Urban Researcher and Planner

Result of ServiceThe consultancy aims to strengthen urban resilience and sustainable development for displacement-affected communities in Somalia by enhancing land governance, integrated settlement planning, and climate adaptation. It supports durable solutions for IDPs, improves land tenure security, and contributes to infrastructure development, aligning with UN-Habitat’s goal of fostering sustainable and inclusive urbanization. Work LocationJowhar Expected duration8 months 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 helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, healthier, greener 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. Nearly 4 million people, which is a substantial part of the Somali population live in protracted internal displacement. Another one million Somalis are in displacement in neighboring countries, bringing the total displaced population to approximately 20% of the current estimated population of Somalia. Most IDPs live in unplanned and informal settlements in urban areas. For example, Mogadishu is home to nearly 800,000 IDPs, which is over one fourth of the overall internally displaced population in Somalia. About 55% of the IDPs are concentrated in two of Mogadishu’s peripheral districts. Overall, this constitutes one of the highest IDP concentrations across the African continent. Protracted internal displacement is therefore an inherently urban phenomenon in Somalia and must be addressed against a backdrop of increasing urbanization and growing rural-urban migration trends, with one of the highest urban growth rates in the world. UN-Habitat has joined a consortium of humanitarian and development partners to support the Jowhar Offstream Storage Programme (JOSP) a flagship programme of the Government of Somalia that seeks to rehabilitate a large irrigation scheme with the view to reducing flood risk and mitigating drought for 1.65 million people living along the Shebelle River in Hirshabelle and South West State. It is a multi-donor, multi-year, interministerial initiative under the joint leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation and Ministry of Energy and Water Resources in collaboration with the National Center for Rural Development and Durable Solutions and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The Programme prioritizes vulnerable communities affected by forced displacement and climate shocks aiming to provide equitable access to resources and resilient livelihoods and strengthening institutional capacities for effective natural resource management. This includes inclusive land governance and integrated settlement planning under the so-called JOSP workstream on Durable Solutions, land tenure and social inclusion. More specifically, UN-Habitat partners with FAO (lead), IOM, UNIDO and UNEP under the JOSP Maareynta Isbeddelka Cimilada (JOSP Governance for Adaptation to Climate Change) Project financially supported by the multi-partners Somalia Joint Fund. The overall objective of Maareynta is to improve the governance of JOSP to enhance efficient outcome-oriented water policy and services; furthermore, enhanced capacity of public and private partners to deliverer agro-value chain development services; also, strengthened community resilience and governance; effective land governance, and reinforced environmental governance and peacebuilding. UN-Habita’s technical support for the project is grouped around the following output areas: Improved infrastructure for land administration, strategic planning frameworks for strategic urban planning and settlement planning established, capital investment projects for settlement upgrading initiated and community-based conflict resolution platform operational. Synergy affects are being expected from ongoing related projects in Jowhar such as Doowladkab (Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery Programme) and EU Adkaysi Project with the latter one boosting resilience of displacement affected communities and adaptation to climate change. This position is located within the Regional Office for Africa under the Somalia Country Programme. The Urban Researcher and Planner will work under the overall coordination of the Head of Programmes for the Somalia Programme and report directly to the Project Officer. They will closely collaborate with the Dowlaadkab and EU Adkaysi project managers and will be responsible for the following: • Conduct research and spatial analysis on displacement-affected communities and urban resilience in Somalia. • Develop urban planning documents, with a focus on integrated settlement planning. • Analyze land governance frameworks and provide recommendations for improving tenure security. • Conduct risk assessments related to urban development, displacement, and climate change adaptation. • Facilitate engagement with relevant stakeholders, including government entities and community representatives. • Prepare technical plans and reports on land administration and settlement upgrading. • Produce detailed mapping and data analysis to inform planning and policy decisions. • Contribute to knowledge-sharing and policy development on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced University degree in Urban and Regional Planning, or Architecture and Urban Planning, or Urban Management or any other relevant field to urban planning management and design is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. At least two years working experience in urban planning and design, urban management and participatory planning processes and /or local governance matters is required Previous work experience related to working with displacements or environmental context is required Previous work experience working with international agencies is a major asset. Application skills in geo-data software (Arc GIS, Quantum GIS, AutoCAD and others) is required for the position. Working experience with government entities in Somalia is a major asset LanguagesFluency in oral and written English is required. Fluency in oral and written Somalia is an added 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.