Urban Economist at the United Nations Human Settlements Programme

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the 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 main documents outlining the mandate of the organization are the Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements, Habitat Agenda, Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements, the Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium, and Resolution 56/206. Its activities contribute to the overall objective of the United Nations to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development within the context and the challenges of a rapidly urbanising world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Urban Economist

Location: Aba City, Abia
Department / Office: United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Duration: Four Work Months over 10 months
Starting Date: September 2023
Department/Office: UN-Habitat Programme Support Office, Abuja
Full/Part Time: Part-Time

Description 

• The Urban Economist 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 project team, appropriate government institutions and other stakeholders, the Urban Economist will be primarily responsible for the theme Urban Economy and is expected to take primary responsibility for and implement the following activities:

• Conduct a desk study to answer as many questions as possible related to Urban Economics by utilizing secondary sources such as existing documentation on laws, policies, statistical data, etc. and forward copies of such documents to the Project Coordinator and other documents in relation to Urban Economics.
• Identify preliminary urban issues based on the desk study and adapt existing questionnaires and tools for Urban Economics to the local context. It will be useful to have read the requirements of reporting, defined by the Project Coordinator, by this stage to start compiling them from the beginning.
• Support the organisation of stakeholder discussions with relevant stakeholders to review the findings from the analysis of both the secondary and primary collected data during the mid-term review workshop and assist in presenting a detailed outline of the report during the workshop.
• Assess and highlight main transportation issues of concern, using UN-Habitat's profile interview guidelines and formats; engage with local universities and other appropriate institutions for data collection and analysis; in close collaboration with the GIS consultant to undertake spatial analysis on Transportation issues and develop the section for Urban Services and Transportation for the city draft profile, which includes an assessment of priority and capacity building needs. Visualize challenges and opportunities for future growth through thematic maps and satellite images.
• In collaboration with the project team, plan and conduct a City Consultation with key stakeholders interviewed during the city assessment as well as others to agree on a vision for the city’s future development and on priority issues for urban development. At City Consultation, review profiles on Key urban issues, priorities, develop SWOTs translate agreed upon priorities into visions and strategies for the Structure/Spatial Plan.
• Support the design and collection of the economic data collection method including applied analytical tools and overall study approaches from the perspective of a spatial development framework.
• Support organization of the inception workshop aimed to gather all the concerned stakeholders and to ensure participatory planning processes and in writing the workshop proceedings.
• Identify local key stakeholders. Introduce the study approach to and liaise with focal persons in key departments in all local governments comprising the city and introduce the study to other relevant local partners and stakeholders including civil society.
• Compile chapters about Urban Economy for the city profile summarizing agreed priorities and priority interventions. In collaboration with the team, transform the visions and strategies, developed for these themes at the consultation, into a Structure/Spatial Plan for the city (including reports and maps).
• Additional duties of Team Leader (This applies only to the one consultant of each team that is most experienced and therefore will be appointed as Team Leader).

He/ she will have the following additional responsibilities:

• Regular reporting to and meeting with the Project Coordinator as part of overall responsibility for organization of city consultations, introducing the study approach to and liaise with focal person in key departments in all local governments comprising the city; introducing the study to other relevant local partners and stakeholders including civil society; monitoring progress of team members, timely delivery of defined outputs; attend steering committee meetings; provide information for steering committee for evaluation and monitoring purposes;
• The Team Leader will coordinate the preparation of consultation report to Project Coordinator including consultation package (Outline, Activity Structure, Talking Points, Invitations, Evaluation form, presentation outlines, notes and slides) and upon request provide regular status reports to the Project Coordinator.
• Undertake a city consultation, reach agreement on priority issues and development of visions and strategies for the Strategic Plan in collaboration with the city team.
• Oversee the preparation of the Consultation report (applies only to Team Leader);
• Oversee the preparation of the Final Structure Plan, ensuring that inputs of stakeholders' review prepared by the city team are adopted and published.
• Ensure that the Report produced includes all documentation: completed interview questionnaires, photos and data, inter alias, overall and thematic analysis, recommendations for strategic interventions, city profiles and consultation material as well as Projected Land Use and Transportation proposals (applies only to Team Leader).

Competencies:

• Professionalism: Demonstrable understanding theories and concepts related to urbanization including social and economic development, urban economics, spatial development, local economic development and planning, urban, and regional and territorial planning. Strong research and writing skills. Ability to carry out research on the social, economic, political, spatial and planning dimensions of cities and human settlements at local levels. Ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources using standard methodologies and analytical techniques and draw conclusions and assess impacts at different levels.
• Experience in preparing structure plans and write technical reports. Ability to review, edit and summarize the work of others. Strong analytical capacity and the ability to identify, analyze and articulate difficult issues/problems.
• 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.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• 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.

Qualifications

• The consultant will be an expert in in urban economics, economics, economic geography or equivalent and have relevant experience in research projects and programmes at national level and similar experience on planning and development of related projects at national or international level is required.

He/she must also have strong conceptual, analytical, technical skills and experience, including:

• Substantive and relevant experience in developing countries, especially in Nigeria.
• Advanced degree in related fields (e.g., in urban economics, economics, economic geography or equivalent and relevant research projects).
• Facility skills and knowledge of Nigeria’s urban sector and stakeholders as well as Nigeria’s economy, especially local economy in the State of Abia.

Work Experience:

• At least five years of progressive experience in research and policy analysis at the local, national and international levels is required. Experience of networking; experience of project and programme management; experience of conducting policy reviews and preparation of policy recommendations for decision-makers; demonstrable analytical, drafting, reporting and presentation experience; experience of analyzing, summarizing and presenting large quantities of statistics on urban issues using relevant computer software; experience in the coordination of multiple contributors to major reports is desirable; and experience in coordinating trainings, technical, fundraising and capacity building workshops.

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.

Special Notice:

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station or environs.

How to Apply
Interested consultants should send soft copies of their cover letter and curriculum vitae (CV) to: [email protected] using 'Aba Structure Plan Project' as the subject of the mail

Application Deadline 4th August, 2023.