Urban resilience and partnerships Consultant

Result of Service

The overall objective of this project is to build more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities, by strengthening the capacity of key public, private and civil society stakeholders to measure, make decisions, plan and develop actions for building resilience to ensure that public and private investments are risk-informed and that early interventions in crisis-prone cities are linked to longer-term development goals in line with the actions of the New Urban Agenda. This joint initiative aims at improving local government and stakeholder understanding of, and capacity for, developing and implementing resilience action plans.

Work Location

Homebase

Expected duration

14 JAN-13 JUN 2026

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the agency for human settlements mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer and healthier places with better opportunities. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society and the private sector. As the main UN Agency responsible for ensuring the sustainable development of cities, towns, and other human settlements, UN-Habitat is strategically placed to coordinate the humanitarian and development efforts of multiple actors and policy makers at all levels in the common pursuit of urban resilience. UN-Habitat's approach to strengthening urban resilience as a key determinant for ensuring the effectiveness of response interventions during times of crises, and subsequent sustainable development, is embodied in its City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP). The CRGP goes beyond conventional approaches to 'risk reduction', delivering a forward- looking, multi- sectoral, multi-hazard, multi-stakeholder model for building resilience that recognizes the complexities and unique value of cities, and the inherent interdependencies of each part of an urban system. Fast growing cities and urban areas of the world are engines of growth and wealth accumulation. This growth can have positive social, cultural and educational impacts. On the other hand, evidence demonstrates that fast economic growth, combined with rapid sprawling population expansion in urban areas, also increases disaster vulnerability and exposure. The level of urbanization is far higher in the developed world; however, the annual 'urbanization rate ' is much faster in the developing world. The primary urban agglomerations with the highest concentrations of people and economic activity mostly overlap with the areas of extreme or high risk related to disasters such as coastal areas, along rivers and in flood plains. UN-Habitat will focus on supporting local capacities from crisis-prone cities, and humanitarian partners, in measuring their resilience status and have an action plan in order to build resilience. The action builds on the achievements of the Hyogo Framework for Action – Building the Resilience of Nations and paves the way toward the implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction at the local level and the New Urban Agenda adopted at Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador October 2016. The Action will also contribute to the European Commission's Action Plan for Resilience in Crisis Prone Countries and The EU Approach to Resilience: Learning from Food Security Crises. The project will work with local government institutions, to plan, coordinate, implement and support the various outlined activities. The primary and most direct beneficiaries will be local stakeholders, city authorities and civil society. Women, children and other at-risk groups, often disproportionately affected by crises situations, will be engaged and receive additional attention. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direct supervision of Esteban Leon, the Head of the City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP), the consultant will provide substantive and strategic support to the Programme and will undertake the following task: Task 1: Supports selected cities in the application of urban resilience approaches and tools across different phases of the resilience cycle. - Contributes with technical inputs to resilience-related diagnostics, concept notes or action plans, as required by the programme. Task 2: Supports coordination, follow-up and technical exchanges with selected cities. - Supports integration of housing, stakeholders' participation, climate, multi-hazard and social resilience considerations into ongoing city-level discussions and initiatives. Task 3: Supports the preparation and delivery of workshops, events, trainings or peer-learning activities for cities and partners. - Contributes to the preparation of practical notes or learning materials based on programme activities. Task 4: Supports in engagement with cities, networks and partners relevant to CRGP activities. - Contributes to programme reporting and documentation of activities, including inputs for donor or internal reporting.

Qualifications/special skills

A 1st level university degree in Social Studies, International Studies, Urban or Regional Planning, Architecture, Development Studies, or similar fields is required. An advanced university degree is desirable. A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience is required. Ability to work with minimal supervision and with good sense of initiative to keep the supervisor regularly informed of progress is required. Ability to work effectively under pressure is required. Good communications, reporting and representation skills is required. Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office, spreadsheets and other software packages is desirable. Good teamwork and drive for results is desirable

Languages

• Fluency in spoken and written English and Spanish is required. - Knowledge of other languages (French or Italian) would be an asset.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.