ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION: UN-HABITAT
DUTY STATION: Nairobi
FUNCTIONAL TITLE: Project Officer (Youth Research and Analysis)
GRADE: P4
POST DURATION: 364 days from start date
CLOSING DATE: 2 June 2011
BACKGROUND
Since Habitat II, UN-Habitat has been committed to promoting the participation of young people as
partners in implementing the Habitat Agenda and the achievement of the MDGs. At the 20th Governing
Council in 2005, the Strategy for Enhanced Engagement with Youth was adopted and has provided a
framework for designing and implementing a Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP) through
subsequent years. Through the support from the Government of Norway and the institutional commitment
of UN-HABITAT, a number of member states have expressed interest and continued support for the
youth program.
The issues facing urban youth globally have been virtually unknown and misunderstood until championed
by UN-HABITAT. This has presented a significant challenge to UN-HABITAT and to the development of
programmes globally. In spite of this, these programmes have advanced UN-HABITAT’s programmatic
and normative goals through creation of pilot projects that have both improved the lives of thousands of
poor urban youth, while at the same time being best practices that local and national governments have
begun to adopt.
For example, the Opportunities Fund launched in 2008, has attracted interest from a number of UN
agencies, international institutions and youth-focused programmes that wish to explore partnership
relations with the fund. Stemming from this has been the establishment of a Global Youth Help Desk, an
interactive portal that engages youth, youth-led agencies, researcher and policy makers in a dialogue on
youth in urban development. Parallel to this the Urban Youth Research Network has enabled
consolidation in knowledge management and dissemination of urban youth issues.
Building on the on the successes achieved thus far and taking into account the recommendations of the
Urban Youth Programme external evaluation which identified the urgent need to expand staffing in the
youth program, with a specific focus on managing and further developing the research program,
developing and managing a monitoring and evaluation activities, and supporting the implementation of
the youth fund.
Activities to be undertaken to achieve these goals are outlined in the following sections.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the general supervision of the Chief, Partners and Youth Branch/Youth Programme, the incumbent
is responsible for development and management of:
Urban Youth Research The evaluation of UN-HABITAT’s youth empowerment program identifies the
need to expand the normative work of UN-HABITAT’s youth work. In order to do this there needs to be an
expansion of capacity in staffing with relevant research so as to better enable the seamless
transformation of experience from the operational work to the normative work. The specific capacities
required are in the area of research and youth policy.
A key component of UN-HABITAT’s youth research program is the engagement of its partners in the
academic and civil society sector through the Urban Youth Research Network (UYRN), and the
dissemination of the knowledge generated there. The incumbent will be tasked with the management of
the network, assuring it works effectively and efficiently and advances global knowledge on urban youth.
The incumbent is also expected to bring in more south-based research institutions in the UYRN.
Another key component of the network is to assure that the normative work is based on current research
to support urban youth. The incumbent will be required to support UN-HABITAT and the Norwegian
government at key policy forums such as the proposed Youth 21 meeting in Oslo mandated by the recent
Governing Council Resolution.
Activities that will be undertaken by the incumbent will be:
Management of the Urban Youth Research Network
• Formalize the architecture of the UYRN:
o membership, assuring strong Southern institution representation
o communication structures + timeline and research program
• Develop the online research architecture of the Global Youth Help Desk (GYHD) platform to
enable sharing of data, research and policy
• Manage the current, and the development of new, research activities through both management
of current research projects, and refereeing of proposed research projects
• Plan and implement a UYRN meeting focused on operationalizing the network during 2nd or 3rd
quarter of 2011. Assure key agencies such as the World Bank, Cities Alliance and Southern
research agencies are represented and engaged as members.
Assist the Director in managing the research and publication of UN-Habitat flagship reports such as the
State of the Urban Youth and Global Human Settlement Report.
Develop partnerships with other research agencies, especially in the South, with a focus on supporting
and expanding urban youth research
• Assist the director in the development and fundraising for current and new programs
Outputs
Urban Youth Research Network operational, with meeting held at either the UN-HABITAT HQ or in
Norway during 3rd or 4th quarter of 2011.
Research architecture launched for the GYHD, including a secure site for the UYRN to share data and
research.
Urban youth research represented in the State of Urban Youth Report and Global Human Settlements
Report
o Establish new research partnerships, majority from the South;
Monitoring and Evaluation The recent evaluation of UN-HABITAT’s youth empowerment programme
suggests the need to expand the monitoring and evaluation capacity of the Youth Branch. In order to do
this there needs to be increased capacity in staffing, with specific skills in research, monitoring and
evaluation and with a background from youth-related research.
This is especially important to assure the success of the Urban Youth Fund. A proper M&E framework,
following result-based management principles, will provide both important information support that will
improve the working of the Fund, as well as provide data in regards to urban youth for policy makers,
researchers and UN-HABITAT.
Activities that will be undertaken by the incumbent will be to manage the development of the M&E
framework. Specific activities will be to:
Work with UN-HABITAT staff to streamline application forms and other data-gathering instruments like
midterm and final reports from funded Urban Youth Fund projects to ensure consistency and
complementarity between the data-gathering and measurement/assessment processes.
Manage the development of a performance monitoring process for the Fund that will detail how each
indicator in the LFA will be measured, by whom, and the schedule of reporting.
Manage P&Y staff on the monitoring of the Urban Youth Fund, from inception to the end of 2012.
Outputs
• Data-gathering and performance monitoring instruments for Fund applicants/recipients created
and disseminated o Establishment of baseline data to be used in monitoring and evaluation to
demonstrate impact of Fund on youth and community.
• M&E coordination and evaluation with P&Y staff for Urban Youth Fund 2009-2010, 2011-2012.
o Urban Youth Fund the Fund is near the stage in which it can demonstrate proven success in
affecting positive change for youth and their communities. Because of this the fund can be
expanded both in scope and impact through engaging new donors, and using the Fund and
other UN-HABITAT youth programmes as a platform to affect broader change both within the
UN system and globally.
Activities that will be undertaken by the incumbent will be to manage UN-Habitat staff in UYF activities.
These include:
• Consolidate an Urban Youth Fund communications strategy Currently the P&Y branch has a
range of communications tools that it uses to engage staff internally in UN-HABITAT, with other
UN and international agencies, and externally with other interested parties. Communications
vehicles are through social media (Facebook, Twitter), an e-newsletter, email and print. The
incumbent will work with staff to create a communications work plan that will include a unified
message, design, and dissemination plan. The incumbent will work with staff and interns to
implement the communications strategy, assuring that social media is updated, and produce a
quarterly e-newsletter.
• UN Youth Programme UN-HABITAT has been one of the leading UN agencies in regards to
youth since its inception. Because of this, and its more intensive work on urban youth issues for
the past 6 years, the agency is well placed to share and build upon its expertise and successes in
the area of urban youth in partnership with other United Nations as encouraged by resolution
HSP/GC/23/CRP.8/Rev.1. This position will be tasked to explore the possibility of enhancing the
substantial involvement of young people in sustainable urban development through convening an
expert groups meeting bringing together those substantively involved in urban and youth issues.
Outputs
• Operationalized communications activities, including i.a. o Standardized communications
materials o Quarterly e-newsletter o Operational social media + Facebook – 10,000 friends to
18,000 + Twitter – 500 to 1500 + Integration with the Global Youth Helpdesk and Urban Gateway.
• An expert group meeting on urban youth and the UN * Expert Group meeting/s on Youth and UNHABITAT’s
work related to Urban Planning, Legislation and Institutional reforms and Urban
Economy including Job Creation.
• Assist the director in the development and fundraising for the Fund
COMPETENCIES
Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of youth development and youth research, standards and
practice, with particular emphasis on youth mainstreaming in technical cooperation, land and housing,
water and sanitation, youth and local governance; knowledge of the work of the United Nations related to
youth mainstreaming and youth-led development. Knowledge and practical application of theories and
concepts related to human settlements development and urban development policy especially with
respect to youth issues including ability to use approaches and techniques from both research and
operational practices to address difficult problems.
Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies
priority activities and assignments; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing
work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions
as necessary.
Leadership: Proven track record of excellent management and technical leadership skills and ability to
delegate appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Demonstrated flexibility
in leadership by performing and/or overseeing change initiatives, including the analysis of complex
human resources, budgetary, financial or administrative management policy and programmatic issues.
Demonstrated ability to provide leadership and take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives
into substantive work; commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing.
Communication Excellent drafting ability and communication skills, both oral and written; ability to defend
and explain difficult issues with respect to key decisions and positions to staff, senior officials and
members of intergovernmental bodies; Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; demonstrates openness
in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Client Orientation Considers all those to whom services are provided to be ‘clients’ and seeks to see
things from clients’ point of view; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients informed
of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or above) in sociology, economics, law, gender
and development, urban planning, management and other social science or related field.
QUALIFICATIONS
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience involving social/economic development,
research and policy analysis, including in designing, conducting and publishing of studies on youth issues
at the international level is required. Capacity building and training in youth development is desirable.
Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post
advertised, fluency in spoken and written English is required. Working knowledge of another UN official
language will be an advantage.
Other skills
The candidate will have published research and policy reports on urban youth.
Remuneration
See UN website http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/index.html
All applications in electronic format, including covering letter, should be submitted to:
Mr. Jon-Adreas Solberg
UN-Habitat P.O. Box 30030 Nairobi, Kenya
Email: jon-andreas.solberg@unhabitat.org
Fax: + 254 20 7624588
For the United Nations standard Personnel History Form (PHP or P11) - please download the form (MSWord)
UN Personal History Form (P11) from Vacancy web site http://www.unon.org/vac.php
Deadline for applications: 2 June, 2011
Miller, Tom and Van Vliet, Willem. Evaluation of UN-Habitat Youth Empowerment Programme 2011
HSP/GC/23/CRP.8 Rev.1