Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. This position is located in the Urban Basic Services Section of the Urban Practices Branch (UPB) within the Global Solutions Division in Nairobi.

The Global Solutions Division (GSD) is responsible for providing programmatic direction for UN-Habitat and is responsible and accountable for the programmatic delivery of the Strategic Plan. The Division leads the tools and methodology production and the integration of the various substantive competencies towards effective delivery of the Strategic Plan and the mandate of UN-Habitat. It provides substantive training to staff members and supports capacity development of Member States and partners.

The Urban Practices Branch (UPB) is the tools and methodology production and skills centre of the UN-Habitat, that develops normative guidance and cutting-edge tools through communities of urban practice. It provides technical and policy advice approaches and methodologies to MCOs/CO, government and partners and mainstreams them throughout the programme portfolio. It also ensures that the cross-cutting area of safety and the social inclusion issues of human rights; gender; children, youth and older persons; and disability are developed and mainstreamed across the Agency.

The Urban Basic Services Section aims to develop and implement pro-poor policies, norms, guidelines, standards, regulatory frameworks and operating procedures, for expanding access to urban basic services and improve the standard of living of the urban poor, with a focus on Water and Sanitation; Mobility and Transport; Energy; Waste Management; and the application of people-focused frontier technologies for service delivery.

The focus of the position is on overall coordination and management of water and sanitation projects in Nepal. Under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Urban Basic Services Section the position reports to the Programme Management Officer: Human Settlements Urban Basic Services, Water and Sanitation in the Urban Basic Services Section.

Within delegated authority, the Associate Development Coordination Officer, will be responsible of the following duties:

Responsibilities

1.Provides support for strategic planning for and coordination of UNCT partnerships

• Provides support, as assigned, for the development and implementation of the UN-Habitat strategy in Nepal in alignment with and support of the UNDAF in the country;
• Monitors and assesses the strategy at regular intervals to harness new emerging opportunities, to identify probable changes to the internal direction and external environment, and to propose mid-term adjustments;
• Provides support to the Chief of Section in identifying risks and opportunities related to specific partnerships, and suggests mitigation measures as relevant;
• Prepares inputs on due diligence processes of potential investment and partnership opportunities, under close guidance and in accordance with UN regulations and procedures;
• Provides support to Chief of Section to develop and implement locally-tailored partnerships and resource mobilization strategies and initiatives;
• Contributes to dialogues with partners to improve development assistance policies and practice;
• Assists in liaison and coordination with UN entities at country, regional and HQ levels, to help package and define UN-Habitat business strategies, including differentiated value propositions to attract partners, both traditional and non-traditional.

2.Participates in joint resource mobilization for the UNDAF

• Provides support to the Chief of Section to develop and implement locally-tailored resource mobilization strategies and initiatives, and identify appropriate data and benchmarks to measure progress and success;
• Monitors and analyzes existing resource mobilization partnerships and relationships, including those with high net worth;
• Contributes to the design, formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of joint programmes and programming processes for use in joint resource mobilization;
• Assists in the production and distribution of marketing materials to raise awareness about opportunities for working with the UN-Habitat on SDG 11 investment;
• Contributes to building the UN-Habitat brand via events, media and public relations opportunities targeted to the diverse partners, in close collaboration with the UN-Habitat’s Communications Section.

3.Provides support on financing for accelerating the achievement of SDG 11s, as directed

• Provides support on financing for development options, instruments, modalities to the Chief of Section, in alignment with the Common Country Assessment (CCA), UNDAF, UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), MAPS (Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support) and similar processes;
• Analyzes trends and provides support on new and innovative financing mechanisms for development and SDG 11 acceleration;
• Provides inputs for briefing papers and discussion points on issues related to financing for development for consideration by the Section;
• Assists in engaging with external stakeholder - including the national government, international financial institutions and others - on financing for SDG 11 acceleration;
• Contributes to the design and execution of innovative proposals to strengthen UN-Habitat’s engagement and reputation, and to generate greater financial resources in support of the SDG 11.

4.Supports knowledge management capacity development and information dissemination

• Assists in the development, maintenance and sharing of knowledge and intelligence, to inform and position UN-Habitat to effectively generate and harness opportunities to meet its resource mobilization targets;
• Contributes to knowledge networks and communities of practice at national, regional and global levels;
• Undertakes activities to strengthen the capacity of UN-Habitat to mainstream and promote SDG 11 investment partnerships;
• Provides support for the discovery, evaluation and selection of partnership opportunities at the sourcing and origination stages.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to identify and develop sources for data collection. Ability to undertake research, analyse data, make recommendations and write draft reports on sustainable development issues. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

PLANNING AND 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.

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.

TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in sustainable development, Civil/Water/Sanitary/Public Health Engineering, Urban Infrastructure Planning, Environmental studies, education or a related area in the water and sanitation sector is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of 2 years experience in providing strategic support to partnerships, project/programme management, resource mobilization or development finance in the context of development cooperation or a related area is required.
Work experience in the water and sanitation sector with an understanding of the specific needs and conditions for the delivery of water and sanitation services to low-income areas and slums or a related area is desirable.

Languages

For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of other local language(s) spoken within Nepal is/are desirable, especially when liaising with Government officials or the local community. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

NOTE: "fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment against this post is on a local basis. This is a project funded post. The initial appointment is for a period of …. Extension of appointment is subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO NATIONALS OF NEPAL ONLY. National Professional Officer category shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located and will be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the office. If no suitable local candidate is identified, Kenyan nationals residing elsewhere may be considered, in which case the candidate would be responsible for any costs related to traveling and relocating to Kenyan in the event of an employment offer.

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.

Note to current staff members at the General Service level: Should a General Service staff member who is currently holding a fixed-term appointment be selected for this post, he/she would need to resign from his/her General Service appointment before receiving a new appointment at the National Officer level. Locally recruited General Service staff members applying for this post must meet the minimum requirements, including academic qualifications and years of relevant experience. Relevant experience in the General Service category at G-6 and G-7 levels may count towards experience requirements.

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.

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.

"Internal Applicants: When completing the form, 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. "

1. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided.

2. If you do not receive an e-mail 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.

United Nations Considerations

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

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.