An Integrated City-Region Spatial Economic Development Framework for the Greater Busia Metro is developed, validated, and aligned with national frameworks, providing an actionable roadmap for inclusive, resilient, and investment-oriented urban development.

Homebased

9 months

BACKGROUND The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, 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. UN-HABITAT helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, healthier, greener places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. UN-Habitat is implementing the project “Harnessing Property Rights: Building Resilience of Local Governments and Informal Women and Youth Traders in the Greater Busia Metro (GBM), 2025–2028.” The project is funded through Danish support and is being implemented in the cross-border towns of Busia (Kenya and Uganda), an area of strategic importance along the Northern Corridor, which serves as a key economic gateway connecting Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Border towns such as Busia are characterized by dynamic trade activity, rapid urban growth, and increasing pressure on land, infrastructure and basic services. While the Busia border remains a major trade hub, the local economy faces growing challenges linked to unplanned expansion, insecure tenure, weak land governance systems, and limited municipal capacity to manage land use and development in an inclusive manner. These challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, particularly informal women and youth traders, who rely heavily on informal cross-border trade for their livelihoods but often face insecure housing, limited access to land and property rights, weak legal protection, and exclusion from formal urban development planning processes. The project responds to these challenges by supporting local authorities and communities to strengthen land governance, tenure security, evidence-based planning, and local economic development. A key pillar of the intervention is the development of an Integrated City-Region Spatial Economic Development Framework for the Greater Busia Metro. This framework will provide a structured basis for guiding sustainable urban expansion, strengthening infrastructure and service delivery, improving land-related revenue systems, supporting formalization and legitimacy of informal trade, and identifying catalytic investments that can unlock inclusive growth and resilience. The project also seeks to promote innovative and fit-for-purpose planning approaches, including the integration of land information systems and participatory planning tools, while ensuring that planning frameworks are gender-responsive and aligned with both Kenyan and Ugandan national development priorities. The spatial framework will be designed to strengthen cross-border coordination, enhance urban competitiveness, and support the establishment of a stronger enabling environment for investment, innovation, and livelihood opportunities. To support the successful development of these urban planning outputs, UN-Habitat seeks to recruit an experienced Urban Planner to provide technical leadership and hands-on planning expertise, working closely with local governments, communities, relevant institutions, and the project implementation team. The Urban Planner will be under the overall supervision of the Senior Human Settlements Officer/Head of Sub Region and the direct supervision of the Human Settlements Officer and collaborate closely with other project managers. Responsibilities: Within delegated authority, the urban planner will be responsible for the following duties: A. Spatial Planning & Framework Development • Lead the preparation of the Integrated City-Region Spatial Economic Development Framework for the Greater Busia Metro (GBM). • Support the preparation of spatial development concepts for the cross-border region, including urban growth scenarios and development options. • Prepare draft land use concepts, zoning proposals, and spatial development strategies that respond to economic and livelihood needs. • Contribute to the development of a Smart Economic Zone / Investment-oriented Master Plan concept for the GBM. • Identify strategic urban development corridors, investment nodes, and economic zones relevant to the Northern Corridor context. • Integrate climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and risk reduction measures into spatial planning outputs. • Ensure planning proposals incorporate inclusive public space planning, mobility/access, and service delivery improvements. B. Urban Diagnostics, Data Collection and Technical Analysis • Conduct an urban diagnostic assessment covering settlement patterns, urban expansion trends, service gaps, infrastructure networks, and land use challenges. • Analyze spatial-economic dynamics influencing livelihoods and informal trade systems, particularly for women and youth traders. • Support collection and consolidation of baseline planning data and evidence required for planning frameworks. C. Participatory Planning and Stakeholder Engagement • Support the design and facilitation of participatory planning consultations with local authorities, communities, informal traders, and civil society organizations. • Facilitate stakeholder workshops and technical working sessions to validate planning priorities and spatial development proposals. • Ensure inclusive engagement of women, youth, and marginalized groups, and integrate their needs into planning recommendations. • Document consultations, stakeholder inputs, and validation sessions and integrate feedback into planning deliverables. • Support cross-border dialogue and coordination processes to ensure planning coherence between Kenya and Uganda stakeholders. D. Infrastructure and Service Planning Integration • Provide technical inputs into infrastructure and service development planning aligned with the spatial framework. • Support identification of priority infrastructure investments needed to strengthen economic development and urban functionality (markets, roads, transport, logistics facilities, water/sanitation, public spaces). • Ensure infrastructure planning reflects the needs of informal women and youth traders, including safe, accessible, and inclusive market/trading environments. • Support integration of “smart planning” concepts where relevant (resource management, logistics, and service delivery innovations). E. Investment Planning and Project Prioritization • Support identification and formulation of priority catalytic projects and “bankable” investment opportunities aligned with the spatial framework. • Develop an investment pipeline concept including prioritization criteria and implementation sequencing. • Support preparation of planning outputs that strengthen municipal investment planning and enable engagement with potential private sector actors. • Contribute to proposals that improve local economic development, enhance competitiveness, and expand livelihood opportunities in the GBM. F. Policy Alignment and Institutional Strengthening • Ensure all planning outputs align with national and sub-national planning frameworks and relevant policies in Kenya and Uganda. • Provide technical guidance to local authorities on planning implementation modalities and urban management approaches. • Support strengthening of local government planning capacity through on-the-job technical support and practical planning guidance. • Contribute to simplified guidelines and recommendations for municipal implementation of the spatial framework. G. Reporting, Documentation and Knowledge Products • Prepare high-quality technical reports, planning summaries, and presentation materials as required. • Produce planning maps, planning narratives, and supporting documentation in coordination with GIS/technical staff. H. Desk Studies Review all relevant policies and procedures, legal documentations, and prepare relevant reports I. Special Studies and Survey • Provide support to the design of surveys and special studies • Support the collection of data for surveys and special studies • Review analysis of data and reports

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Urban Planning, Regional Planning, Land Administration, Human Settlements, Geography, Geomatics, Architecture, Urban Design, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in combination with additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience in urban planning, spatial planning, regional development planning, or city-region planning, preferably in Africa, is required. Proven experience working with local governments, informal communities, and cross-sector stakeholders in the preparation of urban development plans, master plans, spatial frameworks, or participatory planning processes is required. Demonstrated experience integrating inclusive planning approaches, including planning interventions targeting informal settlements, informal traders, women and youth livelihoods, is required. Prior experience working with UN agencies, international organizations, or similar multilateral institutions is an advantage.

For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.

Not available.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.