Project Title: Sustainable Urban Integration of Displaced Populations in Northern Nigeria (SIDPIN)
Job Title: Programme Associate
Level: Local individual contract agreement (LICA)
Duration: 12 Months, with the possibility of extension
Starting Date: Upon contract signature
Department/Office: UN-Habitat Programme Support Office (HAPSO), Nigeria
Duty Station: Kano, Kano State (One position)
Background
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the agency for human settlements mandated by the General Assembly and working towards a better urban future with a mission of promoting socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. In line with its mandate, UN-Habitat works to strengthen mechanisms in the country that integrate commitments and actions concerning the provision of adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development into policies, programmes and operations.
Internal displacement in Nigeria is a multi-faceted, complex and protracted crisis that has lasted for over a decade in the North-East and most recently in the North-West with the effects trickling down to the North-Central with increasing complexities and urbanization pressure. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) According to the IOM’s DTM Round 46 report, a total of 2,305,335 people (472,239 households) are recorded as internally displaced across North-East Nigeria, while IOM’s DTM North Central and North-West Displacement Report Round 13 of March 2024, indicates that a total of 1,092,196 individuals are displaced across Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Plateau, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.
In the North-East, up to 40% (929,453 individuals) of IDPs reside in camps and camp-like settings, while 60% (1,375,882 individuals) reside in host communities. The ongoing insurgency in North-East Nigeria is widely reported as the main driver of displacement, followed by communal clashes, natural disasters (mainly flooding and drought), and farmers-herders conflicts. These clashes involve confrontations between ethnic and religious groups, often triggered by land and border issues, shrinking access to natural resources, and increasing tensions between herder communities and sedentary farmers aside from other drivers.
While the contexts and drivers of population movement - including displacement and urbanisation – differ between the North-East, North-West to the North-Central the challenges faced remain similar. These include lacking resilience and coping capacities, issues with dire poverty and vulnerability status of IDPs, perception of host communities towards IDPs, and gaps in the fulfilment and protection of human rights. Additionally, the coexistence of host communities and IDPs remains contentious, particularly concerning their rights to access land, livelihoods, and basic and social services. In the North-West, displacement is characterised by inter-regional and inter-communal conflict, compounded by the impacts of climate change, limited access to basic services and natural resources, and long-standing tensions between ethnic and religious groups which often result in attacks and banditry.
This position is opened within the framework of the Joint Programme called “Sustainable Urban Integration of Displaced Populations in Northern Nigeria (SIDPIN)”, with IOM and UNHCR with funding from the European Commission in Kano, Adamawa and Yobe States in the Northern part of Nigeria, to catalyse but also complement ongoing response to the complex crisis, migration and urbanization in the country. The project aims to enable durable solutions through local integration in urban and urbanizing areas by adopting a multi-scale, integrated and area-based territorial approach for displaced communities, with a specific focus on women and children, and fostering conditions for sustainability, replication and scaling-up.
To coordinate the work at the different states, a Senior Technical Advisor (STA) will be posted in the corresponding capital cities. The STA will count on the support of the Programme Associate subject of this Terms of Reference.
Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationships: This position is located within the Regional Office for Africa of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and is coordinated by the West Africa Sub-Regional Hub in Dakar, Senegal. This position includes one post in Kano, Kano State. The position reports directly to the Senior Technical Advisor based in Kano, and International Technical Advisor based in Abuja, and with overall coordination from West Africa Hub in Dakar/Senegal and updating of HAPSO-Abuja.
Task and Responsibilities
The Programme Associate will be responsible for the following:
- Support the UN-Habitat Office to develop, implement and evaluate assigned programmes/projects, in particular the Sustainable Urban Integration of Displaced Populations in Northern Nigeria (SIDPIN); monitor and analyze programme/project development and implementation; review relevant documents and report; identify problems and issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaise with relevant parties; ensure follow-up actions.
- Support the field level dissemination of the EU projects objectives and the Spatial Development Strategy for the Sahel (SDSS) among the government and relevant stakeholders through coordination technical assistance and capacity enhancement supports.
- Support the UN-Habitat Office to provide technical support and guidance to the national stakeholders and the Focal Points to implement the activities of field survey initiatives; designs data collection tools; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identify problems/issues and prepares conclusions.
- Support the UN-Habitat Office to provide support in the preparation of all the relevant documentation for the workshops and meetings which will lead to the formal endorsement and dissemination of the SDSS Phases in partnership with the focal persons and the National Technical Committee.
- Backstop the HAPSO (UN-Habitat Programme Support Office in Nigeria) team in relevant project development and resource mobilization by meeting with Government officials, to understand the pressing needs and the key requests from the Government of Nigeria, and meeting with key multi/bilateral partners (including key UN Agencies) and present UN-Habitat work and expertise; try to identify their priorities and understand how UN-Habitat could add value.
- Support the UN-Habitat Office to initiate and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
- Support the UN-Habitat Office to participate in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
- Support the UN-Habitat Office to coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepare related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, budget, etc.).
- Performs other duties as required.
Qualifications/Experience/Skills
University B.Sc. degree in fields related to territorial and urban planning, geography, urban design, or related studies. Professional certifications/ licenses from recognised bodies, e.g. NITP, TOPREC, NREP, etc.
Experience
- At least six months of demonstrated experience in the development, management, and implementation of WASH and urban planning and development projects, engaging with multidisciplinary work teams.
- Experience in reviewing substantive and technical content in documents relevant to project development.
- Relevant knowledge of the 2030 Agenda, the New Urban Agenda and UN-Habitat mandate areas.
Languages
- Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.
Skills
- Technical capacity for the drafting and review of reports and specialised documents in urban and territorial planning.
Competencies
Leadership: It is able to effectively coordinate and organize multidisciplinary work teams, fostering an adequate working environment; guides others to motivate and induce them to reach the expected goals and objectives; gives an example of ethics and commitment through their fulfilment; contributes to ideas, decisions and activities; takes the initiative, expresses creative ideas and allows everyone to express themselves by taking into account their views; it provides facilities for its collaborators to know what needs to be done and how to do it and provides effective feedback to help learn new procedures.
Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets their messages, and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; adapts language, tone, style and format to audiences; demonstrates openness in the exchange of information and in keeping people informed.
Teamwork: Works in collaboration with colleagues to achieve the organization's goals; request contributions and value the ideas and experience of others; is willing to learn from others; puts your team's interests before personal interests; supports and acts in accordance with the group's final decision, even if such decisions do not fully reflect their position; shares credit for the team's achievements and accepts joint responsibility for team deficiencies.
Professionalism: Knowledge of internal policies, processes and procedures in general and in particular those related to the administration, implementation and evaluation of programmes/projects; the ability to conduct independent research and analysis, formulate options and present conclusions and recommendations; takes possession of all responsibilities and honours commitments, supports its task team, supervises and assumes responsibility for delegated tasks; works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve the organization's goals; has the capacity to apply good judgment in the context of assigned tasks; shows pride in work and achievement; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of the subject; is aware and efficient in meeting commitments, respecting deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional and non-personal concerns; shows persistence in the face of difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; capacity for mediation and negotiation.
Application instructions:
Applications should be submitted through e-mail and must include the following documents:
- Cover memo (maximum 1 page)
- Curriculum Vitae (format P11: could be elaborated through https://inspira.un.org/ or via the downloadable template at:
https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=110298
All applications should be submitted to: hapso.nigeria@undp.org with copy to Elizabeth Owolabi (elizabeth.owolabi@un.org) and Evandro Holz (evandro.holz@un.org)
UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.