Urban Designer

Organization: UNDP Saudi Arabia

VA No. VA24-58

Position Title: Urban Designer
Type of Contract: International or National Consultancy

Duty Station: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Duration: 12 Months (with possible extension depending on performance, continued need and budget availability)

Vacancy Date of Issue: 24 April 2024

Vacancy Closure Date: 2 May 2024

Expected Starting Date: As soon as possible

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.
• National Urban Policy.
• 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 innovative tools and projects-based satellite Labs in support of MoMRAH mission.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Establish the implementation process on a pilot study in Amanas and municipalities;
• Conduct workshops and training for the public realm intervention framework at Amanas and municipalities, improving capacity building;
• Prepare high-quality materials and presentations for and with the team;
• Responsible for providing technical backstopping and support for the quality control delivery on Master Plans and Urban Codes;
• Any other tasks requested by CTA.

Institutional Arrangement

The Urban Designer will repot technically to the Chief Technical Advisor and administratively to the National Project Officer.

Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes

Act with Determination: LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in urban design/urban planning or architecture.

Experiences:

• Bachelor’s degree with 3 years of experience;
• Ability to work at multiple scales, graphic communication ability, and understanding of regulations, policies, strategies, guidelines, and precedents that guide the project.

Required Skills:

• Understanding urban scale and the interplay between buildings, public spaces, and streetscape is essential;
• Evidence-based design methodology translates observed use patterns into “people first” design. Communicate this reasoning in clear, graphic arguments;
• Develop design solutions that integrate social function, practicality, context, and innovation;
• Solve spatial problems for circulation and movement, with a focus on active mobility;
• 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:

• Interest in interdisciplinary practice, recognizing the contribution of social science, sociology, psychology, and other areas beyond the field of architecture and Urban Design.
• Working in an urban design studio with master planning experience;
• Experience in the research process.

Language:

Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills in English and Arabic language

How to apply

1. CV must be submitted online in PDF through SOC’s portal via the following link: https://jobs.my-soc.org/apply/20240424011631/chItzFfNWB2KnVOSmspMiJQkC
2. Use the English language only.
3. To review the full ToR, click here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13lknpuuN3Fd2e3oS9AbFtROdIKykDm60/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104884024946145696197&rtpof=true&sd=true
4. Indicate clear years of experience with each job (Month/Year)
5. If the candidate is currently employed by a government institution, he/she must be able to provide an unpaid leave of absence for the duration of the consultancy.
6. Only candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.
7. By submitting your application, you have read the Terms of Reference for this position and agree that any false, wrong, or incomplete information might lead to your disqualification in this recruitment process.