Chief of Strategic Planning and Monitoring Unit

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination, and poverty. The position will head the Strategic Planning and Monitoring Unit which is located within the Corporate Management Division of UN-Habitat in Nairobi. The Strategic Planning and Monitoring Unit is responsible to advise on and coordinate strategic and policy matters related to the Programme's objectives, results-based programmes, budgets and resource mobilization for all sources of funds in achieving sustainable urban development; carries out corporate monitoring as well as monitoring of global agendas. The Unit also leads and coordinates the development of UN- Habitat's strategic plan and results framework and its Work Programme to the four-year Strategic Plan (Strategic Direction, Planning and Management); to identify strategic growth potential of the portfolio, emerging issues on urbanization and strategic challenges and to develop policy positions and solutions on sustainable urban development. Under the direct supervision of the Director, Corporate Management Division, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Ensure multi-year strategic plans and annual work planning processes are well coordinated in line with the recommended timelines and guidelines, coordinating diverse projects in the Unit, and, in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate. Guide and coordinate development of results framework including revisions of indicators, drawing from lessons learnt and best practices. Lead the corporate monitoring and reporting of the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and the Annual Work Programme. Provide inputs to project design, including comments on project documents, support development of theory of change and logical frameworks from planning, monitoring and evaluation perspectives. Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Strategic Planning Unit. Coordinates the work carried out by the Unit and provides programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others. Provides substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentations to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and the UN-Habitat Assembly and its Executive Board. Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies or on programmatic/ substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. Ensures that the outputs produced by the Unit maintain high quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Strategic Prepares inputs for the work programme of Strategic Planning and Monitoring unit determining priorities and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Strategic Planning and Monitoring Unit including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting. Recruits staff for the Unit taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values. Manages, guides, develops and trains staff to have a common understanding of Results Based Management (RBM) concepts and techniques. Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Unit/Section and across organizational boundaries. Supervises and coach staff in the Unit throughout the period with the view to ensuring conformity, client oriented effective and efficient support and guidance to other divisions. Represents the Organization at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on substantive-related issues. Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Performs other related duties as required.

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. PLANNING & 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.

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance and budget, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Not available.

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in budget, finance, strategic planning, policy analysis, or related area is required. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in preparing high-level institutional strategies, strategic reports, for senior leadership, is required. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the implementation of organizational strategic plans and results-based management frameworks is required. Experience in conducting presentations on matters of strategy and planning, providing strategic advice and recommendations to senior management, executive leadership, governing bodies, or intergovernmental forums is required. Experience in overseeing services provided to or in field locations of the United Nations or a comparable international organization is desirable. Experience in supervising professional staff and managing multidisciplinary teams is desirable. Two (2) years or more experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult

https://languages.un.org

for details).

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Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

English

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Appointment against this post is available only up to 10 August 2027 and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. Internal Applicants – when completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Need Help?" link.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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