Urban Agent

The Urban Agent reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/She shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under this Terms of Reference. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the UN-Habitat’s operational and technical teams.

Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Six (6) months

Background The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected 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. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis in developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. Since September 2023, UN-Habitat has been implementing a project with the State Government of Rio de Janeiro (Governo do Estado do Rio de Janeiro – GERJ) through the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainability (Secretaria do Ambiente e Sustentabilidade) that aims to strengthen urban resilience in the State of Rio de Janeiro based on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda principles. The “Inclusive and Sustainable Rio: A Territorial Approach to Localise the Sustainable Development Goals in the State of Rio de Janeiro and Leave No One and No Territory Behind” project helps the State to achieve urban prosperity while implementing global sustainable urban development agendas. In particular, the proposal focuses on: expanding the engagement of the State’s Direct and Indirect Administration in accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), complementing the Fluminense Government’s global call to action - Rio2030, and the establishment of a culture of sustainability in the State of Rio de Janeiro that contributes to increasing its urban resilience through the development of disaster prevention and mitigation actions and the engagement of local youth. To properly implement the products of Gamefication and Architectural designs for public spaces with a focus on resilience, Urban Agents are required. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Urban Agent reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Urban Agent will support the implementation of the project, and its activities, with the following responsibilities: a) Provide basic support to youth participants in creative activities related to environment, climate change, and urban resilience. b) Assist participants in recognizing local challenges and opportunities related to public space and their communities. c) Support the organization of simple participatory activities, such as community discussions and mapping exercises. d) Assist in following up on activities and tasks, helping maintain participant engagement. e) Provide basic support to youth groups during idea development processes, including note-taking and organization of materials. f) Support participatory mapping activities and identification of local socio-environmental issues. g) Encourage collaboration among participants and support inclusive participation. h) Assist in organizing and compiling inputs generated during workshops and group activities. i) Observe and report on participation and engagement during activities. j) Support awareness-raising activities on environmental sustainability at the community level. k) Assist in recording basic information from activities for reporting purposes. l) Support project activities under the guidance of the project team or supervisor. m) Perform other duties which may be requested by the supervisor. n) Participate in missions as requested. The consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Urban Agent will support the implementation of Gamefication strategies with youth and Architectural designs for public spaces with a focus on resilience. The consultant shall be paid a monthly allowance, upon presentation and approval by the Head of Brazil Office of monthly activities’ report.

Education Required: • High school diploma or additional two (2) years or relevant technical experience to the post, beyond the requirement. Work experience: • Minimum one (1) year of experience in supporting workshops and educational activities related to design of public spaces in Brazil is desirable. • Demonstrated interest or initial involvement in community, educational or social initiatives related to urban issues, environment or local development is desirable. • Occasional support to group activities such as workshops, community meetings or educational actions is desirable. • Basic experience engaging with youth groups, schools or community organizations is desirable. • Support to community outreach efforts, local engagement activities or field-based actions is desirable. • Interest or initial exposure to topics such as public space, environment, sustainability or urban development is desirable. • Previous experience within the UN System is desirable. Skills: • Good computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Outlook, and collaborative tools, are desirable. • The ability to organize and systematize large volumes of information is desirable. Competencies • Professionalism: Experience working in an inter-institutional environment, project management, monitoring-evaluation; approaches and strategies regarding good urban governance and local and regional development. • Planning and organization: Professional approach to work, strong sense of responsibility, operate with minimal supervision; proven organizational skills and ability to manage a workload efficiently and within set deadlines. • Communication: Ability to write clearly and effectively; listen to others, interpret messages correctly and respond appropriately; show openness in information sharing and keep everyone informed; solid abstract reasoning skills together with a proven capacity to write documents for diverse audiences. • Teamwork: Ability to work with teams, demonstrate leadership, conflict management and consensus facilitation skills; ability to work in a multicultural and multi-ethnic environment, and to respect diversity; sensitivity to the main streaming of vulnerability; willingness and ability to work in difficult environments. Knowledge Management • The person must know the processes, procedures, and norms of UN-Habitat, to guarantee an adequate quality of the activities described above, following the standards of the organization. • The person will propose formats and procedures that allow the efficient implementation of the activities related to the project development. • The person must know the file of the Office, work with it, and ensure its proper maintenance, accessibility for all staff, and due updating. • The person will prepare databases related to the project running. • The person will make sure that all relevant technical information will be adequately shared with the correspondent staff. • The person will ensure that all produced material will be fit-for-purpose and delivered, in an organized way, for posterior consultation and use of the Agency. • The person will only share the information produced with the team agency, assuring the privacy of the content.

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Spanish is the working language of the Regional Office. • For the post advertised, fluency in Portuguese is required.

Travel details: The consultant must be available to travel to the places related to the activities in the country, if requested by the Head of Brazil Office. Missions will be coordinated and financed by UN-Habitat, according to the United Nations travel rules and guidelines. Remuneration SB-1/2 UNDP Brazil Salary Scale Notes Appointment against this post is on local basis and only nationals from Brazil or external candidates who hold a permanent visa in Brazil may apply.  The extension of this contract is subject to availability of funds and/or performance. Any contract extension is not automatic.   It is required for all the curricular information to be inserted in the system, which may take a few hours. Only complete applications in English will be considered.    All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of applications cannot be acknowledged individually. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.  Applications should be submitted through INSPIRA and must include all documents required at the system, please be ready to include the following information at the “Candidate Profile” (CP) at Inspira:    • Cover memo (maximum 1 page)  • Educational Background (incl. dates)  • Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months)  • Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments  • Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)*   * Please note that Internships, self-employment and part-time count as 50%. In addition to it, note experience not relevant to the position will not be considered.    All applications should be submitted to: Inspira    UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning people or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org.

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.