Urban Planner

1. Position Information

• Organization: UNDP Saudi Arabia, through Stars Orbit Consultants and Management Development (SOC).
• VA No. VA24-168
• Position Title: Urban Planner
• Duty Station: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Duration: 12 months
• Recruitment Type: National or International Consultancy
• Vacancy Date of Issue: 26 November 2024
• Vacancy Closure Date: 2 December 2024
• Expected Starting Date: 1 January 2025

This vacancy is announced by UNDP Saudi Arabia through Stars Orbit Consultants and Management Development (SOC). SOC is a sub-contractor for UNDP Saudi Arabia, assisting the programme in implementing their activities through HR and contract management of consultants working in their support.

2. Project Description

The project will provide a strategic framework for UNDP and UN-HABITAT to provide substantive

technical assistance, advisory, and quality assurance services to the Ministry of Municipal, Rural

Affairs and Housing (MoMRAH) to deliver on the following six initiatives of the Spatial Planning and

Visual Appeal Program that are the focus of this project:

• The Regional Plans, Local Plans and Urban Codes under MOMRAH’s jurisdiction are efficiently and effectively delivered following international best practices.
• A National Urban Policy is developed, setting out the strategic development vectors for Saudi cities.
• Local planning departments are empowered and enabled through a new Operating Model for Planning Departments.
• The municipal system is improved and restructured, updating settlements boundaries, revising classification and categorization of Saudi human settlements, and optimizing service delivery towards efficiency and sustainability.
• The Saudi Planning framework is restructured, planning tools are redefined, updated and improved in line with the new classification and categorization.
• The existing MoMRAH Urban Design Studio is upscaled in a fully-fledged Urban Lab and capacitated to spearhead and device

To review the full ToR, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qmUUYmTSnrZuzJeoqqLKA11zumdnCspu/view?usp=sharing

3. Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinates with and aligns the work of the initiatives by progressing into the Spatial Planning and Visual Appeal Program and providing quality assurance and monitoring of regional plans, masterplans, and urban codes.
• Reviews and assesses the existing governance structures and mechanisms and institutional and technical capacities for the urban planning departments and staff.
• Arranges and attends the initiatives’ meetings and workshops.
• Supports the workshops and training conducted for the urban planning departments and units at MOMRAH and/or the municipalities, as needed.
• Assists in reviews and recommendations for approval of urban planning items or any other related disciplines.
• Works in conjunction with other teams within the project on the preparation of policy documents, guidelines, and necessary planning studies.
• Prepares technical proposals and reviews of development projects within the relevant urban planning departments at the Ministry.
• Supports the technical backstopping and quality control for the delivery of the local and regional plans and urban codes.
• Undertakes the preparation of reports and other presentation material related to planning studies and projects and participates in presentations when necessary.
• Provides supporting documents, reports, maps and plans for urban development plans and activities.
• Supports the development of the scope of planning activities and the ongoing urban planning projects/studies within the project.
• Supports the determination of the assumptions, methods, and procedures to be used in urban planning studies to develop and implement plans and policies.
• Ensures alignment to Vision 2030 and relevant Vision Realization Programs, including the Quality-of-Life Program, other national initiatives, and global development frameworks (e.g., Sustainable Development Goals, New Urban Agenda).
• Any other related tasks assigned by the Chief Technical Advisor.

4. Institutional Arrangement

The Urban Planner will report technically to the Chief Technical Advisor.

5. Required qualifications, experiences and competencies

Minimum education requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Urban Planning, Spatial Planning, Regional Planning, Built Environment, Architecture, Urban Design, or any other closely related fields.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience

• Minimum of 2 years (with a master’s degree) or 4 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience is required.

Required skills

• Excellent analytical and report writing skills and a track record in producing relevant reports and other materials and providing clear and actionable feedback.
• Strong understanding of planning regulations, sustainability, and development principles.
• Experience in developing local and regional plans.
• High level of communication and interpersonal skills and experience in working effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• IT skills: AutoCAD, QGIS, SketchUp, Adobe (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), Presto, WordPress, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Master planning experience and ability to understand the linkages between urban scales at the governance level.
• Knowledge of the planning context of Saudi Arabia is an advantage.
• Understanding of the municipal structures and operating models in Saudi Arabia.

Required Language(s)

Fluency in the English and Arabic languages is required.

Professional Certificates

An asset if acquired in relevant fields.