International Municipal Spatial Planning Advisor (UNV)

Post: International Municipal Spatial Planning Advisor (UNV)
Duty Station: Kosovo, Mitrovica Municipality
Proposed Level: International UNV
Duration: 6 months, renewable up to 18 months (start in August '06)

This post is a United Nations Volunteers Programme Assignment and based on the values of free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity, which are the foundations of volunteerism. Volunteering brings benefit to the individual volunteer. It makes important contributions, economically, as well as socially. It contributes to creating social cohesion and capital, through helping to build trust and reciprocity among citizens.

The United Nations Volunteers is the UN Organisation that supports sustainable human development globally through the promotion of volunteerism and mobilisation of volunteers. It serves the causes of peace and development through enhancing opportunities for participation by all peoples. It is universal, inclusive and embraces volunteer actions in all its diversity.

Volunteerism is diverse and is embedded in all cultures and traditions. In this context, as a United Nations Volunteer you are encouraged and expected to relate to local volunteerism and to be identified with the concept. You are expected to regard your national colleagues as peers and together uphold trust as volunteers among yourselves and within the communities and the organisation you are assigned to.

Background and Purpose of the post

UN-HABITAT has been actively assisting Kosovo institutions in the field of governance, spatial planning and municipal administration since 1999. This assistance now entered a new 2-year phase with the "Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme" with the financial support of the Swedish Government. The new Programme is implemented in six large municipalities, where Kosovo's secondary cities are located (Peje/Pec, Gjakova/Djakovica, Mitrovica, Ferizaj/Urosevac, Gijilan/Gniljane, Prizren,).

The purpose of the post is to advise on spatial planning activities in Mitrovica municipality. This includes assisting municipal planners in identifying critical areas of cooperation between the two parts of the ethnically divided city with reference to issues related to spatial planning and provide technical advise in the entire planning process. Mitrovica/Mitrovice is one of the 6 secondary municipalities of the UN-HABITAT Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme and a pool of local and international experts support the planning teams in the municipalities.
Context in Kosovo

Ever since the conflict ended in June 1999, Kosovo is facing an unprecedented construction boom and growth of urban areas, which is only partly controlled by local self-governments. The new political situation after the conflict and major economic changes resulted in population's migrations from rural areas to cities and throughout Kosovo, in general. However, the cities are not prepared for such an influx of population. The lack of valid urban and spatial plans leads to chaotic development, both in terms of housing and commercial developments.

The six selected municipalities reflect problems faced by Kosovo as a whole with the specific scope and complexity of planning issues relevant to the secondary cities. The socio-economic indicators for Kosovo show significant disparities between Pristina and the secondary cities selected for the Project in relation to employment opportunities, levels of poverty, housing and living conditions. The scarcity of municipal land and persisting problems with establishing property rights are an additional impediment to local development and spatial planning.

The Law on Spatial Planning passed in September 2003 requires that municipalities prepare municipal development plans, composed of the strategic and spatial development documents, in an inclusive, participatory and sustainable manner while giving proper consideration to gender aspects in planning. The initial time frame was 18 months but none of the municipalities were able to meet this deadline. Most of the plans are in the early stage of preparation.
The Programme in brief

The Programme builds on the earlier experience of UN-HABITAT in Kosovo and incorporates the principles and ideals of UN-HABITAT's flagship documents such as Habitat Agenda, and Global Campaigns on Good Urban Governance and Secure Tenure. Through improved spatial and urban planning process the Programme will address people's right to a safe and healthy leaving environment, proper housing, access to services and jobs as well as increased access to information on local governance practices and the opportunity to participate in the consensus building and decision-making processes.
Components and objectives of the Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme

The primary area of the focus will be to assist municipalities in the actual preparation of municipal and urban development plans through strengthening the capacity of municipal planners and municipal planning units. A more intensive and more advanced on-the-job assistance is needed for all the municipalities to be able to follow and implement the planning process step by step. Capacity building in the Urban Planning and Management Framework and selected planning topics for newly recruited staff of municipal planning units and members of the multi-disciplinary planning bodies will be conducted through advice, experience sharing and limited workshop activities. The emphasis will be put on incorporating advanced spatial and urban planning concepts to help deal with local development and environmental problems including disaster risk reduction and gender mainstreaming in human settlements.

Promoting good practices, supporting action planning and assistance in the development of action pilot projects will be a good way to help municipalities in advocating for the implementation of the projects, which are developed in the participatory manner and will increase the sense of ownership among all stakeholders.

The overall development objective of this Programme is that enhanced municipal development planning will contribute to improved and sustainable living conditions of the citizens of the six municipalities.

The specific objective of this Programme is to incorporate dynamic and inclusive planning methods in the development planning process, which take into account the needs of both men and women as well as give direction to rational public and private investments, resulting in strategic plans and sustainable municipal/urban development.

The Programme will focus on the following key issues:

• Intensive on-the-job assistance for local planners, members of Municipal Planning Teams and Councils of Planning Experts to actively engage in the municipal development planning process with a strong focus on the technical aspect of plan preparation and on good urban governance principles in the plan process
• Strengthening the dialogue between the local and central level on municipal and urban planning issues to ensure mutual understanding and harmonization of policies
• Developing capacities of civil society organizations and private sector for active and informed participation in the municipal/urban strategic development planning and ensuring the inclusive and participatory and gender-sensitive character of the process

Implementation of the Project

The Project will be implemented by a team of International Spatial Planning Advisors (UNV's), Kosovan planners and a number of long- and short-term consultants through a number of different activities using learning by doing as the primary capacity building tool.

Each UNV will focus on one of the six selected municipalities and will be assisted by a local urban planner.

Main tasks

Under the overall supervision of the Spatial Planning Coordinator and in cooperation with the Project Team of international and local experts as well as with the CEO and Director of Urbanism of the Municipality, the UNV International Municipal Spatial Planning Advisor will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Providing technical on-the-job assistance, advice and guidance to the municipal planners and municipal planning bodies, on a daily basis, in developing strategic planning projects(s) and looking through those projects to the broader framework of municipal strategic spatial planning through an inclusive process, using modern planning techniques/methodologies and the UN-HABITAT Urban Planning and Management Framework (UPMF) as a reference.
• Providing advice and guidance in facilitating public involvement of urban stakeholders and communities
• Supporting action-planning and assisting in formulating and developing priority projects within the municipal spatial plan
• Assisting in institution building of municipal planning units
• Promoting dialogue among local authorities and between local and central authorities, in order to improve planning policies, compile lessons learned and share experiences
• Providing inputs to documentation of lessons learned and facilitating experience sharing among municipalities and between municipalities and the ministerial level
• Facilitating coordination of the Project activities under UPMF with other Programmes and initiatives in the municipality, and other partners in the Project
• Supervising the UN-HABITAT local urban planner, with whom the expert will cooperate
• Performing any other functions and tasks which are required by the nature of the Project

The work shall be performed from the municipality appointed to with regular travel to other municipalities.
Qualifications and requirements

• A Masters or advanced academic degree in spatial/urban planning, geography, architecture, environment or similar degree
• At least 3 years of professional practical experience with spatial or urban planning and urban projects, preferably in European planning context
• Proven experience with innovative participatory planning approaches and modern planning techniques; knowledge of European trends and concepts in planning,
• Experience with facilitating inter-institutional cooperation and stakeholder involvement
• Experience in working in a team as a team-player and builder who undertakes initiative to ensure smooth relations and open communication within the team and with partners
• Good analytical, solution defining and creative skills
• Readiness to work in the post-conflict, multi-ethnic environment
• Good oral and written communication skills; proficiency in spoken and written English
• Valid driving license

Knowledge and experience in the following areas will be an asset

• Experience in conflict management and resolution, reconciliation, working with various communities and groups of civil society
• Specialized knowledge and experience in one of the following fields: informal settlements, environment, transport, community development
• Experience in transition and post-conflict context
• Experience from development countries

Special considerations
The candidate should:

• Be familiar with and loyal to the goals of UN-HABITAT
• Willing to take responsibility and make sure tasks are fully completed
• Be sensitive to gender issues and issues of concern to vulnerable groups
• Be flexible and prepared to pursue goals through teamwork
• Express enthusiasm and willingness to continue learning new skills and share experiences with other members of the team

Deadline for application: June 11, 2005

How to apply:

Please reply by email enclosing your CV (incl list referees) + motivation letter and marking UNV/MuSPP/Kosovo in the subject field of the message to: the Kosovo UNV Programme Officer in charge, Ms Anduena Carabregu (Anduena.Carabregu@undp.org) with cc to UN-HABITAT Kosovo Programme, recruit.unhabitat.12@inbox.com

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Info: www.unhabitat.org, www.unv.org,