Programme Management Officer, Human Settlements at UN-Habitat

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the UN 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.

Responsibilities

Programme Implementation: Ensure the implementation of the organization vision, work programme, operational resource mobilization strategies in countries:

• Promoting broad-based policy dialogue with national constituencies and development partners in the respective counties.
• Providing inputs to the development of the global campaigns and implementation strategies of the same.
• Providing direct inputs to human settlements analyses and needs assessments and other activities aimed at human settlements policy, strategy and programme development.
• Co-ordinating relevant activities within the work-programme through interaction within national level public institutions, local governments, NGO’s, civic society and private sector as well as external support agencies; and
• Facilitating dissemination of information on good practices and their adoption at the national and local levels.

Project/Programme Development:  Develop programme and projects of strategic value in partnership with other UN agencies, bilateral/multilateral donors and national partners by:

• Identifying priority interventions in human settlements sector within the framework of Habitat Agenda, SDGs, Country Strategy Notes, national plans and sector reviews.
• Developing requisite project documentation, gaining consensus on the strategies and funding suggested therein.
• Participating the appraisal, revision and approval of project design(s) by all relevant parties in accordance with established guidelines and lead the Regional Program Committee Review.
• Supporting negotiations, as required with multilateral/bilateral donors for resource mobilization and promoting/coordinating joint activities of strategic importance and securing approval by the appropriate authority on agreed activities.

Project management: Ensure effective and efficient execution of UN-Habitat executed projects and programmes by;

• Providing timely and appropriate technical and management advice to the projects or co-ordinate its provision by others from headquarters through periodic field visits (missions), group meetings and training in-depth review and evaluation of the work plan as well as technical working papers and reports originating from the projects.
• In consultation with funding agencies and related partners, assist the project(s) in developing performance criteria for monitoring the implementation.
• Monitor project activities and progress on continuous basis (1) ensuring periodic reporting from the filed and providing critical assessment of the appropriateness and effectiveness of results achieved and (ii) undertaking in-depth participatory internal review and evaluations.
• In liaison with the Governments, UNON and with support from the Administrative Officer, conduct the process of identification and selection of international staff and consultants and make recommendations to the Director in this respect.
• Prepare/review terms of reference (TORs) and/or job descriptions (JDs) for project/programme managers, CTAs and consultants.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of status reports as required by donors, other partners and management.

Normative programme support:  support the development and implementation of the UN-Habitat’s operational, information and capacity building activities in the Africa States.

• Preparation of reports and documentation of lessons learned, case studies, and best practices derived from the Regional Office’s operational activities.
• Development of normative publications (guidelines, manuals, etc) on the themes addressed by the various activities, for example poverty alleviation.
• Ensure collaboration with the academia, i.e. UN-Habitat partner Universities, in an effort to facilitate transfer of knowledge and experiences particularly from and within the Region.

Strategic Planning: Support the ROAF strategic planning and management processes in line with the overall UN-Habitat organizational plan, and the regional office strategic direction.

• Develop annual workplan and implementation strategy.
• Prepare regular meetings with the Africa Diplomatic Corpse
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.

Requirements

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to communicate clearly links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in urban planning and governance, business administration, land management and legislation, environmental, economic, social sciences or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2)  additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university
• degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience with the development and implementation of programmes and/or a portfolio of projects of operational activities in support of developing countries is required.
• At least three (3) years working experience in housing, municipal finance, urban climate resilience, urban planning and governance or slum upgrading within Africa is desirable.
• Experience in human settlements and urban development fields, projects/programme design and implementation with the UN or other international agencies is desirable.
• Experience in developing and managing projects in the sector of development assistance is desirable.
• Experience in managing a project/program with multiple parties, including team members, in a collaborative effort, and in a changing environment is desirable.
• A minimum of two (2) years 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 post  advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is  desirable.
• NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of’ confident” in two of the four areas.

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