Associate Settlement Planning Officer job at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) | Apply Now

Key aspects of the role include:

• Supporting settlement and infrastructure planning and development in urban, rural, formal, and informal settings.

• Ensuring that spatial allocations within settlements prioritize protection, access to services, livelihoods, and social integration.

• Assisting in negotiations with authorities for land acquisition and site development.

• Regularly assessing infrastructure conditions in refugee-hosting areas and coordinating with local officials and partners to optimize resource allocation.

Responsibilities:

Technical Guidance

• Conduct assessments, analysis and joint inter-sector needs assessment exercises as appropriate, and provide support in selection of potential sites in accordance with the Master Plan approach to settlement planning taking into consideration protection concerns, national legislation, environmental considerations, appropriate density, and access to basic services including water, hydrological concerns, socio/economic issues, and cultural inclusion and HLP matters.

• Develop settlement layouts that respond to natural topography and drainage patterns of the site to reduce construction and maintenance costs.

• Work with the relevant technical, programme and supply colleagues in close coordination with implementing and other concerned parties to develop implementation modalities and work plans for the settlement plans. Provide technical inputs and advice to Programme in the process of Implementation Partner Selection and review of PPAs of all sector related partners and partners with construction related activities in their budget.

• Provide support in Preparedness through the provision of technical inputs in the development of contingency plans for population movements. Provide support in developing and updating agreed response strategies (MPAs and APAs) for refugee sites, including transition/exit strategy for site consolidation and closures within the AOR.

• In close consultation with partners, conduct assessments, provide concrete initiatives and develop specific strategies to make sure that residential areas, key services and infrastructure are not susceptible to the risk of natural hazards such as flash floods and landslides.

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.

• Liaise with relevant authorities and government counterparts to ensure strong coordination and partnership. Develop settlement plans that are aligned with regional, national land use plans and planned developments.

• Provide support in the process of site selection and land negotiations with the national government, local government, local community leaders and the landlords for the settlements within the AOR. In doing this, ensure that the risk of conflict linked to land tenure is addressed and mitigated while continuing to pursue actions that increase the security of tenure for displaced populations.

• Develop and implement Settlement plans in a consultative process with Senior Management, relevant technical colleagues, implementing partners, and other relevant stakeholders. Maintain, support or complement existing coordination mechanisms.

• Develop Settlement Master Plans in alignment with the UNHCR guiding principles of the Master Plan Approach to Settlement Planning. Ensure periodic updates on the Masterplan taking note of the expansion and densification of the settlement and develop plans for any settlement extensions.

• Work together with implementing and operational partners to ensure the use of common standards and tools for information collection and data management, including in needs assessments and monitoring.

• Support and provide inputs in advocating for the mobilization of resources, where applicable. Identify core advocacy concerns for the sector and contribute key messages to the broader multi-sectoral advocacy initiatives including coordinated inputs into donor proposals and multi-agency appeals.

• Provide support to risk management, utilising adequate project management tools and conducting regular monitoring of settlement and infrastructure works so these are implemented according to plans and completed within designated timelines and budget, and ensure that this information is captured in the global monitoring and evaluation framework.

Collaboration

• Collaborate and coordinate with all functional units in UNHCR and relevant technical actors in the feasibility and technical assessments, planning and development of sites, including protection, environment, health, education, water and sanitation.

• In coordination with relevant focal persons and technical colleagues, carry 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.

• Promote the integration of agreed priority cross-cutting issues (e.g. age, environment, gender, and human rights) in sector/inter-sector needs assessments, analysis, planning and monitoring.

• Work to support active participation of communities and promotion of community-based approaches in the planning and implementation of settlement and masterplan activities.

• Develop adequate reports and share information, both within the settlement planning stakeholders and with other sectors through inter-sector communication channels. Work on the reporting and monitoring through the provision of 4W, SIP and site monitoring information.

• Promote and ensure the accountability to affected populations and the identification of durable solutions that also promote peaceful co/existence with the host communities.

• Provide equitable access to basic services for both the displaced and host communities while making emphasis on meaningful inclusion of the site community groups (women, youth, elderly and persons with specific needs) in decision-making processes including through governance structures and sectorial focal points.

• Maintain a strong collaboration with the Shelter and Settlements Section in HQ.

• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).

• Perform other related duties as required.