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Urban Planning Associate
UNOPSUnited NationsProgrammeAssociateICA - LICA - Support - Regular
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Full Description
**Job Highlight**
This position offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to sustainable urban development in Ghana and to gain valuable experience in an international organization. The role provides exposure to diverse urban planning challenges and the chance to work with a dedicated team of professionals. It also offers opportunities for professional growth and development within the UN system.
**About the Region**
The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.
**About the Country/Multi-Country Office**
Based in Nairobi, UNOPS East and Southern Africa supports sustainable development across 14 countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe. Since 1995, UNOPS has expanded its footprint in Kenya, delivering services in project management, infrastructure, procurement, and financial management. Across the region, the office implements diverse, partner-funded initiatives that respond to national priorities. In Mozambique, this includes delivering specialized equipment (EU), supporting health services (UNICEF), promoting agro-processing (KOICA), and advancing peacebuilding efforts through a Multi-Donor Fund. UNOPS also supports agricultural input distribution and the Northern Crisis Recovery Project, both funded by the World Bank. In Malawi, efforts include developing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres in partnership with the EU and the British Council. These initiatives reflect UNOPS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities, enhancing service delivery, and supporting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.
**Job Specific Context**
Under the overall guidance of the Country Manager and the direct supervision of the Urban Planning and Resilience Specialist, the Urban Planning Associate will provide substantive support to the Smart SDG Cities Programme and the UN-Habitat work in Ghana under her/his field of specialization to achieve maximum impact.
The Urban Planning Associate will support the implementation of urban planning projects in the Country Office (CO) with a focus on developing spatial plans and maps, facilitating participatory workshops, and delivering targeted spatial analytics aligned with UN-Habitat work in Ghana.
The Ghana Smart SDG Cities Initiative accelerates the achievement of SDGs in cities through systematic processes of data collection and analysis; developing city development strategies that incorporate Smart SDG cities approaches; strengthening key local institutional capacities in areas of planning, governance, revenue and service delivery as key to promoting sustainable urban development; advancing the implementation of high impact local initiatives through supporting their preparation and financing; and over all providing awareness and education on smart SDG challenges and solution to the inhabitant particularly women, youth and persons with disability.
**Role Purpose**
The Urban Planning Associate will provide technical and administrative support to the Urban Planning and Resilience Specialist in the design, implementation, and monitoring of urban planning projects in Ghana. The Associate will assist in data collection, analysis, and report writing, as well as in coordinating stakeholder consultations and capacity-building activities. The role ensures that urban planning initiatives are aligned with UN-Habitat’s goals and objectives for sustainable urban development.
**Functions / Key Results Expected**
Summary of key functions:
• Ensures provision of consistent and high-quality urban planning and resilience support to Smart SDG Cities and other UN-Habitat programmes/projects in Ghana
• Supports data collection and analysis and drafting of reports with a focus on ensuring effective implementation of the Smart SDG Cities Programme and other related programmes/projects
• Supports knowledge building, management and capacity development relating to urban planning and resilience
1.Ensu
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