Local Project Coordinator (UN-Habitat)

Organizational Location: UN-Habitat, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP)
Duty Station: Home-based in Quang Nam or Da Nang, Viet Nam
Functional Title: Local Project Coordinator
Contract Type: UNOPS Local Individual Contract Agreement (LICA)
Level/ Sublevel: Level 6 Sublevel 1
Duration: 73 working days from 1 June – 31 December 2023 (intermittent) To be extended subject to performance and budget availability
Payment: Lumpsum payment

INTRODUCTION TO THE UN-HABITAT

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. Our vision is cities without slums that are livable places for all, which do not pollute the environment or deplete precious natural resources.

At the dawn of a new urban era, with most of humanity now living in cities, the UN-Habitat is at the frontline of the battle against urban poverty and environmental degradation. The efforts of UNHabitat in more than 90 countries focus on addressing problems in humanitarian and crises, supporting national governments, local authorities and civil society to strengthen their resilience and capacity to mitigate, manage and recover from human-made and natural disasters. Being present in Vietnam since 2007, UN-Habitat’s activities focus on improving urban planning, providing cities with greater access to financial resources, disaster mitigation and reconstruction programmes, and promoting the development of green cities to tackle climate change. These activities range from technical assistance and collaborative action to policy advice, to leave no one and no place behind.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Vietnam is recognised as one of the most dynamic emerging countries in the East Asia region with impressive development aspirations in a greener, and more inclusive way. However, the country faces several challenges along its path, including environmental change, an ageing population, the rise of automation and digitalisation, and rapid urbanisation. Amid the development challenges, UNHabitat’s project “Promoting youth and community innovation for city sustainable development” (hereinafter referred to as “project”) was developed to support cities in Vietnam, particularly Hoi An and Tam Ky in Quang Nam, improve quality of life for their urban citizens through community and youth-led innovation.

Funded by Fondation Botnar, the project is implemented for 3 years, from December 2022 to December 2025, with 3 outcomes:

Outcome 1: Creative Hub model introduced and capacitated to mobilize youth and community participation and innovation for sustainable, inclusive, resilient and safe city development.
Outcome 2: Pilot projects implemented contributing to the introduction of innovative approaches, promoting cross-sectoral strategic coordination and participatory community development.
Outcome 3: Policy and legal guidelines to promote participative and creative urban solutions strengthened and disseminated.

UN-Habitat is seeking a Local project coordinator to facilitate the implementation of project activities at the local level.

OBJECTIVES

Under the direct management of the Habitat Programme Manager (HPM)/Officer in Charge (OiC) in Viet Nam, supervision and guidance of the Project Manager/Programme Associate, in collaboration with the project team at the Vietnam Country Office (Hanoi), the Local Project Coordinator will be responsible for liaising and coordinating with local partners/stakeholders, including local government and community groups to ensure the effective implementation of project activities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The following specific responsibilities are included in this consultancy:

Work closely with the HPM/OiC, Project Manager and the project team in all aspects of project implementation at the local level. This may include providing inputs for the annual work plan, developing Terms of References (TOR) and concept notes for events, working with relevant staff and stakeholders to implement project activities at the local level, monitoring and reporting on progress, and preparing post-event reports;
Act as UN-Habitat focal point at the local level, regularly update the project team on related issues (e.g., changes in local political, social-economic context, emergencies, diseases and pandemics, natural disasters, etc.) that might affect the project planning and implementation and provide project partners with information regarding the project;
Undertake, coordinate and facilitate the day-to-day operations of the project at the local level, guided by the project document, work plans and budget; ensure the timeline of project activities is adhering to the work plans;
Identify local stakeholders to engage and participate in the project activities;
Lead the organization and structuring of project events at the local level, including inception workshop, capacity-building events, seminars, etc.;
Provide inputs for the development of the project’s communication and visibility strategy, as well as the project’s knowledge products, taking into account the local audience.
Perform other related tasks as may be necessary to ensure the success of the project implementation.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Professionalism: Good knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts, and approaches relevant to climate change and urban management. Practical knowledge and working experience with urban development issues. Ability to observe deadlines and achieve set goals. Ability to work and deliver outputs under pressure.
Communication: Good written and oral presentation skills in English. Good presentation skills. Ability to communicate and discuss complex issues in clear language and convincing narratives.
Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with team members and colleagues to achieve agreed goals.
Planning and Organizing: Ability to prioritize activities and assignments and to easily switch between different projects.
Creativity: Strong conceptual thinking. Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches, takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”, and offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs. Being able to develop clear plans in contexts with limited information and datasets.
Management: Ability to manage smaller project teams, divide the workload, and sustain efficiency.
Commitment: Show a strong commitment and passion to work for sustainable urban development in Vietnam.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Minimum bachelor’s degree in urban management and planning, development studies, governance/political science or a relevant field would be considered an asset.
Work Experience: Minimum 04 years of relevant work experience in the relevant field of urban management and planning, environmental, social, and cultural development. Experience working with international organizations, including UN agencies is an asset; experience working with UN-Habitat is preferable.
Technical Knowledge:
Experiences in providing coordination support for project activities with multi-stakeholders, particularly with local government, community and youth;
Experiences in facilitating and organizing events;
Has engaged with international development partners, national and local government authorities;
Good understanding of the current and emerging youth- and gender-related issues, agreements, and trends in Vietnam
General knowledge and understanding of sustainable development, the United Nation’s sustainable development goals, and progress is a plus;
Mature approach, good communication skills, interpersonal management

Language Skills: For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English and Vietnamese is required.

HOW TO APPLY

The application should comprise: - Completed UN Personal History Form (P11). Please download the form (MS-Word) from UN-Habitat/ROAP-vacancy website: - A Statement of Interest and suitability (a cover letter) for the position

All applications should be submitted to: UN-Habitat Vietnam Office To: unhabitat.vietnam@gmail.com

Please indicate the Post Title: “Local Project Coordinator (Botnar)” in your e-mail subject

Please note that applications received after the closing date stated below, will not be given consideration. Only short-listed candidates whose applications respond to the above criteria will be contacted for an interview. The fee will be determined according to the selected candidate's qualifications, skills, and relevant experience. In line with UN-Habitat policy on gender equity, applications from female candidates will be particularly welcome. UN-Habitat regrets its inability to reply individually or attend to telephone queries on the advertised posts.