Background

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the UN agency for human settlements. It 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. The Urban Economy Branch of UN-Habitat has the mandate to promote local capabilities of local go...

Responsibilities

The Consultant will undertake the following responsibilities:

• Research and data collection
• Conduct desk research and collect qualitative and quantitative data on housing, land, infrastructure, informal settlements, housing finance, and related topics in the selected locality.
• Review relevant policy documents, statistical sources, municipal plans, land records, academic papers, and grey literature.
• Develop and maintain a detailed housing stakeholder mapping (public, private, academic, and civil society).
• Design and implement semi-structured interviews and focus groups with key local actors.
• Draft brief interview protocols and produce detailed summaries of each stakeholder interaction.
• Stakeholder engagement and coordination
• Coordinate regularly with the municipal focal point, local stakeholders (including universities, CSOs, and technical departments), and the project team.
• Lead consultations and facilitate participation of community groups, housing associations, and other local actors.
• Organise and facilitate at least two local workshops (e.g., for data validation and policy debate).
• Analysis and report writing
• Prepare an annotated outline of the Local Housing Sector Profile based on agreed structure.
• Draft the full Housing Sector Profile report (approx. 40–50 pages + Executive Summary).
• Integrate feedback from stakeholders, city administration, and the project team into revised drafts.
• Draft a concise Local Housing Priority Paper (5–7 pages) highlighting the most urgent housing challenges and policy options.
• Participate in peer-review sessions to support or cross-check another city/municipality’s draft if requested by the project team.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (master’s or similar) in urban planning, public administration, economics, urban management, housing policy, architecture, sociology, or other fields related to sustainable urban development is required
• 2 years of relevant professional experience of experience in housing policy, urban development, or research at the local level is required
• Proven ability to lead research independently and produce high-quality written reports.
• Strong understanding of housing delivery systems, informality, land management, and local governance.
• Experience working with municipal authorities and local stakeholders.
• Excellent writing, facilitation, and presentation skills.

• Research and data collection
• Conduct desk research and collect qualitative and quantitative data on housing, land, infrastructure, informal settlements, housing finance, and related topics in the selected locality.
• Review relevant policy documents, statistical sources, municipal plans, land records, academic papers, and grey literature.
• Develop and maintain a detailed housing stakeholder mapping (public, private, academic, and civil society).
• Design and implement semi-structured interviews and focus groups with key local actors.
• Draft brief interview protocols and produce detailed summaries of each stakeholder interaction.
• Stakeholder engagement and coordination
• Coordinate regularly with the municipal focal point, local stakeholders (including universities, CSOs, and technical departments), and the project team.
• Lead consultations and facilitate participation of community groups, housing associations, and other local actors.
• Organise and facilitate at least two local workshops (e.g., for data validation and policy debate).
• Analysis and report writing
• Prepare an annotated outline of the Local Housing Sector Profile based on agreed structure.
• Draft the full Housing Sector Profile report (approx. 40–50 pages + Executive Summary).
• Integrate feedback from stakeholders, city administration, and the project team into revised drafts.
• Draft a concise Local Housing Priority Paper (5–7 pages) highlighting the most urgent housing challenges and policy options.
• Participate in peer-review sessions to support or cross-check another city/municipality’s draft if requested by the project team.

• Proven ability to lead research independently and produce high-quality written reports.
• Strong understanding of housing delivery systems, informality, land management, and local governance.
• Experience working with municipal authorities and local stakeholders.
• Excellent writing, facilitation, and presentation skills.

• Advanced university degree (master’s or similar) in urban planning, public administration, economics, urban management, housing policy, architecture, sociology, or other fields related to sustainable urban development is required
• 2 years of relevant professional experience of experience in housing policy, urban development, or research at the local level is required