Work Remotely as an International Housing Expert at United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat): Make Imapct, Apply by 08 June 2025
International Housing Expert
Organization: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
Closing Date: 8 June 2025
Duty Station: Home Office and Prishtina/Pristina
Contract Type: Individual Contract (Consultancy Assignment – IC)
Duration: 60 working days between June 2025 and May 2026
Background
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the UN agency mandated by the General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable urban development, aiming to provide adequate shelter for all. Since 1999, UN-Habitat has supported Kosovo’s institutions in governance, spatial planning, and municipal administration. Through its Inclusive Development Programme (2016-2021+), the agency has enhanced municipal planning capacities, social cohesion, and inter-municipal cooperation, fostering inclusive development and good governance in northern Kosovo.
Currently, UN-Habitat is assisting the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (MESPI), particularly its Department of Planning, Construction, and Housing, in implementing the Social and Affordable Housing Support Programme for Kosovo. This initiative builds on a Feasibility Study on Adequate Social Housing conducted by UN-Habitat Kosovo.
Purpose of the Assignment
The International Housing Expert will provide specialized technical expertise to support the Social and Affordable Housing Support Programme. This role involves conducting activities based on the feasibility study and offering peer review, technical advice, and written recommendations on outputs produced by MESPI and related institutions. The expert will collaborate closely with the UN-Habitat Kosovo team, including the Programme/Task Manager, local experts, and other stakeholders.
Required Skills and Expertise
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Proficiency in drafting and interpreting housing legislation.
- Strong knowledge of housing policy, affordable housing finance schemes (including loans and regulations), housing rights, land management, housing construction, and relevant databases.
- Competence in data analysis and policy drafting.
- Experience working in post-conflict settings is advantageous.
Main Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Programme Manager/Task Manager, the International Housing Expert will:
- Review all relevant MESPI materials, including manuals, criteria, draft laws, and documents on Project Implementation Units (PIUs).
- Plan and facilitate technical workshops focused on municipal housing proposals, coordinating closely with UN-Habitat and MESPI.
- Provide technical advice on drafting by-laws related to social and affordable housing, including delivering written inputs and recommendations.
- Review and strengthen draft housing policies prepared by other experts.
- Perform additional duties related to housing and urban development as requested.
- Participate in consultative meetings with UN-Habitat and MESPI to ensure program alignment.
- Prepare and submit detailed mission reports.
Deliverables and Timeline
| Task | Activity | Deliverable | Location | Duration | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Review MESPI documents related to PMU/PIU | Written inputs and recommendations | Home office | 9 days | June 2025 |
| 1.2 | Plan and conduct housing workshops (number TBD) | Workshops conducted | Home office & Prishtina | 20 days | July–Sept 2025 |
| 1.3 | Provide advisory support on drafting by-laws | Written technical inputs submitted | Home office | 30 days | Sept 2025–May 2026 |
| 1.4 | Draft and submit final mission report | Final report submitted | Home office | 1 day | May 2026 |
Total consultancy: 60 working days.
Duty Station and Travel
The consultant will primarily work remotely from the home office, with three missions to Prishtina/Pristina. Travel expenses will be covered by the project.
Payment and Reporting
Fees will be paid in installments upon satisfactory completion of deliverables, based on approved timesheets. Payments correspond to actual days worked.
Competencies
- Professionalism: Mastery of subject matter, ability to conduct independent research, data collection, and analysis using diverse sources, efficiency in meeting deadlines.
- Teamwork: Collaborative, open to others’ ideas, prioritizes team goals, supports group decisions.
- Planning and Organizing: Sets clear goals, prioritizes tasks, manages resources and time effectively.
- Communication: Excellent written and oral skills, persuasive and clear communicator.
Qualifications and Experience
- Advanced university degree in urban management, architecture, planning, development studies, or related fields.
- Minimum 15 years’ professional experience developing housing program concepts and proposals, including project costs, timelines, and stakeholder responsibilities.
- Proven experience assessing legal and regulatory frameworks supporting social housing, including databases, registries, allocation criteria, and implementation capacities.
- Familiarity with housing finance, rent, loans, government debts, and international agreements with IFIs.
- Experience with social housing maintenance, spatial planning, gender, and housing rights.
- Experience in Kosovo and EU countries is desirable.
- Knowledge of good governance and public participation best practices related to housing policies.
- Familiarity with international housing declarations and social housing best practices.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in diverse teams.
- Computer literacy is essential.
- Proficiency in English is required; fluency in a local Kosovo language is an advantage.
Special Considerations
The candidate should be committed to UN-Habitat’s goals, demonstrate professionalism, accountability, flexibility, sensitivity to gender and vulnerable groups, and a willingness to work collaboratively and under pressure. Enthusiasm for continuous learning and knowledge sharing is expected.
Application Process
Interested candidates must submit the following by 8 June 2025 to [email protected], quoting the post title and duty station:
- Cover letter explaining suitability for the role.
- Completed CV in UN P11 format (available at: http://unhabitat-kosovo.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/p11_form.doc). Include past relevant project experience and at least three references.
- Financial proposal using the form at: http://unhabitat-kosovo.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Financial_proposal_IC.docx.
- Copies of diplomas and passport or national ID.
Note: UN-Habitat does not charge any fees during recruitment. Report suspicious solicitations to [email protected].
