International Urban Resilience and Project Development

Result of Service

The contractor will contribute to the work of the secretariat by: • Output 1.1: 1 strategic urban resilience and spatial development assessment of Podgorica, including analysis of the city’s spatial structure, urban development trends, resilience challenges and opportunities, identification of priority resilience investment areas, and recommendations to support the preparation of the Podgorica Master Plan. • Output 2.1: 1 strategic technical inputs and recommendations prepared for the Podgorica Master Plan, including urban resilience analysis, spatial development considerations, investment prioritization criteria, implementation recommendations and guidance on integrating resilience principles into the Master Plan vision, objectives and proposed development scenarios. • Output 3.1: 2 urban resilience investment projects developed, including project rationale, objectives, expected impacts, implementation arrangements, spatial components, financing options and preliminary financing pre-feasibility assessments, aligned with the requirements of international financial institutions and development partners. • Output 4.1: Capacity development and training activities delivered to the Podgorica Capital City and relevant stakeholders on urban resilience, sustainable urban development, investment planning and project preparation, including training materials, workshop contributions and recommendations for strengthening institutional capacities. • Output 5.1: Strategic technical assistance and on-the-job mentoring provided to the Spatial and Urban Development Agency of Georgia (SUDA), including technical advice on strategic and spatial planning, planning methodologies, institutional development, international good practices and support to the preparation and implementation of national and local spatial planning documents. • Output 5.2: Capacity development and knowledge exchange activities delivered for the Spatial and Urban Development Agency of Georgia (SUDA) and relevant national and local government institutions, including technical workshops, training materials, practical guidance and recommendations to strengthen institutional capacities, support the development and implementation of Georgia's Urban Design Guidelines, and promote the application of international good practices in strategic and spatial planning.

Work Location

Home Country

Expected duration

8 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Project Description: The world is facing a series of interconnected crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, natural disasters, and conflicts, which collectively form the "triple planetary crisis." These crises have severe socio-economic impacts on cities, particularly vulnerable communities, and hinder progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Local governments are facing fiscal constraints, making it challenging to build urban resilience and access funds for response and recovery plans. The project aims to address these challenges by strengthening the capacity of selected cities to design and implement inclusive and resilient economic and financial responses to crises. This project builds upon a previous initiative that developed knowledge resources and action plans for 16 pilot cities worldwide. The new project will support five pilot cities from different regions, focusing on implementing existing action plans to address the triple planetary crisis and accessing financing for sustainable urban responses. The project will enhance the cities' capacity to engage with donors and international financial institutions, resulting in concrete projects and programs supporting urban resilience. By the project's end, the target cities are expected to have the capacity to prepare project pipelines and engage directly with financial institutions. Activities will include capacity-building, identification of financing sources for the cities’ projects and support with those projects' development. It also emphasizes continued support and knowledge exchange among the pilot cities globally. The project will be implemented by the United Nations Regional Economic Commissions, in collaboration with UN-HABITAT CRGP as well as with UN DESA, UNCDF, and UN resident coordinators' offices. In addition, the Geneva Cities Hub, an international NGO in Geneva, Switzerland, will be engaged in the project activities. Its goal is to strengthen the economic and financial capacity of cities to mitigate, recover, and transform towards sustainability in the face of shocks and stresses caused by the triple planetary crisis. The consultant will also support the implementation of the UNECE–SUDA Capacity Development Cooperation Programme (2026–2027), providing international technical expertise, on-the-job mentoring and capacity development to strengthen strategic and spatial planning capacities, support institutional development, promote international good practices and contribute to the preparation of national guidance and planning methodologies in Georgia. Project Objectives: Support UNECE and the Capital City of Podgorica in integrating urban economic resilience principles into strategic urban development processes, identifying priority resilience investments, and developing a pipeline of bankable projects capable of attracting financing from international financial institutions, development banks and donors. Under the supervision of the Regional Adviser (Project Manager), the contractor will support the project “Urban economic resilience for inclusive response and recovery from crises” (UNDA 16) Specific tasks: Strategic Urban Resilience Analysis • Review and synthesize existing planning, resilience, climate, infrastructure and development strategies relevant to Podgorica and its functional urban area. • Identify strategic urban resilience challenges, opportunities and investment priorities linked to economic, environmental and social resilience. • Advise UNECE and the Capital City on the integration of resilience principles into the emerging Podgorica Master Plan. Resilience Project Identification and Prioritization • Facilitate the identification and prioritization of resilience investments with municipal departments and key stakeholders. • Develop a resilience investment framework that links urban development priorities with potential financing opportunities. • Support the preparation and facilitation of stakeholder consultations, expert meetings and workshops. Project Development and Bankability • Lead the conceptualization of at least two priority urban resilience projects. • Develop project concept notes consistent with international financing institution requirements. • Define project rationale, expected impacts, implementation arrangements, financing needs and investment readiness requirements. • Assess technical, institutional, environmental, social and financial considerations relevant to project preparation. Capacity Development • Deliver technical inputs during workshops and expert group meetings. • Transfer international good practices on urban resilience, project preparation and innovative urban financing. • Support peer learning and exchange with other pilot cities participating in the UNDA project. Strategic Capacity Development Support to SUDA • Provide strategic technical advice and on-the-job mentoring to the Spatial and Urban Development Agency of Georgia (SUDA) on strategic and spatial planning, institutional development and urban development practices. • Support the preparation and delivery of technical workshops, capacity development activities and knowledge exchange initiatives for national and local government institutions in Georgia. • Provide international good practices and technical guidance for the preparation of planning methodologies, urban development frameworks and national planning guidance, including support to the preparation of Georgia's Urban Design Guidelines where appropriate. • Contribute to strengthening SUDA's institutional capacities through practical knowledge transfer, technical advice and collaboration with national counterparts. The consultant will be responsible for the following outputs related to the project, under the project outcomes: Outcome 1: Enhanced understanding of Podgorica’s urban resilience priorities, investment needs and opportunities for sustainable urban development. • Output 1.1: Strategic urban resilience and investment assessment prepared, including analysis of existing planning, resilience, infrastructure and development frameworks, identification of priority resilience challenges and opportunities, and recommendations for integrating resilience and investment considerations into urban development processes.. Related activities: o Review and synthesize existing legislative, strategic, spatial planning, climate resilience, infrastructure and urban development frameworks relevant to Podgorica and its functional urban area; o Assess key urban resilience challenges and opportunities affecting Podgorica, including economic, environmental, climate, infrastructure, demographic and governance dimensions; o Identify priority urban resilience investment areas that can contribute to sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient urban development; o Review international good practices and relevant experiences from comparable cities to inform resilience planning and investment prioritization; o Prepare a strategic assessment report summarizing resilience priorities, investment opportunities and recommendations for integration into the Master Plan and future project development activities; o Coordinate with the Podgorica Capital City departments, Urban Resilience Coordinator and UNECE to validate findings and ensure alignment with city priorities and project objectives. Outcome 2: Improved capacity of the Podgorica Capital City to integrate urban resilience principles and investment priorities into the Master Plan and strategic development processes. Output 2.1: Strategic recommendations and resilience integration framework delivered, including planning guidance, resilience principles, investment prioritization criteria and implementation recommendations prepared in coordination with the Capital City and UNECE. Related activities: o Provide technical advice on the integration of urban resilience, climate adaptation, economic resilience and sustainability principles into the Master Plan; o Develop strategic planning recommendations and resilience criteria to support decision-making and prioritization of investments; o Prepare technical inputs outlining how resilience considerations can be reflected in urban development scenarios and long-term planning approaches; o Support the preparation and facilitation of stakeholder consultations, workshops and expert discussions organized by UNECE; o Provide international expertise and good practices on resilient urban development, investment planning and project preparation; o Ensure that recommendations are aligned with UNECE urban economic resilience principles, international good practices and the priorities of the Podgorica Capital City. Outcome 3: Strengthened ability of the Podgorica Capital City to identify, design, prioritize and finance urban resilience projects capable of attracting support from international financial institutions and development partners. Output 3.1: Two urban resilience investment project concepts developed, including project rationale, objectives, expected impacts, implementation arrangements, financing options and preliminary investment readiness assessments. Related activities: o Identify and prioritize urban resilience projects based on strategic assessments, stakeholder consultations and city development priorities; o Define the scope, objectives, expected outcomes and resilience benefits of projects o Develop project concept notes aligned with the requirements and expectations of international financial institutions, development banks and donors; o Assess preliminary technical, institutional, environmental, social and financial aspects relevant to project implementation and investment readiness; o Identify potential financing mechanisms and funding sources, including international financial institutions, development banks, climate funds, EU instruments and public-private partnership opportunities; o Provide recommendations to improve project bankability and readiness for future feasibility studies and financing applications; o Coordinate with the Urban Resilience Coordinator, municipal departments and UNECE to refine project concepts and ensure alignment with UNECE urban economic resilience principles and project objectives. Outcome 4: Enhanced capacity of the Podgorica Capital City and relevant stakeholders to integrate urban resilience principles into urban development processes and prepare investment-ready urban resilience projects. Output 4.1: Capacity development and training activities delivered to the Podgorica Capital City and relevant stakeholders on urban resilience, sustainable urban development, investment planning and project preparation, including training materials, workshop contributions and recommendations for strengthening institutional capacities. Related activities: o Design and deliver technical workshops and training sessions on urban resilience, sustainable urban development, investment planning and project preparation; o Provide technical guidance and international good practices to strengthen institutional capacities for integrating resilience principles into urban planning and decision-making; o Prepare training materials, presentations and practical guidance to support knowledge transfer and institutional learning; o Facilitate technical discussions, peer learning and knowledge exchange among local government officials and relevant stakeholders; o Provide recommendations for strengthening institutional capacities and supporting the long-term implementation of resilient urban development practices. Outcome 5: Strengthened institutional and technical capacities of the Spatial and Urban Development Agency of Georgia (SUDA) to lead strategic and spatial planning reforms and provide technical assistance to municipalities. Output 5.1: Strategic technical advice, mentoring and institutional capacity development support provided to the Spatial and Urban Development Agency of Georgia (SUDA) on strategic spatial planning, institutional development and international planning practices. Related activities: o Provide strategic technical advice and on-the-job mentoring to SUDA staff on strategic spatial planning, urban development and institutional strengthening; o Support the preparation of planning methodologies, technical guidance and institutional approaches based on international good practices; o Contribute to the development of planning policies, strategic planning tools and technical recommendations aligned with European and international standards; o Facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange of international experience to strengthen SUDA's institutional and technical capacities. Output 5.2: Capacity development workshops, technical seminars and knowledge exchange activities delivered for SUDA and relevant national and local government institutions on strategic spatial planning, sustainable urban development and planning methodologies. Related activities: o Prepare and deliver technical workshops, seminars and training sessions on strategic spatial planning and sustainable urban development; o Develop training materials and technical presentations tailored to the needs of SUDA and national stakeholders; o Facilitate knowledge exchange on international planning practices, institutional development and planning methodologies; o Prepare recommendations and lessons learned to support the continued strengthening of Georgia's spatial and urban planning system.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced degree in Urban Resilience, Urban Planning, Architecture or related fields Skills in both project management and design and technical aspects are required for this contract. Additionally, expertise in urban development and urban resilience is considered an advantage. Strong communication skills are also necessary for alignment with client expectations.

Languages

Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Montenegrin is an asset. English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.