Eligible Applicants This position is advertised open to Group 1, Group 2, if applicable, and external applicants. Procedures and Eligibility Interested applicants should consult the Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS). Duties and Qualifications Senior Settlement Planning Associate
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Settlement Planning Associate works under the overall supervision of a more senior settlement planning colleague, Technical Coordinator, Programme Officer or the Head of Office and normally supervises some support staff. S/he works in coordination with other colleagues in the field, in particular working in protection, health, community services, water and sanitation. In addition to settlement planning, the incumbent may also assist with the functions in the areas of shelter, infrastructure, site selection and construction management support. The incumbent acts as focal point for maintaining effective coordination with any established settlement / shelter sector working group at her / his particular level. In addition, s/he is responsible for monitoring the implementation of settlement planning activities, and for collaboration with Administration, Finance and Programme on all programmatic issues within the Area of Responsibility (AoR). S/he shall be working closely with other sections on settlement and general infrastructure related activities and provides functional technical support to the team as well as to the technical experts in the Field.
The Senior Settlement Planning Associate provides support to the more senior settlement planning colleagues in emergency and protracted operations in designing and developing sustainable settlements to host people of concern (POC) to UNHCR. A settlement should take into consideration the risks associated with settlement locations, spatial allocation of functions while addressing the needs of the population, the availability of resources, the amelioration of living conditions, the provision of services, enhancing transportation networks as well as recreational spaces.
The incumbent will therefore be expected to provide support to the more senior settlement planning colleagues in analysing the variety of settlement options urban, rural, formal or informal and ensure that spatial allocation of lands is decided in support of the protection, access to basic services, livelihoods and socio-cultural life of displaced people and the host community. The incumbent will also assist in negotiations with national and local government authorities regarding land acquisition and site development works.
The Senior Settlement Planning Associate provides support in co-ordination and construction related activities within the AoR in accordance with UNHCR policies and priorities and maintains contacts with the local officials and implementing partners to discuss and share information on the assessment of infrastructure conditions in refugee-hosting areas.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
Technical Guidance
– Assist in conducting assessments and selection of potential sites in accordance with the Master Plan approach to settlement planning taking into consideration protection concerns, promoting the integration of agreed priority cross-cutting issues (e.g. age, environment, gender, and human rights), national legislation, environmental considerations and access to basic services.
– Provide support and work with all functional units in UNHCR and relevant technical actors in carrying out needs assessments, analysis and joint inter-sector needs assessment exercises as appropriate, prioritize results accordingly and feed them into the Master Planning Process and Settlement Planning Strategy.
– Assist in the development of settlement layouts that respond to natural topography and drainage patterns of the site to reduce construction and maintenance costs.
– Coordinate and assist in scheduling and follow up of plot demarcation, allocation for potential shelters (RHUs, family tents and other shelter solutions), and other infrastructure according to the settlement plans.
– Directly follow up and support the implementation of the settlement masterplan. Prepare bid documents, drawings, BOQs, Work Schedules and Technical Specifications for settlement planning activities.
– Monitor regularly the settlement and infrastructure works so these are implemented according to plans and completed within designated timelines and budget. Ensure that technical components reflect local government and UNHCR minimum standards focussing on quality and output.
– Prepare regular reports as necessary to be shared with the supervisor.
Coordination
– Provide support in ensuring that UNHCR¿s operation within the AoR is technically sound in the field of settlement planning to best meet the needs of POC.
– Work with relevant authorities and government counterparts to support strong coordination of settlement planning activities within the AoR.
– Assist the supervisor in developing settlement plans that are aligned with regional, national land use plans and planned developments.
– Assist the supervisor in the process of site selection and land negotiations with the local government, local community leaders and the landlords for the settlements within the AOR.
– Provide inputs for periodic updates on the Masterplan taking note of the changes, new developments and expansion in the settlement.
– Provide support to implementing and operational partners to ensure the use of common standards and tools for information collection and data management.
Collaboration
– In coordination with relevant focal persons and technical colleagues, provide support in carrying out appropriate assessments and mapping exercises such as environmental impact assessment, useable land area assessment, mapping of services, mapping of host communities, livelihood assessments, etc.
– Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G7 – 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education
Not applicable;
Certificates and/or Licenses
Architecture; Surveying; Urban Planning,
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Prior experience of implementing settlement projects in humanitarian context and emergencies, assisting in liaison with operational partner¿s and governmental technical departments. Previous involvement in implementation processes (including the development of bills of quantities, analysis of local capacity and local markets, cost estimations etc.). Knowledge of shelter technical guidelines and rules for adequate orientation, ventilation, flood and natural disaster prone areas. Knowledge of policy on alternatives to camps and master plan concept, including project life cycle analysis approach. Knowledge of a range of physical planning assistance options, including sensitivity to cultural and gender specific needs to ensure that the social and cultural background of the refugees is taken into account while designing and developing camps/shelter options.
Desirable
Work experience with local contractors.
Functional Skills
*SP-Autocad for Settlement Planning
DM-ArcGIS (Geographic Information System)
IT-Computer Literacy
PG-Stakeholder management and coordination with Implementing Partners (Gov/NGO/Corporate)
SP-Design tools such as Global Positioning System (GPS)
SP-Shelter and Site Planning Technical Guidelines and Standards
UN-Analysis of geo-political realities and their socio-cultural implications
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.
Language Requirements Good knowledge of French and working knowledge in English
knowledge of local language is an asset. Additional Information Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).
Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an evaluation. In case a written test is required, shortlisted candidates will be inform if the test is eliminatory or complementary.
The post of Senior Associate CCCM responsibilities. In the Far North people fleeing the conflict are hosted in over 70 sites or in communities where basic amenities are lacking and jobs, water and agricultural land are scarce. Some of these sites see the cohabitation of IDPs and refugees and did not received any type of assistance since more than one year. Several departments record no camp coordination and only few arrondissements see UNHCR and authorities co-facilitating the assistance provision.
In this regard a position has been created to (1) boost the internal-organizational learning on CCCM operational activities in IDP contexts, (2) guide operations to address critical gaps in the key field of operations where examples can be applied and shared, (3) Conceiving and promoting a sustainable CCCM Coordination strategy on the short, medium and long term,(4) Capacity building for partners on CCCM scope, mandate and application while transferring capacity to local authorities, (5) With the support of CCCM partners profiling IDPs sites and establishing IM tools to track the response in a coherent way.
The Senior Associate Settlement Planning Officer will be based in Maroua in the Far North where he/she will be responsible for CCCM sector for 70% of his/her time. The incumbent will work jointly with the Associate Information Management Officer also based in Maroua and with the Shelter Cluster Coordination Officer based in Yaounde for 30% of the working hours on common CCCM/Shelter issues.
Living and Working Conditions (up to 2,500 characters)
As per the IASC guidelines, in Cameroon UNHCR is leading the humanitarian coordination for the shelter sector at national and regional level. The clusters have only been activated in the North West/South West regions while in the Far North and at the national level, UNHCR leads coordination through a sectorial approach (including government co-lead in some instances). In 2020, Cameroon remained the most affected country by the conflict in the Lake Chad Basin, after Nigeria. The Far North region has seen a sharp upsurge in violence. Ongoing hostilities have forcibly displaced a total of 559,699 individuals (OCHA/UNHCR -October 2020) including 114,496 Nigerian refugees, 321,886 internally displaced people and 123,489 IDP returnees. The affected population is regularly subjected to armed attacks, kidnappings, including kidnapping of children, looting and destruction of property and infrastructure. Protection risks are often different, depending on gender, age and diversity. Security threats also include arbitrary arrests, forced recruitment and physical violence, primarily affecting men and boys. Girls and women remain particularly vulnerable to violence including sexual and gender-based violence (hereafter GBV) due to the combined effect of pre-existing cultural and traditional discriminatory norms and practices, gender discrimination and socio-economic vulnerability caused by the crisis. Security threats are exacerbated during the heavy rainy season that limits movement of law enforcement forces and road access in many areas in the Far North Region.¿
Duration of Appointment One-year Fixed-term Appointment. Closing Date Closing date for submissions of applications is 20th July 2022