Settlement Planning Associate (m/f)

Description

• All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity
• The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is an international organization with the mandate to assist persons in need of international protection; asylum seekers; refugees; statelessness; and internally displaced persons. The UNHCR operation in Mozambique has its main office in Maputo, field office in Nampula and sub office in Pemba. The Settlement Planning Associate will be based in Nampula with frequent travel to Corane and Maratane Refugee/IDP camps and other Areas of Responsibility (AoR). The working language in the UNHCR offices in Mozambique is English
• The Settlement Planning Associate works under the overall supervision of the Head of Office with technical support from Shelter Officer. S/he will be expected to provide support and advice on all technical matters including; settlement development, shelter and infrastructure for UNHCR and Partners under Nampula Field Office.The incumbent participates in maintaining effective coordination with any established settlement / shelter sector working groups. In addition, s/he provides technical expertise and support in monitoring of settlement planning and general infrastructure related activities in collaboration with other sectors within the AoR
• The Settlement Planning Associate provides support to more senior settlement planning colleagues in designing and developing sustainable settlements to host people of concern (POC) in UNHCR emergency and protracted operations. A settlement should take into consideration the risks associated with settlement locations, while addressing the needs of the population, the availability of resources, the amelioration of living conditions, service provision, enhancing transportation networks as well as recreational spaces. S/he will analyse variety of settlement options urban, rural, formal or informal and ensure that spatial allocation of land is decided in support of the protection, access to basic services, livelihoods, and socio-cultural life of displaced people and the host community
• S/he will develop all required documentation in area of responsibility. S/he will work closely with stakeholders on identification of shelter and NFIs needs and ensure that NFI identification / distribution is coordinated among all the actors. 2 The Settlement Planning Associate will be guided by UNHCR policies, UN Handbooks, Policy papers and priorities and will maintain contacts with local officials and implementing partners regarding shelter and other infrastructure conditions in refugee and IDP hosting areas

Duties

Technical Guidance

• Support in preparation of assessments and selection of potential sites in accordance with the Master Plan approach to settlement planning taking into consideration protection concerns, promoting the integration of agreed priority cross-cutting issues (e.g. age, environment, gender, and human rights), national legislation, environmental considerations and access to basic services
• Provide support and work with all functional units in UNHCR and relevant technical actors in carrying out needs assessments, analysis and joint inter-sector needs assessment exercises as appropriate, prioritize results accordingly and feed them into the Master Planning Process and Settlement Planning Strategy
• Assist in the development of settlement layouts that respond to natural topography and drainage patterns of the site to reduce construction and maintenance costs
• Coordinate and assist in scheduling and follow up of plot demarcation, allocation for potential shelters (RHUs, family tents and other shelter solutions), and other infrastructure according to the settlement plans
• Directly follow up and support the implementation of the settlement masterplan. Prepare bid documents, drawings, BOQs, Work Schedules and Technical Specifications for settlement planning activities
• Monitor regularly the settlement and infrastructure works so these are implemented according to plans and completed within designated timelines and budget. Ensure that technical components reflect local government and UNHCR minimum standards focusing on quality and output
• Prepare regular reports as necessary to be shared with the supervisor

Coordination

• Provide support in ensuring that UNHCR’s operation within the AoR is technically sound in the field of settlement planning to best meet the needs of POC
• Work with relevant authorities and government counterparts to support strong coordination of settlement planning activities within the AoR
• Assist the supervisor in developing settlement plans that are aligned with regional, national land use plans and planned developments
• Provide inputs for periodic updates on the Masterplan taking note of the changes, new developments and expansion in the settlement
• Provide support to implementing and operational partners to ensure the use of common standards and tools for information collection and data management

Collaboration

• In coordination with relevant focal persons and technical colleagues, provide support in carrying out appropriate assessments and mapping exercises such as environmental impact assessment, useable land area assessment, mapping of services, mapping of host communities, livelihood assessments, etc
• Perform other related duties as required

Requisites

• For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
• Certificates and/or Licenses: 3 Civil Engineering; Construction; Architecture; Urban Planning and any other related field
• Prior experience of technical implementation of shelter/camp projects in humanitarian context and emergencies, in liaison with operational partner’s and governmental technical departments
• Knowledge of a range of physical planning assistance options, including sensitivity to cultural and gender specific needs to ensure that the social and cultural background of the persons of concern is taken into account while designing and developing camps/shelter options
• Experience of technical monitoring of shelter and camp development and maintenance projects. Knowledge of topographic surveying
• Knowledge of CAD/CAM is a great added value. Knowledge of other computer graphics and mapping software
• *SP-AutoCAD Software IT-MS Office Applications; DM-ArcGIS (Geographic Information System)
• PG-Experience with coordinating with Implementing Partners (Government/INGO/NGO/Corporate)
• SP-Site/Physical Planning
• SP-Shelter and Site Planning Technical Guidelines and Standards
• SP-Design tools such as Global Positioning System (GPS); IT-Microsoft Visio
• MS-Knowledge of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications
• SP-Experience with Physical Planning/Shelter design-related software
• For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English
• All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below:
• Core Competencies:
• Accountability
• Communication
• Organizational Awareness
• Teamwork & CollaborationCommitment to Continuous Learning
• Client & Result Orientation
• Managerial Competencies:
• Judgement and Decision Making
• Cross-Functional Competencies:
• Analytical Thinking
• Technological Awareness
• Planning and Organizing

Benefits

• A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the International Civil Service Commission at: http://icsc.un.org.

Notes

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted
• Eligibility: Interested staff members should consult the Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS, UNHCR/AI/2020/1/Rev.2). If you have questions regarding your eligibility, you may also contact the HR Unit
• 4 In line with the RALS, the below category of candidates are eligible to apply for internally/externally advertised vacancies
• Group 1 candidates: Group 1 comprises current GS staff members holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment who, at the date of the deadline for application, are serving in the country of the vacancy at the grade of the position or one grade below or above. However, current GS staff members holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment in the country of the vacancy who apply for a position two grades above the personal grade will be considered as Group 2 applicants
• Group 2 candidates: Group 2 comprises candidates from the below categories after completion of one cumulative or continuous year of service in the country of the vacancy
• Current locally recruited UNHCR staff members holding a temporary appointment up to a maximum of two grades above their current positions
• Former locally recruited UNHCR staff members who held an indefinite or fixed-term appointment (within 2 years of separation for males and 5 years for females) up to a maximum of two grades above the last position at UNHCR
• National United Nations Volunteers currently working for UNHCR
• National UNOPS and individual contractors currently working for UNHCR
• Current GS staff members holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment applying to a position in the same category two grades above the staff member’s personal grade
• Current UNHCR staff members in the International Professional category holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment applying to a GS post
• Current UNHCR staff members in the NPO category holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment applying to a GS post
• Current locally recruited female staff members from other UN system Organizations holding the equivalent of an indefinite or fixed-term appointment up to a maximum of two grades above their current positions
• External candidates: External candidates are candidates who are not in Group 1 or Group 2. They must meet the essential minimum requirements of the position, candidates not citizens of the country must comply with all eligibility requirements for employment in line with the prevailing legislative prerequisites in the country
• Please kindly note this is a Fast-track vacancy. In line with Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS, UNHCR/AI/2020/1/Rev.2) timeframe for filling of vacancies should in principle be reduced by half at each stage to expedite the filling of vacancies under accelerated Fast Track procedures
• Interested Group 1 and Group 2 applicants need to apply through MSRP – Self-Service – Recruiting Activities – Careers (please search by JO number or by Location). Please update your personal profiles with all required information in order to be able to apply. Please consult the attached documents for further guidance on how to update the personal profile
• Interested external applicants need to apply online and complete the mandatory motivation letter. For technical issues with logging in to the MSRP External Portal, or with online applications, please contact the HR Unit well before the deadline to allow sufficient time for any technical problem to be resolved. External vacancies are posted on the external UNHCR website and applicants who do not have internal status must apply through the external UNHCR website https://www.unhcr.org/careers.html – Careers – Career opportunities – Other Opportunities – Vacancies – sort by Location or search by Job Opening number
• Not signed, incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a written test and do a competency based oral interview. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing or any other fees)
• The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application
• UNHCR is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) at inspector@unhcr.org or through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73 80
• UNHCR only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For any technical problems encountered during the online application, please send an email to the below email address titled “Online VA Query-your name and surname”. Human Resources Maputo mozma@unhcr.org