Urban Planner

The ultimate service of the consultancy is to strengthen the agency’s programmatic approach for advancing greening and resilience in cities. The Urban Planner will provide support to the project team to help enable the delivery of the following outputs as required: • Sahab's Green Public Space Plan Report in English and Arabic Languages. • Sahab's Green Public Space Plan Validation Workshop Report. • Feedback Reports on the Pilot Site-Specific Assessments. • Awareness-Raising Campaign Package

Home Based

6 months

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote social and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all, supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as facilitate the implementation of the World New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat has been operational in Jordan since 2005, cooperating with regional and international organizations, local authorities, civil society organizations, and private sector, to localize SDGs and promote the implementation of UN-Habitat global programmes in the country. In Jordan, UN-Habitat has been working with national and local stakeholders and communities to support sustainable urban development and resilience-building, focusing on its core thematic areas; Climate Change and City Resilience, Urban Data and Planning, SDG Localization, and Community- Led Public Space Development. Through several of these initiatives, Jordan has been selected as a pilot country for innovative approaches and had national and local officials participating in global and regional knowledge exchange. Under the Jordan Country Programme, normative and operational tools are strategically combined to leverage public spaces as catalysts for improving socio-economic conditions, strengthening climate resilience, fostering social cohesion, and enhancing the overall well-being of vulnerable communities. Targeting dense urban areas, industrial and heritage cities, affordable housing projects, poverty pockets, and refugee camps, these community-driven initiatives place particular emphasis on empowering vulnerable groups and adapting to the evolving needs of communities. Public space rehabilitation projects in cities such as Al-Salt, Madaba, Amman, Irbid, Ghor Al-Safi, Zarqa, Sahab, and others serve as vital entry points to advance social cohesion, create economic opportunities, and improve environmental quality, while also building climate resilience for vulnerable populations, including refugees and women. Background to the Rethinking Sahab Project: Sahab City faces a complex set of challenges related to urban growth, climate change, social development, and biodiversity loss. In 2024, UN-Habitat, in collaboration with Sahab Municipality, conducted a Multilayered Vulnerability Assessment (MVA) under the project “Accelerating the Implementation of the Paris Agreement by Building the Climate Resilience of the Urban Poor in Bolivia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Tunisia,” funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and aligned with the global RISE UP programme. Applying a rigorous spatial methodology, the MVA identified localized vulnerability hotspots across Sahab, forming the evidence base for the development of the Sahab Urban Resilience Action Plan (URAP). The URAP outlines actionable and locally tailored climate resilience and adaptation strategies. The MVA revealed that Sahab’s rapid industrialization and population growth have amplified environmental and health risks. Air quality is severely affected by industrial emissions, heavy traffic, and dust from stone-cutting sites, with pollutant levels far exceeding WHO guidelines. These levels pose serious risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases for residents. Compounding these risks is the scarcity of accessible green spaces. Green space per capita is only 0.275 m², compared to 2.5 m² in Amman and the internationally recommended 9 m². This deficit exacerbates the urban heat island effect, heightens flood risks, undermines biodiversity, and increases the pressure on infrastructure. In response, the MVA recommended expanding green spaces, enhancing ecological connectivity, establishing buffer zones around industrial areas, and strengthening air quality management, flood resilience, and public health interventions. Building on these findings, the Sahab Urban Resilience Action Plan identified 51 priority actions, of which 10 were classified as urgent. The highest priority action was the promotion of urban greening to mitigate pollution, reduce heat stress, and enhance overall urban livability. To operationalize these priorities, UN-Habitat Jordan, Sahab Municipality, and the Canton of Basel-Stadt launched the project “Rethinking Sahab: Urban Greening for a Resilient and Sustainable Future.” The project aims to foster a resilient, sustainable, and healthy urban environment in Sahab through integrated urban greening strategies, strengthened institutional capacity, and the development of inclusive public spaces. The project seeks to deliver three main outcomes: • Outcome 1: Strengthened institutional knowledge and governance in Sahab municipality to promote greening of the city. • Outcome 2: Enhanced Community Resilience, Social Cohesion, and Wellbeing of the Sahab Communities through the Provision of Safe, Inclusive, and Green Public Spaces as well as Waste Recycling and Urban Gardening Opportunities. • Outcome 3: Increased Community Awareness on the Importance of Urban Greening in Open Spaces, Waste Recycling as well as Energy and Water Efficiency and Its Transformative Power to Strengthen Resilience, Health, and Safety in the City. The project adopts a phased, participatory approach, starting with citywide public space assessments and culminating in the implementation of pilot public space project(s). These phases include:  Phase 1: Citywide Assessment and Green Public Space Plan: Using the UN-Habitat City-Wide Public Space Assessment toolkit, existing public spaces were mapped and evaluated, identifying gaps and opportunities for urban greening. Accordingly, based on these findings, a Green Public Space Plan will be co-developed with Sahab Municipality and community representatives to comprehensively guide future greening initiatives.  Phase 2: Pilot Public Space(s) Assessment, Design, and Implementation: This phase includes site-specific assessments of selected priority locations to define required interventions, followed by the development of detailed, climate-responsive designs integrating recycled materials, greywater systems, urban agriculture, composting, and nature-based stormwater solutions. The approved designs are then implemented in coordination with the municipality and local stakeholders to ensure sustainability and long-term impact.  Capacity Building, knowledge transfer, and Awareness Campaigns: municipal authorities and communities will gain knowledge and tools for sustainable urban practices through workshops, training, and knowledge exchange missions in Jordan and Basel, and public outreach. The Sahab Citywide Public Space Assessment has been finalized and validated, and the Green Public Space Plan is currently under development. As the project transitions into Phase 2, priority sites identified through the citywide assessment are being advanced to detailed design and implementation. Accordingly, UN-Habitat seeks to recruit an Urban Planner to support the project team in the finalization of the Green Public Space Plan and the implementation of Phase II: Pilot Public Space(s) Assessment, Design, and Implementation. Reporting Line: The consultant will be hired and work under the overall supervision of the UN-Habitat Jordan Head of Country office, and project officers. Duties and responsibilities: The consultancy is located in UN-Habitat Country Office in Jordan. Under the overall guidance of the UN-Habitat Jordan head of Country office, and the Project Manager. The consultancy will involve the following typical main duties leading to the ultimate requested: • Provide technical support through desktop research. • Draft narrative sections and map development, as requested, for the Green Public Space Plan. • Translate the "Sahab's Green Public Space Plan" report to Arabic Language. • Support the finalization of the "Sahab's Green Public Space Plan" report. • Support the technical review of the “Pilot Site-Specific Assessments” and contribute to the preparation of the related feedback report. • Contribute to the development of the awareness-raising campaign under the framework of the project. • Support logistical preparations for workshops and meetings under the project framework, including preparing agendas and invitations, and developing presentations. • Prepare reports and minutes to facilitate the dissemination of project information to the network of stakeholders engaged in project-related meetings and workshops. • Provide additional technical support as required within the scope of the project.

University degree in Architecture, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Sustainable Urban Development, Geography, or any related field is required. • At least 2 years of relevant work experience in the field of urban development and planning, graphic design, reporting (and/or related fields) in the local context with direct proven experience is required. • Ability to write technical reports, concept notes and project documents is required. • Understanding of and experience from dealing with urban data is desirable. • Experience organizing local workshops and community engagement processes is desirable. • Working knowledge and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (and their monitoring/evaluation) and of the New Urban Agenda is desirable. • Working experience with international development organizations is desirable.

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nation Secretariat, for this position fluency in English and Arabic (both oral and written) 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.