Background
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the programme and project managers located in the related country offices of UN-Habitat, the National Project Officer provides ongoing project and administrative assistance and support to the Accelerating the Implementation of the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Strategy (ASUS) project, performing a variety of standard administrative processes, and technical tasks if necessary, ensuring high quality and accuracy of work.
The National Project Officer works in collaboration with the operations, programme and project staff in the UN-Habitat Country Office to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Ensures provision of City Technical Support, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Support all cites in the relevant country (up to 3 cities) through the implementation of the project activities to develop and advance urban project proposals (City Technical Proposal) aligned with the ASUS framework, including cities that participated in the Phase I of the ASUS Project.
- Conduct of preliminary background assessment to understand the needs and capacity of the local government partner and areas which the proposed intervention is intended to address.
- Conduct local consultations in person and virtually, as required, in collaboration with the local authorities, ensuring inclusiveness of all relevant stakeholders.
- Coordination with national, local authorities and key stakeholders to perform participatory and consultative city diagnosis and action plan development in each selected ASEAN city and contribute to the development of the City Diagnostic Reports;
- Preparation of the urban project technical proposals in alignment with specifications outlined by UN-Habitat and ASEAN requirements, and with the support of technical experts. The technical areas of focus will be decided with the city.
- Support peer-to-peer exchanges between ASEAN pilot cities regarding the proposed projects.
Deliverables:
- Concept note, agenda, schedule and minutes of city consultations undertaken for each city participating in the project;
- Inception Report on each participating city’s current resources, interventions, and policies to ground the development and advancement of the City Technical Proposals;
- Report on Advancement of City Technical Proposal for participating ASEAN Cities from ASUS Project Phase I;
- City Diagnostic Reports for the new participating cities, including a city sectoral analysis, legal and governance frameworks, city priorities and their alignment with the SDGs,
- City Technical Proposal, City Technical Proposal Briefs and Slide Decks;
- Identification and contribution through best practices from the country to Second ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Report.
2. Ensures provision of Training and Capacity Building Programmes, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Support the project team in developing country programmes and roadmaps for training and capacity building, targeting cities and relevant sub-national and national stakeholders.
- Supporting cities participation in regional-level events.
- Develop country level roadmap for the Urban Planning for City Leaders Training Programme (based on the regional plan) targeting cities:
- Identify participating cities and other government and non-government city-level stakeholders;
- Identify local best practices and champions to include in the programme;
- Define a plan for virtual trainings and two in-person events to roll-out the programme;
- Support the project team in developing contents and support with translation as needed.
- Develop country level roadmap for the Multi-stakeholder Capacity Building Programme (based on the regional plan), targeting cities:
- Identify participating cities and other government and non-government sub-national and national levels stakeholders;
- Identify local best practices and champions to include in the programme;
- Define a plan for two in-person events to roll-out the programme;
- Support the project team in developing contents and support with translation as needed.
- Conduct local consultations in person and virtually, as required, in collaboration with the local authorities, ensuring inclusiveness of all relevant stakeholders.
- Develop report of the proceeding and findings of each session and event organized and ensure follow up with the relevant authorities.
Deliverables:
- Country level roadmap for the Urban Planning for City Leaders Training Programme (based on the regional plan), including stakeholder mapping and identification of local best practices;
- Urban Planning for City Leaders Training Programme events, including concept note, participants invitation and management, event reports;
- Training Programme Report;
- Country level roadmap for the Multi-stakeholder Capacity Building Programme (based on the regional plan), including stakeholder mapping and identification of local best practices;
- Urban Planning for City Leaders Training Programme events, including concept note, participants invitation and management, event reports;
- Capacity Building Programme Report.
3. Support Meetings Coordination, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Support in-country arrangements for project review and follow-up missions;
- Coordinate document preparation, compilation and dissemination to meeting participants and key stakeholders including national, local authorities and relevant stakeholders;
- Support research information in support of project materials and activities and assist with translations, interpretation and other support to the project team as required.
- Support the participation of the selected cities in virtual and in-person meetings and events nationally and internationally.
Deliverables:
- Concept note, participants lists, agendas, events facilitation and delivery, event reports;
- Participation of country representive in the Second ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum, including logistic and substantial preparation for cities participants.
4. Ensures provision of Country Office support, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Performing other relevant tasks related to urban development/project implementation as necessary and required by the Habitat Programme Manager.
- Collaborate with other UN agencies by participating in various climate-related initiatives.
- Undertake other assignments as required to support climate change objectives.
5. Support Monitoring and Evaluation in the CO, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Regular monitoring and reporting on all project activities with partners and stakeholders to ensure a high quality of outputs being delivered within the agreed upon time frame;
- Support scoping studies and data collection to evaluate the interventions within the local strategic context and helping to address the feasibility, potential impact and any barriers;
- Supporting the mainstreaming of gender, environmental and social issues into the project activities and carrying out social and gender analyses across all project deliverables.
Competencies
Core
Innovation
Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Level 3: Adapts deliverables to meet client needs * Interprets policies and guidance within context and applies with judgment * Anticipates obstacles and applies practical solutions * Continually seeks improvement and agility in service delivery *Collabo
Leadership
Ability to persuade others to follow
Level 3: Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others * Actively engages teams and encourages dialogue within and across teams * Determines appropriate resources, methods, partners, information and solutions
People Management
Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Level 3: Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making * Seeks and values other’s initiatives and expertise * Supervises teams with consistent direction and drives team engagement
Communication and Relationship Management
Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Level 3: Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation * Proactively expresses insights and/or questions in order to contribute to clarity, accuracy, and focus in one’s work * Speaks on behalf of team
Delivery
Ability to get things done
Level 3: Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value * Demonstrates commitment to clients and quality * Works to agreed goals dealing with challenges constructively * Responsible for project implementation and/or team
Technical Competency
Level 3: Implement & Manage * Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Building Strategic Partnerships:
Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:
Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:
❑ Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
❑ Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
❑ Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
Promoting Organizational Change and Development:
❑ Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions
Design and Implementation of Management Systems:
Uses information/databases/other management systems
Client Orientation:
❑ Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion
❑ Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
❑ Responds to client needs promptly
Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:
❑ Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results based management systems
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
An advanced degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in urban and/or regional planning, architecture, urban economy, sustainable or international development, sustainable urbanization or other fields relevant to this post from reputed universities, or A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) with additional two years relevant and progressive experience in the fields may be accepted in lieu of the post-graduate or Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent).
Experience:
- Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible relevant experience at the national or international level in international development, urban development and technical city level advice and capacity building, preferably in the field of human settlements in the region.
- Previous experience in supporting global and regional programmes and partnerships development is added advantage.
- Work experience with the UN-Habitat, and general knowledge of UN rules and regulations are desirable.
- Experience in urban planning, urban and rural settlement issues and/or climate change resilience, preferably in a developing country in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is essential.
Language Requirements:
- For this position, fluency in oral and written English and Lao language is required.
- Knowledge of another official United Nations language will be considered an advantage.