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Lead Technical Author – ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation

Home Based - May require travel | Bangkok

  • Organization: UNHABITAT - United Nations Human Settlements Programme
  • Location: Home Based - May require travel | Bangkok
  • Grade: All levels - Multiple grades
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Statistics
    • Urban Development, planning and design
    • Scientist and Researcher
    • Human Settlements (Shelter, Housing, Land, Property)
  • Closing Date: Closed

Terms of Reference

ORGANIZATION:

UN-Habitat

DUTY STATION:

Bangkok, Thailand
or Home-based arrangement

FUNCTIONAL TITLE:

Lead Technical Report Author –
ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation

DURATION:

4 working months over 8 calendar months

CONTRACT MODALITY and LEVEL

UNOPS IICA-2

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

  

Organizational Context:

 

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements and sustainable urbanisation. It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. Leading efforts to advance UN system-wide coherence for sustainable urbanisation, UN-Habitat is playing a key role implementing the Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in September 2015 as well as the New Urban Agenda (NUA) adopted in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016.

Founded in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, was established with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration, aiming to promote collaboration and cooperation among Member States, as well as, to advance the interests of the region as-a-whole. Today, there are currently 10 Member States: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam, forging ahead together towards the achievement of ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

Since 2008, UN-Habitat and the ASEAN Secretariat have engaged in a variety of UN and ASEAN Secretariat engagements. Most notably, UN-Habitat has been developing a new generation of sub-regional programmes which target all or selected ASEAN countries, especially in the area of cities and climate change. Meanwhile, the Bangkok Office of UN-Habitat is increasingly engaged in knowledge programmes with fellow UN agencies, on issues of migration, health, resilience and urban data in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and implementation of the New Urban Agenda.

 

About the Project:

 

 

Half of the 600 million people in the ASEAN region already live in urban areas and by 2025 a further 70 million people in ASEAN will be city dwellers. Seeking to address this “mega-trend” of urbanization, the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Strategy (ASUS) was launched at the 22nd ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting in November 2018, as one of the initiatives under the ‘Sustainable Infrastructure’ strategic area of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025.

The ASUS and its two accompanying toolkits seek to support ASEAN cities in strategic planning towards achieving sustainable urbanisation. The ASUS aims to contribute to raising the standards of living of the citizens of ASEAN countries, enhancing shared prosperity of cities and regions, as well as strengthening climate action and resilience. In this regard, the period between 2020-2021 will be crucial to accelerating the implementation of the ASUS, with a special emphasis on small to medium-sized cities and intermediate cities, which are witnessing most of the growth in the ASEAN region over recent years and which will continue to exhibit significant upward population and economic trends.

As such, the accelerated implementation of ASUS will provide ASEAN cities with the opportunity to prioritize actions to achieve sustainable urbanisation, while implementing practical activities customised to their unique city contexts, designed to raise the standards of living of those within ASEAN which lie at the core of the New Urban Agenda and ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

Towards this end, the ASUS has been disseminated to city networks in ASEAN, with many cities in each of these networks sharing common priorities and concerns. While some technical support is provided through the various city networks in ASEAN, further resources are needed to help cities develop credible action plans and/or financially viable project proposals. As part of this project, an implementation plan integrating several initiatives and intended to accelerate sustainable urbanization during the period of January 2020-June 2021 (Phase 1) could support the achievement of the expected ASUS outcomes by 2025.

In summary, these initiatives and proposed key outputs in Phase 1 includes:

  1. Technical advisory support to 8 selected pilot cities within ASEAN in developing high-quality proposals within the ASUS Framework;
  2. Organisation of an ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum bringing together diverse stakeholders from across ASEAN and supporting the development of improved urban policies; 
  3. Research and development of a report detailing the “State of Urbanisation in ASEAN”.

 

Functional and Reporting Relationships:

 

 

The Consultant will be based at the UN-Habitat Bangkok Office (HBO) located in Bangkok, Thailand, or alternatively work from home, as defined by the COVID-19 host country and UN policy and as guided by the Supervisor. HBO supports coordination and liaison functions amongst UN agencies based in Bangkok, as well as, enhancing partnerships with regional entities such as ASEAN.  It resorts under UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (“ROAP”, Fukuoka, Japan). The head of ROAP, the Regional Representative, oversees the relations with UN entities in Bangkok.

For this project, the Consultant will report to the Senior Human Settlements Officer responsible for the ASEAN Project. On a day to day basis, the Consultant will work with the Project Team Leader of the project.

 

Key Responsibilities:

 

The Consultant is responsible for development of the Report on the State of Urbanisation in ASEAN (the “Report”). The tasks include:

Report Technical Development

  • Review ASUS Framework, Agenda 2030 and the New Urban Agenda documents to ensure that Report approach is in accordance with the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025;
  • Conduct literature review, including on previous State of Urbanisation, State of Cities, World Cities Reports ensuring alignment and linkages with the Report;
  • Conduct literature review of country-level ‘state of the cities’ reports, especially those published by ASEAN member states or national including relevant sectoral organisations in ASEAN member states; Review urban dimensions of national reports and development plans on key sectors.
  • Define the Report outline and structure and objectives in agreement with the Capacity and Data development Analyst and Project Team Leader;
  • Define data requirement in alignment with the Capacity and Data development Analyst;
  • Assess the status of sustainable urbanisation in ASEAN with a focus on ASUS 6 areas and its 18 sub-areas;
  • Conduct comparative analysis of urbanisation in ASEAN and other regions, particularly on the 7 ASUS priority sub-areas in collaboration with the Capacity and Data development Analyst;
  • Based on the key areas of focus, review recent and relevant normative guidance of the UN including UN-Habitat, to ensure normative alignment of the analysis framework and key messages;
  • Review major urbanisation trends in the region and emerging issues, including from an ASEAN perspective the recent global COVID-19 guidance and recommendations (by the UN and others) for urban recovery and development directions;
  • Conduct analysis across the cities of the Project of overarching challenges and opportunities of urban development;
  • Conduct analysis of contributions of ASUS and other city initiatives to the progress towards sustainable urbanisation in ASEAN, focusing mainly on the ASUS projects/city action plans.
  • Supporting the mainstreaming of gender, environmental and social issues into the project activities and carrying out social and gender analyses across all project deliverables, seeking inputs from experts of partner organizations where necessary.

Meetings and Consultations Coordination

  • Coordinate the set-up and leading the operations of a Technical Working Group co-chaired by ASEAN Connectivity Division and UN-Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific for the purposes of preparing and agreeing upon an overarching structure for the Report on the State of Urbanisation in ASEAN;
  • Coordinate participatory and consultative processes with UN-Habitat Country Offices, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and Headquarter relevant branches to ensure alignment with UN-Habitat methodologies and relevant initiatives;
  • Coordinate participatory and consultative processes with relevant UN agencies, international organizations and multilateral banks to ensure alignment with past or ongoing relevant initiatives;
  • Liaise with national government, local authorities and key stakeholder and organise consultation for relevant data collection and validation, collections of best practices;
  • Facilitate organisation of multi-stakeholder consultation, including one Expert Group Meeting, to collect feedback on the draft report;
  • Coordinate the progressive review of the Report contents and structure with relevant focal points.

  Work Planning, Monitoring and Reporting

  • Develop a work plan, milestones, consultation process and consultation arrangements and agreements, and ensure regular updating and reporting thereof
  • Regular monitoring of all project activities to ensure a high quality of outputs being delivered within the agreed upon time frame;
  • Ensure that data and process records and documents are well organized and saved in appropriate online folders, for knowledge management purposes as well to support future audits and evaluation;
  • Ensure that project activities are planned and undertaken in accordance to UN rules and regulations, ethics and gender parity policies;
  • Deliver presentations and briefs on relevant project components to UN-Habitat, ASEAN and other stakeholders upon request of the Supervisor;
  • Assure Report’s adherence to the publication policy principles of UN-Habitat; Submit Report’s Inception Report and full annotated outline for review by the UN-Habitat Publication Board.

 All the information gathered, communication, resources and materials along with documents developed will become assets of UN-Habitat, with respect for copyright as applicable. The General Conditions of the Contract will provide further guidance.  

 

Qualifications:

 

Education

An Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in literature, social science, urban planning, architecture, development studies, geography, international development or other urban related discipline (urban planning, urban sociology, politics, economics), or Bachelor's degree with additional two years relevant and progressive experience in the fields may be accepted in lieu of the post-graduate or Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent). 

Experience

A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience as a writer/researcher on the themes of urban planning, mobility, sustainable development, preferably in the region. Work experiences with international organisations, and general knowledge of UN rules and regulations or comparable organisations are desirable. 

Language

For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language and/or South East Asian will be considered an advantage. 

Other

Experience in substantive human settlements development issues related to urban development especially working in the context of ASEAN Member States will be an added advantage. 

 

Contract period, level of engagement and duty station

 

The engagement will be for 8 months starting 1 March 2021 and ending 31 October 2021 on part-time basis. The first contract will be processed until 31 March 2021 and extended upon successful performance assessment.

The position is home-based and might require travel to Bangkok, Thailand and to other ASEAN Member States.
Candidates based in ASEAN Member States are encouraged to apply.

  

Remuneration

 

In compliance with UNOPS and UN-Habitat policy.

 

Payment Schedule:

 

The deliverables/reports are to be prepared as per the instalments below. The payment shall be made on satisfactory completion of work and approval of submissions by the Senior Human Settlements Officer and the Project Team Leader – ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation.

Instalments

Deliverables

Payment Amount

1

Inception report: literature review, validated workplan and validated outline

25%

2

validated/endorsed full annotated outline, draft urbanisation trends and highlights (by country and overall), updated work plan

25%

3

Draft 2 report: EGM reviews, draft chapters, content for info-graphics, updated work plan

25%

4

Final report: chapters, key messages, executive summary, forewords, references, review of info-graphics. 

25%

 

 

100%

                                       

 Applications should include: 

  • Cover memo (maximum 1 page)

  • CV in the PHP format, accessible through the INSPIRA website (inspira.un.org) 

* Please note, if using INSPIRA for the first time, you need to register in order to activate your account, which will allow you to log in and create a personal History Profile. The PHP should be attached to the application as a PDF file.
  • Summary CV (maximum 2 pages), indicating the following information:

  1. Educational Background (incl. dates)
  2. Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months)
  3. Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)
  4. Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments

All applications should be submitted to: 

UN-Habitat Bangkok Office  

habitatbkk@un.org 

Please indicate the Post Title: “Lead Technical Report Author – ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation” in your e-mail subject.

Please note that applications received after the closing date stated below, will not be given consideration. Only short-listed candidates whose applications respond to the above criteria will be contacted for an interview. The fee will be determined according to the qualifications, skills and relevant experience of the selected candidate. In line with UN-Habitat policy on gender equity, applications from female candidates will be particularly welcome. 

Deadline for applications: 28 February 2021

UN-Habitat does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org

 

 

 

This vacancy is now closed.
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