VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT Issued on: 20 November 2012 ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION: UN-HABITAT DUTY STATION: Nairobi, Kenya (and consultant’s home country, if applicable)
FUNCTIONAL TITLE: International Consultant, Urban Wetlands, Ecosystem Services and City-Region Planning DURATION: 1 January 2013 – 31 August 2013 CLOSING DATE: 27 November 2012
BACKGROUND In July 2012, at their Eleventh Conference, the Parties to the Ramsar Convention adopted Resolution XI.11 Principles for the planning and management of urban and peri-urban wetlands. The Resolution highlights how the inappropriate management of urban wetlands -- as with all wetlands – contributes to the reduction of human well-being and urban resilience to natural disasters. At the same time, it acknowledges that cities can be a driving force for sustainable development with good planning, stewardship and management. It also recognizes UN-Habitat’s significant supporting role in promoting biodiversity, including wetlands and ecosystem services as part of urban planning strategies. And it essentially mandates UN-Habitat, in partnership with the Ramsar Convention, to support the development of guidance on planning and the sustainable management of urban and peri-urban wetlands.
In support of this, Decision XI/2 of the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) Review of progress in implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and related capacity-building support to Parties (expected to be adopted imminently), reinforces support for the review, revision and updating of national biodiversity strategies and action plans. It also recognizes the potential for enhanced cooperation at different levels. Importantly, it notes the potential role of national, regional and international organizations – such as UN-Habitat -- as well as the private sector in compiling knowledge, experiences and information on technologies and activities related to biodiversity and making it available in a timely and systematic manner.
In response, the Ramsar Secretariat, UN-Habitat and Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) have initiated a project Wetlands and Urbanization in West Africa: Sustainable urban futures for people and wetlands, which aims to promote the wise use of wetlands for improved human health and well-being in urban areas of West Africa. The key focus is on the economic and social values of wetland ecosystem services, where UN-Habitat already operates global programmes possessing synergies with the initiative. The project recognizes a need for further investigation of potential benefits provided by green infrastructure and biodiversity-driven solutions across the world. Most importantly for UN-Habitat, one of the project’s objectives is to mainstream ecosystem services and the role of biodiversity into urban planning practices and strategic decision-making.
As a partial precursor to this project, UN-Habitat recently concluded the consultancy Urban Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Wetlands-based Adaptation in Cities. It acknowledged the consideration of biodiversity, ecosystem services and wetlands-based adaptation as an essential part to reach the goal of sustainable urbanization, which UN-Habitat is uniquely mandated by the UN General Assembly to assist cities achieve. Its final strategy paper recommends that through advocacy, monitoring, partnership and participation, UN-Habitat can help demonstrate the benefits of ecosystem services in the urban environment. Specifically, it argues that UN-Habitat’s comparative advantage is to raise the awareness and to assist in facilitating the consideration and integration of ecosystem services into city-region decision-making and spatial planning. The paper also recommends developing a variety of tools, such as checklists, guidance documents and manuals, that can be used to improve understanding and awareness of the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban environments and infrastructures.
RESPONSIBILITIES The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Human Settlements Officer, Urban Environment in the Urban Planning and Design Branch (UPDB) and under the overall supervision of the Coordinator of UPDB. The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
Lead an initial conference call with the UN-Habitat supervisor(s) to clarify the present TOR and its wider objectives and proactively advise on a strategic direction for the project and methodological framework for undertaking and delivering the project described herein, including a schedule for reviewing milestones with the supervisor(s);
Direct the policy analysis of a variety of high-level and technical materials including Ramsar Convention Resolution XI.11 Principles for the planning and management of urban and peri-urban wetlands and the supporting information paper COP11 DOC23 Background and context to the development of principles and guidance for the planning and management of urban and peri-urban wetlands, Convention on Biological Diversity Decision X/22 Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, Convention on Biological Diversity Decision XI/2 Review of progress in implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and related capacity-building support to Parties, Ramsar Convention Concept Note Wetlands and Urbanization in West Africa, UN-Habitat Urban Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Wetlands-Based Adaptation in Cities (Literature Review, Summary and Analysis of Case Studies and Strategy Paper), UN-Habitat Urban Patterns for a Green Economy: Working with Nature, Convention on Biological Diversity and Stockholm Resilience Centre City Biodiversity Outlook.
Supervise a desk review and a reconnaissance mission to three target cities in the West African region (to be identified by UN-Habitat and the Ramsar Convention), conduct a review of existing spatial plans, planning processes, published planning guidance and organizational structures to understand existing processes and identify potential limitations and/or examples of best practice.
Identify and supervise interviews of relevant experts and specialists across a range of departments including inter alia city mayors, heads of planning, heads of environment, and heads of water and sanitation, to identify and analyze existing processes, resources and approaches and to identify barriers and obstacles to the integration of ecosystem services into planning processes.
Supervise coordination (with assistance from UN-Habitat) and facilitation of a workshop involving the key personnel identified above in order to strategically assess (a) obstacles to the integration of the benefits derived from biodiversity and ecosystem services across sectoral interests, (b) the nature of essential acupuncture points through which the urban planning process can be modified and enhanced through the integration of ecosystem services and (c) the efficacy of altering planning processes and modifying the spatial plans in order to optimise the delivery of the benefits of ecosystem services across a broad range of beneficiaries and an understanding of ‘what would work’.
Building on the initial findings from the target cities in West Africa, supervise development of a substantive guidance document on the integration of ecosystem services into spatial planning processes, including landscape approaches to city-region planning, including the production of a draft set of practical and implementable guidance (e.g. checklists) on how ecosystem services and the benefits they can provide can be integrated more thoroughly in urban planning initiatives;
With support from UN-Habitat, supervise the organization and execution of a virtual consultation with 5-10 key regional experts (from countries such as China, Colombia, South Africa or others in South Asia) to interrogate and validate the conclusions and recommendations of the work in West Africa via telephone or Skype interview, and seek feedback in a structured manner to understand better the feasibility of implementing such guidance, the nature and scope of potential barriers to adoption, future training and resourcing the needs and the ultimate likelihood of success.
COMPETENCIES Full familiarity with the field of cities and biodiversity is required as well as familiarity with the activities of UN-Habitat in urban environmental planning strongly desired.
EDUCATION Postgraduate academic degree in urban and/or environmental planning or management.
WORK EXPERIENCE A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in the field of urban environment is required, including substantial recent work experience in developing countries directly related to urban environmental management and topics related to sustainable development, wetlands in urban and peri-urban environments, ecosystem services and city and city-region planning.
LANGUAGE SKILLS Excellent English writing skills are required.
OTHER SKILLS
REMUNERATION Payments will be based on deliverables over the consultancy period. There are set remuneration rates for consultancies. The rate is determined by functions performed and experience of the consultant. The fees will be paid as per agreement.
Applications should include: • Cover memo (maximum 1 page) • Summary CV (maximum 2 pages), indicating the following information: 1. Educational Background (incl. dates) 2. Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months) 3. Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.) 4. Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments 5. Expectations regarding remuneration
All applications should be submitted to: Mr. Andrew Rudd UN-HABITAT P.O. Box 30030, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Email: andrew.rudd@unhabitat.org Fax: + 254 20 762 1568
Please be advised that since April 15th 2010, applicants for consultancies must be part of the UN-HABITAT e-Roster in order for their application to be considered. You can reach the e-Roster through the following link:http://e-roster.unhabitat.org
Deadline for applications: 27 November 2012
UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org
How to apply:
Applications should include: • Cover memo (maximum 1 page) • Summary CV (maximum 2 pages), indicating the following information: 1. Educational Background (incl. dates) 2. Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months) 3. Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.) 4. Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments 5. Expectations regarding remuneration
All applications should be submitted to: Mr. Andrew Rudd UN-HABITAT P.O. Box 30030, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Email: andrew.rudd@unhabitat.org Fax: + 254 20 762 1568
Please be advised that since April 15th 2010, applicants for consultancies must be part of the UN-HABITAT e-Roster in order for their application to be considered. You can reach the e-Roster through the following link:http://e-roster.unhabitat.org
Deadline for applications: 27 November 2012
UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org
Consultant, Urban Wetlands, Ecosystem Services and City-Region Planning, Kenya
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