Community Mobilization Expert

Result of ServicePINUA project seeks to achieve the following outcomes: • Improved enabling environment for Housing Co-production from the Public Sector • More resilient Communities and proactive eco co-producers. Work LocationNairobi, Kenya Expected duration12 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations agency for human settlements that is mandated by UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. Kenya's national annual demand for urban housing is 250,000 units, yet the formal sector only provides 50,000 units resulting in an annual housing deficit of 200,000 units, and in the absence of new major streams of housing supply, it is estimated to increase to 8 million in less than a decade. The increased demand for dwelling places is due to rapid urbanization at 4.3% p.a., is mainly driven by rural-urban migration, deepening the housing crisis in urban areas. The Government of Kenya estimates that the investment requirements to meet housing demand over 20 years is up to USD 90 billion. Outside of the formal sector supply of urban housing, the informal sector and individual homeowners generate the bulk of housing units, many funded through cooperatives which are immensely successful in Kenya, owning vast parcels of land and a huge asset base pooled from over 14 million members' contributions. Currently, there are 1,980 housing cooperatives with an asset base of KES 21 billion. The Kenya Vision 2030 blue-print projects that cooperative movements have the capacity to contribute upto 25% of the housing stock in urban areas within the country. This well-established cooperative landscape is not fully utilized to facilitate public private partnerships and finance solutions for affordable homeowner-led housing and for the improvement of small-medium suppliers. UN-Habitat, through the Regional Office for Africa is collaborating with the EU for the development, implementation and scaling up of the Partnership for the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (PINUA), which aims to develop models and approaches for filling the gap in affordable housing in the context of Kenya. PINUA is targeting low-income communities living in informal settlements and peri-urban areas, with the aim of diversifying the houses stocks and supply in Kenya and looking into vulnerable group. PINUA has two major components: affordable housing and slum regeneration. PINUA is designed to address housing supply gaps, through a roadmap for learning, finetuning and piloting that will allow GoK to access success and scale-up. It envisions a sustainable well- executed Participatory Slum-upgrading Programme (PSUP) building on over success and experience of 12 years of UN Habitat's work funded by the European Commission in 40 ACP countries and 200 cities that has facilitated increased access to basic services, security of tenure and empowerment of informal settlement dwellers through the community managed funds to improve livelihoods. Limited approaches to blended financing that will support the homeowner-led incremental housing and related green supply chains will be a key area in which PINUA will pilot a socially and economically viable, government endorsed Kenyan model. There are interesting models in Sri Lanka such as the 22,000 EU-funded houses built by UN-Habitat and Habitat for Humanity and 30 million units under India's PMAY from 2018-2023 with individual blended grants and loans totaling USD 2400 per household that demonstrate results, however, there is limited attempts to strategically study possible replication approaches as suitable for Kenya. PINUA project seeks to achieve the following outcomes: • Improved enabling environment for Housing Co-production from the Public Sector • Communities are more resilient and proactive eco co-producers. This position is located within the Regional Office for Africa under the Kenya Country Programme and duty station in Nairobi County. The focus of this job is to support community engagement and work with the local community for selected Ex-Grogon site and to understand the starting point of key elements of the work, against which later the progress will be measured. Functional Responsibilities: The Community Mobilization Expert who will be under the direct supervision of PINUA Project Manager and head of Kenya Country Programme will be required to: - a) Study, consolidate and adapt the existing community mobilization, engagement guides and action plans developed for the Kisumu to the Ex-Grogon community to ensure that it complies with the PINUA implementation plan. b) Examine registry data, source in collaboration with the Slum Upgrading Department and the Nairobi City County Government to develop a real time mobilization and group actions of the beneficiaries of Ex-Grogon site with disaggregate for women and youth in the context of the community led house production. c) With consultation and concurrence with the Project Implementation Technical Team (PITT), collaborate with partners particularly the county and national government in the organization of meetings and events (scheduling and confirmation of participation, preparation of material, identification of logistical needs, preparation and management of attendance lists, presentation files, etc.) d) Organize field visits and manage collaboration with local partners (CBOs/NGOs) e) Record meetings, activities, projects and interagency initiatives through minutes and reports; or documents related to the project and / or initiatives of Ex-Grogon site (letters of invitations, contacts, presentations, among others), as requested. f) Collaborate in the follow-up of the community group actions and referrals of the deliberations of the meetings and other activities, in coordination with the PITT. g) Collaborate on the improvement and updating of shared files information, documentation, initiatives, activities offered to the partners for Ex-Grogon site where applicable. h) Catalogue and archive the physical documentation of the project information, in coordination with the PINUA Project Manager. i) Report to the PINUA Project Manager/UN-Habitat on a regular basis, identifying and anticipating in a timely manner potential risks and issues that may affect project delivery and advice on mitigating measures. j) Support project communications and advocacy by organizing community events in project sites. k) Provide structured mentorship to two young professionals or interns through the delivery of all the outputs. Qualifications/special skillsFirst-level university degree (Undergraduate, Bachelor or equivalent) preferably in a field related to the post description with minimum of 4 years of relevant work experience is required. A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in community development/ social work in the context of human settlement/ urban development sectors is required. Experience working in an international organization/ non-governmental organization is highly desirable. Good understanding of the local community content and connected power dynamics is desirable. Experience in human rights, gender equality or youth empowerment is desirable. Knowledge of concepts and main debates related to housing administration, urban planning, housing finance, gender equality, youth is desirable. He/she must also have good oral and writing skills in the English language. Skills: Good oral and writing skills in the English language is required. Competencies: - Develops and implements sustainable community engagement strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the PINUA project. - Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). - Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. - Open to change and flexibility in a fast-paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. - Always pursues continuous improvements. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. - Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is required. Although not a requirement, proficiency in Kiswahili is an advantage. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.