Position Information

Job Title: Urban and Housing Policy Coordinator
Reports to: Urban Analysis and Policy Unit Manager
Section/Unit: UN-Habitat
Duration of Employment: 6 months (with possibility of extension)

Scope/Objective

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations agency for human settlements. 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.

UN-Habitat has been operational in Lebanon since late 2006 following the July War. Since then, its focus areas have included the following: emergency shelter and housing; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH); capacity-building for local authorities and other public institutions; and urban analysis and policy work at national and sub-national levels, urban planning and development, as well as urban crisis response and recovery. UN-Habitat works closely with United Nations agencies, local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as national and local authorities to implement its programmes at national, governorate and municipal levels. The Lebanon Habitat Country Programme Document (HCPD) 2021–2023 is guided by the following three focus areas: 1) Inclusive and sustainable urban development; 2) Participatory urban planning, management and governance; and 3) Disaster risk mitigation and effective urban crisis response.

Guided by the HCPD 2021–2023, the Urban Analysis and Policy Unit (UAPU) is the data collection and analysis (both descriptive – including spatial – and normative) arm of the UN-Habitat Lebanon Country Programme and is in charge of producing outputs related to this realm of work within the programme. Specifically, the unit is responsible for generating cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence on urban issues (spanning demographic, social, economic and built environment, as well as cross-cutting issues, such as climate change, human rights, migration, gender, etc.) often within an area-based framework and including a spatial dimension. Further, the unit identifies, analyses and fosters uptake of the research and policy implications of this evidence for sustainable urban planning and development. In recent years, the UAPU has focused on the national urban policy programme; on the production of city and neighbourhood profiles; on research related to housing, land and property (HLP) issues particularly linked to Syrian refugees.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Urban Analysis and Policy Unit Manager, the Urban and Housing Policy Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of projects related to urban policy, housing policy, HLP rights and other analysis projects. He/she also represent UN-Habitat in coordinator structures including the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP)’s Inter-Agency Coordination; the Lebanon Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).

Functions / Key Results Expected

The Urban and Housing Policy Coordinator will work under the supervision of the Urban Analysis and Policy Unit Manager and under the overall direction of the Head of Country Programme. As part of the Urban Analysis and Policy Unit, and working closely with other colleagues in other Units at UN-Habitat, the Urban and Housing Policy Coordinator will be responsible for carrying out the following functions and tasks:

Coordination of Projects

  • Undertake the coordination of assigned projects (normative and operational projects) under the scope of the Urban Analysis and Policy Unit including projects related to national urban policies, housing policies and strategies, and HLP-related projects;
  • Ensure timely delivery of tasks and activities related to the projects;
  • Work collaboratively with the projects’ teams within the Unit and across the Programme;
  • Coordinate with public entities, external partners, implementing partners, consultants, graphic designers and others as necessary, to ensure the adequate delivery of projects’ activities;
  • Prepare projects-related documentation including workplans, logical frameworks, donor reports, concept notes, guidance notes, terms of reference, agreements of cooperation, memorandums of understanding, and others;
  • Take part in the recruitment and contracting of implementing partners and other support personnel as needed;
  • Organize events related to the projects activities including but not limited to workshops, trainings and stakeholders’ consultations, in coordination with the other units in the Programme as needed;
  • Coordinate with the communications team to ensure proper visibility of the projects including the preparation and review of communications material;
  • Ensure the proper filing, documentation and archiving of the assigned projects.

Urban Analysis and Mapping

  • Contribute to research design and methodologies’ development, including the drafting and review of assessment tools, for research projects and activities that aim to generate urban data and evidence-based knowledge material on urban issues in Lebanon (including but not limited to housing, transport, and informal settlements);
  • Contribute to the collection of quantitative and qualitative data using various tools including surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews;
  • Work closely with the Information Management Coordinator to digitize the assessment tools and test the tools to ensure proper functioning;
  • Prepare data analysis plans and work closely with the Information Management Coordinator to extract results according to indicators as outlined in the data analysis plans;
  • Work closely with the GIS Coordinator and the Visual Content Creator to produce maps and infographics to illustrate the collected data results.

Policy Analysis and Production of Reports

  • Review policies, case studies and strategies related to urban issues (including but not limited to housing and transport) and provide summaries and recommendations to inform programmatic planning for related projects and activities;
  • Conduct literature reviews based on existing resources and propose methodologies for creating new primary sources, to increase the urban knowledge related to key urban issues and policies in Lebanon;
  • Contribute to the conceptualization, write-up, revisions, editing and finalization of reports, strategic documents and other normative products on urban issues in Lebanon.

Representation in Coordination Structures

  • Participate in relevant coordination structures including but not limited to: the Inter-Agency Coordination Shelter Sector; the 3RF Housing Working Group; the Peace and Governance Pillar of the UNSDCF;
  • Attend the sector/ working group/ pillar meetings on a regular basis and report to the UN-Habitat management on key issues and proceedings;
  • Take part in the strategic discussions and reviews of key strategic and operational documents in coordination with the Programme;
  • Ensuring the reporting in a timely manner to the frameworks in coordination with relevant colleagues in the Programme.

Programme Support

  • Provide support to projects under other units as relevant to the described scope of work above, including support in analysis activities and production of reports;
  • Contribute to drafting and reviews of strategic documents to ensure streamlining of the Unit’s thematic tracks as appropriate;
  • Support the Unit Manager in the drafting of concept notes and proposals, and suggest new themes to explore and partnerships to establish within the Unit’s scope of work;
  • Participate in and represent UN-Habitat in external events and meetings – and contribute to visibility and advocacy efforts – related to urban and policy issues, as delegated by the Unit Manager.

Competencies

  • Excellent analytical and organizational skills
  • Excellent writing skills and verbal communication skills
  • Professionalism, coordination and commitment to timely delivery under strict deadlines
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
  • Ability to review and analyze large data sets
  • Openness to learning and being involved in various projects at once

Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in architecture, urban planning or social sciences; Emphasis on urban and housing policies highly desirable.

Experience:

  • Minimum of four (4) years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree or two (2) years with a master’s degree.
  • Proved skills in urban analysis and urban/ housing policies in the national context is required.
  • Working proficiency in data management tools such as Microsoft Excel or other statistical analysis tools is required.
  • Knowledge of GIS is an asset.
  • Proved knowledge and previous experience in the humanitarian context in Lebanon is highly preferred.
  • Knowledge of the legal framework related to urban planning and housing in Lebanon is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Excellent command of Arabic and English languages (spoken and written required). French language is an asset.

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