Urban Mobility and Disaster Resilience Specialist

Result of ServiceTo provide technical advice and policy support to cities on sustainable, innovative and low carbon mobility; undertake research on emerging urban mobility issues, and support the development of project proposals to expand the portfolio. Work LocationNairobi, Kenya Expected duration6 Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, 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. UN-Habitat works with varied partners including cities, central governments, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in particular, Goal 11 of “Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. Under the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) supported project “Alliance of Cities for Road Safety”, UN-Habitat is supporting cities in their transition towards better road safety and provides capacity building and technical assistance on all five pillars of the Safe Systems approach. UN-Habitat is currently also implementing the Pan African Action Plan for Active Mobility (PAAPAM) in five African countries. The EU supported TRANSSAFE project (Transforming Road Safety for Africa) aims to maximise the impact of these solutions by bringing road safety agencies and experts from Europe and Africa to drive policy actions. Under the project, UN-Habitat is coordinating capacity building activities and training events. UN-Habitat is also implementing the UNDA funded project titled “Building back safer, more sustainable and resilient transport in the aftermath of COVID-19 in Western Balkan and Central Asian Landlocked Developing Regions”. The project supports the development of Mobility Plans in the countries and facilitate participatory processes. As cities around the world rapidly urbanizing, they are increasingly facing urban mobility challenges key among them traffic congestion, pollution and road traffic crashes. The transport sector also significantly contributes to global energy-related carbon emissions. Public transport comprising efficient bus systems, trams, metros and non-motorised mobility such as walking, and cycling are emerging an ideal mix to curb the growing urban transport challenges and meet the transport needs of citizens. UN-Habitat collaborates with governments at city, regional and national levels on development and implementation of policy, guides and tools for sustainable urban mobility; provides technical advice for development of effective transport systems and knowledge, advocacy and capacity building. Focus areas on urban mobility have included sustainable urban mobility planning (SUMP); planning for Bus Rapid Transit incorporating travel demand measures; transport institutional reforms and capacity building; urban electric mobility; walking and cycling and urban transport policy. The Consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Coordinator of the Urban Basic Services Section, and in close collaboration with the thematic team on mobility - reporting to the Programme Management Officer, Lead, Urban Mobility. Duties and responsibilities: • Undertake research on emerging urban mobility issues and contribute to the development of project proposals to expand the portfolio. • Development and delivery of practical capacity-building materials (guidance notes, training modules, presentations, case studies) addressing sustainable urban mobility, street design, road safety, active mobility, foresight, and climate-resilient transport infrastructure. • Provision of structured technical and policy advice to partner cities under UNRSF, PAAPAM, TRANSSAFE and related initiatives, including written technical inputs, policy recommendations, and advisory notes supporting innovative and low-carbon mobility transitions, road safety improvements, and resilience-oriented transport investments. • Substantive technical contributions to the preparation and review of Mobility Plans under the UNDA project in Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including inputs on participatory planning processes, climate resilience, road safety, active mobility, public transport integration, and post-crisis “build back better” principles. • Preparation of policy and analytical briefs on urban mobility challenges and resilient infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, post-crisis mobility recovery, to inform UN-Habitat programming, policy dialogue, and project development. • Development of high-quality technical inputs to funding proposals and concept notes focused on integrated basic services, sustainable urban mobility, and climate-resilient infrastructure, contributing to resource mobilization efforts and expansion of UN-Habitat’s urban mobility portfolio Qualifications/special skillsAn advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Urban Planning, Urban Design, Transport Planning, Engineering, Geography, Climate Resilience or a related field is required. A first-level university degree, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. A minimum of 5 years relevant work experience in Urban Design, Urban Regeneration, Urban Planning, Transport Planning or Climate Resilience is required. A good understanding of transport planning, urban planning, urban development, urban governance, risk and resilience, urban transformation and institutional change, and sustainable urbanisation is an asset; Excellent analytical and communication skills is required. Good interpersonal skills, previous exposure to cross cultural environments is desirable. Knowledge of International Organisations, including working experience in urban projects is required. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in written and oral English is required. Working knowledge of other UN official languages including Kiswahili is desirable. 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.