Public Spaces Consultant

Result of ServiceThe Public Spaces Consultant reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/She shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under this Term of Reference. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the UN-Habitat’s operational and technical teams. Work LocationSão Gonçalo, Brazil Expected durationFour (4) months Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis on developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. Through a partnership with the Municipality of São Gonçalo, Brazil, to strengthen the urban management structure of the municipality to plan and implement public policies that accelerate the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN-Habitat is setting up the Fortalece São Gonçalo initiative, a project firstly named as “São Gonçalo 2030: Strengthening the planning and management of the Municipality of São Gonçalo to build a more sustainable and safer city, that leaves no one and no territory behind\". As part of the Fortalece São Gonçalo initiative, two (2) Public Spaces Design Workshops will be held to increase social participation in urban design processes and train municipal officials to carry out collaborative processes in projects and works of collective interest, aligning local governance with global sustainable development agendas, particularly the 2030 Agenda. To properly implement these workshops, a Public Spaces Consultant is required to ensure the effective development of the methodology, the proper analysis of the opportunities of the indicated public spaces, and the elaboration of project proposals that make it possible to carry out short-term tactical interventions, so as to enable better conditions for sociability in the public spaces of these communities. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Public Spaces Consultant reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Public Spaces Consultant will support the implementation of the project activities related to the deliverable Public Space Design Workshops and to the planning of participatory Tactical Urbanism Actions under the Periferia Viva Programme, with the following responsibilities: a) Develop a Detailed Work Plan, outlining objectives, activities, methodologies, expected results, and a timeline, aligned with UN-Habitat guidelines and São Gonçalo’s strategic plans. b) Coordinate and facilitate two participatory urban design workshops with residents and municipal technical staff, ensuring the inclusion of women, youth, and other diverse social groups. c) Develop all necessary materials for the workshops, including visual presentations (PowerPoints, posters, handouts), participatory mapping tools, and activity scripts tailored to the target audience. d) Design and apply innovative participatory methodologies, such as tactical prototyping, placemaking exercises, and co-creation techniques, in line with UN-Habitat global practices for public spaces. e) Conduct a territorial analysis of the selected public spaces, identifying opportunities for tactical interventions based on technical criteria and community inputs. f) Oversee and monitor the logistical, material, and technical preparation of the workshops, liaising with local teams to ensure feasibility and smooth implementation. g) Prepare and present design proposals for each selected space, including sketches, schematic layouts, perspective drawings, and complete proposals for the execution of low-cost tactical interventions. h) Develop strategic recommendations to enhance urban safety, inclusion, accessibility, and quality of life in public spaces, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda (NUA), and the São Gonçalo Strategic Plan “Novos Rumos”. i) Systematize the entire process through the delivery of organized documentation, including meeting minutes, photographs, attendance lists, raw data, analytical notes, and georeferenced maps, in accessible and editable formats. j) Present the results and deliverables to UN-Habitat and local partners through visual, clear, and accessible formats (executive reports, illustrated presentations, posters, short videos, etc.). k) Ensure compliance with UN-Habitat’s standards for visibility, data protection, and ethics, respecting the rights, privacy, and representation of community participants. l) Participate in meetings with UN-Habitat teams, the Municipality of São Gonçalo, and other relevant stakeholders to align expectations and refine the scope of analysis. m) Ensure all content is aligned with UN-Habitat standards, methodologies, and expectations, while maintaining confidentiality and data protection protocols. The consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Public Spaces Consultant shall assist the implementation of the project, according to the stated responsibilities and the delivery of the following products: Product 1 – Work Plan Description: The Product 1 must contain: (i) a detailed Work Plan including objectives, timeline, activities, responsibilities, and risk mitigation strategies. Expected delivery date: 15 days after signing the contract. Product 2 – Methodological Proposal for Participatory Design Workshops Description: The Product 2 must contain: (i) a Methodological Note outlining the participatory design approach for public spaces, aligned with UN-Habitat principles; (ii) guidelines to ensure inclusive participation (gender, youth, people with disabilities); and (iii) preliminary analysis of target areas based on existing diagnostics (e.g., Community-Based Territorial Assessment, Fortalece São Gonçalo Observatory). Expected delivery date: 30 days after signing the contract. Product 3 – Workshop Reports and Preliminary Tactical Urbanism Proposals Description: The Product 3 must contain: (i) full documentation of the two workshops held in São Gonçalo, including materials used, group activity summaries, and participatory mapping results; (ii) at least two preliminary conceptual proposals for tactical interventions, including sketches, implementation strategies, cost estimates, and spatial references; and (iii) presentation of findings and community feedback to local stakeholders and UN-Habitat teams. Expected delivery date: 60 days after signing the contract. Product 4 – Final Tactical Intervention Proposals and Strategic Recommendations Report Description: The Product 4 must contain: (i) final version of the tactical intervention proposals for both spaces, including schematic drawings and perspective renderings; (ii) comprehensive tactical action plan, including: schematic drawings, perspective renderings, descriptive report and technical details of built elements, community engagement strategies, estimated budget, and implementation roadmap; (iii) strategic Recommendations Report to strengthen municipal capacity for participatory public space design and management, aligned with SDG 11.7 and the New Urban Agenda; (iv) submission of all technical files, editable documents, images, and graphic materials produced; and (v) visual outputs for communication and dissemination (PowerPoint presentation, executive summary, brochure or poster). Expected delivery date: 90 days after signing the contract. Qualifications/special skillsEducation Required: • Bachelor's degree in Architecture and Urban Planning is required, or additional three (3) years of relevant experience to the post, beyond the requirement. Desired: • Postgraduate degree in Architecture and Urban Planning or related fields is desirable. Work experience: • Minimum six (6) years of professional experience providing technical support for the development of participatory urban design projects is required. • Previous professional experience working with informal settlements is required. • Previous academic or professional experience working with the 2030 Agenda and NUA is desirable. • Previous experience within the UN System is desirable. Skills: • Good handling of technological tools, such as Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office, is required. • Good command of AutoCad and Illustrator is required. • Good command of geographical information systems (GIS) software, such as QGIS, MapInfo and ArcGIS, is desirable. Competencies • Professionalism: Experience working in an inter-institutional environment, project management, monitoring-evaluation; approaches and strategies regarding good urban governance and local and regional development. • Planning and organization: Professional approach to work, strong sense of responsibility, operate with minimal supervision; proven organizational skills and ability to manage a workload efficiently and within set deadlines. • Communication: Ability to write clearly and effectively; listen to others, interpret messages correctly and respond appropriately; show openness in information sharing and keep everyone informed; solid abstract reasoning skills together with a proven capacity to write documents for diverse audiences. • Teamwork: Ability to work with teams, demonstrate leadership, conflict management and consensus facilitation skills; ability to work in a multicultural and multi-ethnic environment, and to respect diversity; sensitivity to the main streaming of vulnerability; willingness and ability to work in difficult environments. Knowledge Management • The person must know the processes, procedures, and norms of UN-Habitat, to guarantee an adequate quality of the activities described above, following the standards of the organization. • The person will propose formats and procedures that allow the efficient implementation of the activities related to the project development. • The person must know the file of the Office, work with it, and ensure its proper maintenance, accessibility for all staff, and due updating. • The person will prepare databases related to the project running. • The person will make sure that all relevant technical information will be adequately shared with the correspondent staff. • The person will ensure that all produced material will be fit-for-purpose and delivered, in an organized way, for posterior consultation and use of the Agency. • The person will only share the information produced with the team agency, assuring the privacy of the content. Languages• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Spanish is the working language of the Regional Office. • For the post advertised, fluency in Portuguese is required. Working knowledge of English is desirable. Additional InformationTravel details: Applicable. The consultant must be available to travel to the places related to the activities in the country, if requested by the Head of Brazil Office. Missions will be coordinated and financed by UN-Habitat, according to the United Nations travel rules and guidelines. Remuneration SB-3/5 – BRL: 32.672 (Total net amount) UNDP Brazil Salary Scale The consultant will receive a total amount of BRL: 32.672, according to the following schedule: • Payment 1 [25%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 1 (BRL: 8.168) • Payment 2 [25%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 2 (BRL: 8.168) • Payment 3 [25%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 3 (BRL: 8.168) • Payment 4 [25%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 4 (BRL: 8.168) Notes Appointment against this post is on local basis and only nationals from Brazil or external candidates who hold a permanent visa in Brazil may apply. The extension of this contract is subject to availability of funds and/or performance. Any contract extension is not automatic. It is required for all the curricular information to be inserted in the system, which may take a few hours. Only complete applications in English will be considered. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of applications cannot be acknowledged individually. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Applications should be submitted through INSPIRA and must include all documents required at the system, please be ready to include the following information at the “Candidate Profile” (CP) at Inspira: • Cover memo (maximum 1 page) • Educational Background (incl. dates) • Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months) • Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments • Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)* * Please note that Internships, self-employment and part-time count as 50%. In addi-tion to it, note experience not relevant to the position will not be considered. All applications should be submitted to: Inspira UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning people or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org. 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.