TERMS OF REFERENCE Post: Chief, Training and Capacity Building Branch, P-5 Vacancy Announcement Number: 02-PGM-UNCHS-301114-R-NAIROBI Duration: Twelve months with a possible extension Duty Station: Nairobi, Kenya Organizational Unit: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) Deadline for Application: 21 February 2003 RESPONSIBILITIES: Under the direction of the Director, Global Division, the Chief of the Training and Capacity Building Branch will be the principle advisor of the Executive Director on training and capacity building in the field of human settlements. The incumbent will formulate and up-date the capacity-building policy and strategy of the UN-HABITAT, incorporating capacity-building-related experiences and information, generated by the UN-HABITAT global programmes, substantive units and the Global Campaigns, into the normative work of UN-HABITAT and conceptualizing and preparing the Medium-Term Plan and Biennial Work Programme of the Branch. Under the programme management functions, the incumbent will provide managerial and substantive leadership of the work of the Branch; analyzing human settlements training needs and the support requirements of the training centres, with a view to promoting international cooperation in the training field; developing new concepts, techniques, policies and programmes for human settlement training of all key target groups; promoting, supporting and supervising development of innovative training tools and methodologies, and their national and local adaptations in all major regions; providing support to national capacity-building institutions and facilitating their collaboration with support organizations; promoting and supporting capacity-building for formulation and implementation of sustainable human settlements and shelter policies and strategies; supervising design and organization of regional and inter-regional expert-group meetings, training courses for trainers and high-policy seminars to promote new approaches, concepts and methods in human settlements capacity building; providing substantive guidance to professional staff and distributing the workload and responsibilities; mobilizing extra-budgetary funding to expand resources available for activities of the Branch, analyzing problems and difficulties encountered in the implementation of the work programme and taking or recommending remedial action. Under the coordination functions, the incumbent will ensure synergy between the Branch and other Branches of the Global Division in support of the capacity-building aspects of the Work Programme and of the Campaigns; cooperating with the Regional and Technical Cooperation Division on the provision of expert advice and support to member states and partners in the field of training and capacity building for sustainable human settlements and shelter development; establishing effective collaboration at the policy and working levels with national governments, regional commissions, and other UN organizations and specialized agencies and also local governments, non-governmental organizations and private sector in the design and delivery of the work programme; cooperation with the Research, Monitoring and Coordination Division on relevant capacity building aspects, and on incorporating of best practices and monitoring and research results into development of training materials and capacity-building activities. The incumbent will also be promoting substantive dialogue, networking and cooperation at regional, national and local levels between the supply and the demand side partners of human settlements capacity-building, including national capacity-building institutions, academic institutions, international and bilateral support agencies, national Governments, local authorities NGO's and other Habitat Agenda Partners, liaising with other United Nations agencies, inclusive of the Bretton-Woods institutions on matters related to building capacity for management and development of human settlements. The selected candidate will also represent UN-HABITAT and act as a facilitator in international seminars, expert meetings, symposia and courses dealing with human settlements training and institutional capacity building. CORE COMPETENCIES: The candidates should have demonstrated capabilities in all UN Core Competencies and Managerial Competencies. Of special importance among the Core Competencies are: Communication, Teamwork, Planning & Organizing and Client Orientation. Among the managerial Competencies are: Leadership, Vision, Empowering Others and Building Trust. QUALIFICATIONS EDUCATION: An advanced university degree, preferably PhD, in urban and/or Regional Planning, Urban Management, Urban Economics, Architecture, Civil Engineering and /or other disciplines related to human settlements. WORK EXPERIENCE: Minimum of fifteen years of substantive professional experience including at the senior level, in housing and urban policy development and other human settlements related areas, with special reference to developing and transitional countries - within that at least ten years of training and capacity-building experience. Minimum ten years of experience in the field of international co-operation. Experience should preferably include work at the city level, with bilateral support agencies, NGO's/CBOs, academic/training institutions, and the private sector. Proven capacity to motivate and manage senior and intermediate professional staff with different cultural backgrounds and sectoral qualifications and to conduct high-level international negotiations. LANGUAGES: Proficiency in written and spoken English is mandatory. Given the global nature of the post, working knowledge of other official United Nations languages will be considered an important asset. OTHER DESIRABLE SKILLS: Proven familiarity with the work and activities of the United Nations system in the area of human settlements. The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a Non-Smoking Environment. English and French are the two official working languages of the United Nations. ONLY applications to specific VAs will be considered, general applications should not be sent. How to apply There are two ways you can apply to vacancies available at the United Nations Human Resources Site. 1. Online - If you consider applying for the United Nations online now or in the future you have to register with us. 2. Offline - fax or mail paper application. Online 1. All internal and external applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as early as possible after the vacancy has been posted, and well before the deadline. All online applications will be acknowledged immediately, if an email address is provided. 2. To start the online application process, applicants will be required to register by opening a "My UN" account. Go to Login, and Register as a User. Fill in the form and choose a User Name and Password. 3. After opening the account, applicants may apply for vacancies using the Personal History Profile (PHP) provided. Once the PHP has been completed for a particular vacancy, it can be saved and used for future applications. The PHP may be modified as necessary for future applications. 4. In completing the PHP, please note that all fields marked with an asterisk must be completed. 5. For UN staff members, after submission of an application, they will receive an email reminding them to provide copies of their last two Performance Appraisal System evaluations to the appropriate office. These copies may be submitted by email, fax or regular mail with a clear indication of the vacancy announcement number. 6. Once an application has been submitted, it will be transmitted to the appropriate office for review. Offline 1. If applicants cannot submit an application online, they may send paper applications to the address, email or fax number indicated below before the deadline. Chief, Classification and Recruitment Section Human Resource Management Service United Nations Office at Nairobi, (UNON) P.O. Box 67578, Nairobi, Kenya Facsimile (254 2) 62 42 12/62 4134 , E-mail: recruitment@unon.org Applications must be submitted using the United Nations Personal History form (P-11). For online submission, please visit the website at: https://jobs.un.org/ The applications should indicate the vacancy announcement number on the application and on the envelope, email or fax. 2. Applicants may wish to retain copies of their completed P-11 form for use for future applications. 3. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of offline paper applications cannot be acknowledged individually. 4. UN staff members must attach copies of their last two Performance Appraisal System evaluations to their applications. PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED