close collaboration with urban economist undertake survey of socio-economic activities and facilities such as school, healthcare, employment opportunities and other related variables for the present and future. Survey existing housing stock and building development patterns, land value and property rating with a view to determining the use, characteristics and intensity of development.
• Examine the extent of implementation of the short, medium and long-term infrastructural proposals of any existing plans vis-a-vis existing pattern of growth and development of the study area and its environs. Identify existing major activity centers, industrial areas and location of new centers including business districts,
• Establish the database for areas that are prone to flooding and proffer solution to curbing this incidence and its consequences. Identify water bodies and natural habitat within study area for the purpose of protection, preservation and adequate containment, consider contiguous settlements of the study area and integrate them into city/region map and develop an inventory of unique, historical, cultural and scenic areas for the purpose of conservation.
• Train and mentor counterparts in the development and construction of maps, relational geo- databases, spatial analysis, annotation, digitizing and editing in the using QGIS. Preparation of data to be processed with the GIS, on utilization of GPS, GNSS and other GIS tools;
• In liaison with the Technical Adviser and other thematic experts, provide GIS support for preparation of proposals for phasing of the Structure Plan implementation, notably the following:
  • Automated conversion of data, delineation of the project areas into basemaps at agreed scales for easy mapping, data collection and verification;
  • Input data collected from field into geo-database and adapt tools to join together different datasets, including GIS datasets, and create new information or investigate patterns
  • Production of corresponding land use, transportation and other thematic maps in line with proposals from Consultants; Conduct geospatial analysis on collected datasets; create maps, infographics, interactive graphical products and other cartographic products on a regular and ad-hoc basis; in response to consultants technical needs.
  • Develop the tools for loading/transferring data, including GIS data, between different systems; design and maintain the structures necessary for data storage.
  • Manipulate presentation of geographical information by creating programs to convert GIS information from one format to another.
  • Any other tasks that have to do with Map production towards effective completion of the project

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in urban planning, geography, regional planning, architecture, cartography, GIS, information management, engineering, geometrics, computer or earth sciences, or any other related field is required. Post graduate courses in geographic information systems (GIS) is desirable. A bachelor's degree with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree.
• At least 2 years experience at the national & international levels in GIS management, urban planning, informal settlement upgrade & land management, using different GIS tool is required.
• Experience of networking, project & programme management is desirable;
• Experience of conducting policy reviews & preparation of policy recommendations for decision makers is desirable;
• Demonstrable analytical, drafting, reporting & presentation experience is desirable;
• Experience of analyzing, summarizing & presenting large quantities of statistics on urban issues using relevant computer software is desirable;
• Experience in the coordination of multiple contributors to major reports is desirable;
• Experience in coordinating trainings, technical, fundraising and capacity building workshops is desirable;
• Experience in mobile app dev. and in applying GIS in a humanitarian context across UN partners, NGOs & local governments is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.

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Duties and Responsibilities

• The six small island developing states (SIDS) in Africa, namely Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cabo Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, and Guinea-Bissau, share common vulnerabilities that make them highly susceptible to the negative impacts of climate change. These vulnerabilities include limited land area, remoteness, limited resources and export activities, exposure to environmental and economic shocks, and high levels of disaster risk. Slow onset events like sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and salinization of coastal aquifers, together with extreme weather events like increasing cyclonic activity, pose a complex and multi-tiered risk to these countries, leading to several threats including habitat contraction, changes in the location of coastal species, and loss of biodiversity. Added to that, SIDS are highly reliant on natural resources for economic activities, such as agriculture, fishing, and tourism, making them disproportionately affected by climate change-induced phenomena.
• Needless to say, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation measures are crucial for SIDS. However, the effectiveness of these measures is context-specific and can be facilitated or challenged by specific characteristics of each country. The recent Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2022) highlights that limits to adaptation are being reached due to the interaction between constraints to adaptation and the pace of climate change-related impacts. SIDS are likely to reach these limits sooner than other countries due to their low elevation, isolation, and limited resources. Thus, an integrated and inclusive approach to adaptation planning and implementation is critical for effective climate action in SIDS, preventing the limits to adaptation from being reached.
• In response, through its Regional Office for Africa (ROAf), UN-Habitat is developing a regional portfolio of work on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and urban resilience in African SIDS. With the aim of supporting city management authorities and local government on climate adaptation and disaster preparedness issues, UN-Habitat has designed and implemented a number of tools such as the City Resilience Action Planning (CityRAP) tool, which is a participatory urban resilience planning methodology to enable local governments of secondary cities to assess the resilience status of their cities and to understand risks and plan practical actions to progressively build urban resilience, and the Building Climate Resilience of Urban Systems Through Ecosystem Based Adaptation toolkit, which is designed to assist city management authorities and local government, as well as national government, practitioners, and the wider development community to integrate ecosystems-based adaptation (EbA) into urban development. Additionally, UN-Habitat is currently developing a climate financing toolkit to help municipalities in increasing their planning capacities and access innovative mechanisms.
• Also, UN-Habitat is currently implementing the Development Account project “Strengthened Capacities of African, Caribbean and Pacific SIDS for Green, Resilient and Pro-poor Pandemic Recovery” (DA14). The project aims to build capacity for green, resilient, and pro-poor recovery in SIDS, with a focus on informal settlements. In Africa, the project is working in Comoros and Sao Tome and Principe to provide technical assistance for integrating resilience and recovery planning.

OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The objective of this consultancy will be to take stock of UN-Habitat’s existing activities in the African SIDS, make recommendations for strategic direction for scaling-up the portfolio, and fully develop a regional proposal based on an already existing concept note. The proposal should aim to develop a comprehensive full model that increases climate adaptation capacities of vulnerable communities of African SIDS through the implementation of replicable and scalable step-by-step approaches for urban resilience building. The consultant will also contribute to the activities of the above mentioned DA14 project.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Under the overall supervision of the Human Settlements Officer at the Regional Office for Africa (ROAf), the consultant will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:
• Undertake stocktaking of UN-Habitat’s existing activities in African SIDS, analyse them vis-à-vis UN system and donor priorities and emerging issues in the same countries, and prepare recommendations for a strategic direction.
• Design, plan and facilitate an ideation and co-creation workshop to generate innovative ideas for scaling up resilience and adaptation in African SIDS. Document and report on workshop outcomes.
• Fully develop a project proposal for “Climate adaptation for resilient urban communities in African Small Island Developing States (SIDS)” based on an existing concept note and the outcomes of the above two activities.
• Undertake research and analysis on best practices and lessons learned from African SIDS to inform economic recovery and prepare a policy paper summarizing findings and recommendations.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced degree in urban development, environmental studies, sustainable development or equivalent is required.
• Minimum 3 year of working experience in strategic planning, urban planning, project management, international development or related fields.
• Familiarity with the concepts of urban resilience, climate change adaptation/ mitigation and DRR.
• Previous working experience with SIDS is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the official working languages of the United Nations. Proficiency in oral and written English language is required.

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Responsibilities

• Collects, evaluates, processes, and analyzes statistical data from a variety of sources.
• Processes, classifies and ensures internal consistency of data; reconciles discrepancies in data series.
• Builds special data sets for specific research needs or for reports.
• Prepares charts, graphs and other outputs for reporting and presentation of various data.
• Applies, tests and executes programmers for specific statistical applications on the basis of specifications provided.
• Maintains relevant computerized databases.
• Responds to internal/external requests on questions related to specific programme(s).
• Assists in liaising with United Nations system organizations to obtain necessary statistical and other relevant information.
• Prepares data sets upon request, responds to queries/requests and maintains/updates web pages and collects, evaluates, processes and analyzes statistical data from household surveys and other sources.
• Supervises and guides other general service staff in the function.
• Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.
• Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to provide independent evaluations and analyze statistical data. Ability to prepare reports. Knowledge of methodologies for database management and analysis. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Please refer to the attached guidelines.
• COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

• Completion of High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

• A technical or vocational certificate in data management and/or analysis is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in statistics, economics, finance, accounting or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to eight (8) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.
• A minimum of two (2) years of professional experience in statistical analysis, data analysis, data processing is required.
• Experience working with word processing, spreadsheets, and relevant software packages is desirable.
• A minimum of two (2) years’ experience in writing or developing reports for senior management reviews is desirable.
• A minimum of two (2) years’ experience in database management using a statistical or other software is desirable.
• A minimum of one (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an desirable.