Urban Development and Territorial Planning Associate, Luanda, Angola

General

Description of assignment title: Urban Development and Territorial Planning Associate

Assignment country: Angola

Duty stations: Luanda

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 09/12/2026

Duration: 12 months(with possibility of extension)Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal: 11. Sustainable cities and communities

Host entity: UN-HABITAT AGO

Modality: Onsite

Type: International

Volunteer category: Associate UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule: Full-time

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

Mission and objectives:

• The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations agency mandated to promote sustainable urbanization and human settlements development. Established by the UN General Assembly, UN-Habitat works towards inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 11), the New Urban Agenda, and the African Union Agenda 2063.
• Operating in more than 90 countries, UN-Habitat supports national governments and local authorities in developing policies, strategies, and projects that address urban challenges, reduce inequalities, improve living conditions, and strengthen territorial governance and climate resilience.

Context:

• Angola is experiencing rapid urbanization and significant internal migration, with returnees and displaced populations adding pressure on housing, land, and basic services. UN Habitat Angola works with national and local authorities to improve urban governance, strengthen land management, and promote inclusive planning for host and displaced communities. The UN Volunteer Associate will join the country team in Luanda, supporting programme activities that link humanitarian assistance, migration, and urban resilience, while gaining hands on experience in UN operations.

Task description:

• The UN Volunteer Associate will support UN Habitat Angola's work to strengthen inclusive urban development and territorial planning while integrating cross cutting priorities: peace and security, human rights, sustainable development (education, health, partnerships), climate change and environment, humanitarian assistance, and responsible use of new technologies.
• The role focuses on generating and organizing evidence, facilitating participatory processes, and assisting in the design and delivery of small-scale planning and land management activities that improve access to services, reduce tenure insecurity, and increase resilience for host and displaced communities. The position is learning focused and provides hands on exposure to programme implementation, stakeholder coordination, policy mainstreaming, and practical tools for inclusive and resilient urban governance.
• Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Central Africa Sub-regional Office, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• - Contributes to evidence synthesis and policy review to ensure planning interventions reflect peace and security considerations and human rights standards, by reviewing policy documents, legal frameworks, and project reports and summarizing implications for urban planning.
• - Supports integration of human rights and protection principles into programme materials and community engagement approaches, assisting in the preparation of guidance notes, checklists, and short briefs that promote non‑discrimination, participation, and access to services.
• - Assists in designing and facilitating participatory processes that build social cohesion and local ownership, helping to plan and run consultations, stakeholder dialogues, and conflict‑sensitive community workshops that include women, youth, and marginalized groups.
• - Contributes to sustainable development linkages by supporting small‑scale initiatives that connect urban planning with health, education, and livelihoods (e.g., site‑level ser-vice mapping, school/clinic access assessments, partnership outreach), and by drafting short concept notes for integrated pilot activities.
• - Supports climate‑sensitive planning and environmental mainstreaming, assisting technical staff to incorporate nature‑based solutions, risk‑informed measures, and low‑carbon options into project briefs and community guidance materials.
• - Assists humanitarian‑development coordination, compiling inputs for joint planning with humanitarian actors, documenting service gaps in displacement‑affected areas, and supporting the preparation of short situation updates and coordination meeting notes.
• - Contributes to responsible technology use and digital inclusion, supporting the team to identify appropriate digital tools for community engagement, data collection, and information sharing while documenting data protection and ethical considerations.
• - Participates in monitoring, reporting and results tracking, compiling activity trackers, collecting partner updates, and assisting in the preparation of progress reports and lessons‑learned summaries that highlight cross‑cutting thematic outcomes (peace, rights, climate, health, education).
• - Supports capacity‑building and knowledge transfer, helping to prepare training materials and co‑deliver sessions for municipal staff and community representatives on conflict sensitive planning, rights‑based approaches, climate resilience, and basic digital tools for planning.
• - Assists stakeholder coordination and partnership development, preparing meeting agendas, drafting minutes, following up on action points, and maintaining contact lists for government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society, and private partners to strengthen multi‑sectoral collaboration.
• - Contributes to small‑scale project implementation and piloting, assisting with logistics, procurement inputs, field coordination, and community liaison for pilot interventions that test integrated approaches across the thematic areas.
• - Supports communication and advocacy, drafting short articles, social media updates, and briefing notes that communicate how urban planning advances peace, rights, sustainability, climate resilience, humanitarian response, and safe use of technology.
• - Ensures compliance with UN policies and ethical standards, by following safeguarding, security, and data protection guidance and participating in mandatory briefings and trainings.
• During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 1 month

Donor priorities:

• .

Nationality: Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Additional eligibility criteria:

• This assignment is funded by the Government of Korea and therefore specific criteria apply:
• - Candidates must be Korean nationals. Fluency in Korean is required.
• - Candidates must be between 22 and 29 years of age at the time of application.
• - Candidates who have already served as UN Youth Volunteer funded by the Government of Korea are not eligible to apply (former UN University Volunteers are eligible).
• - Serving UN Volunteers will not be considered for other UN Volunteer assignments until they reach three (3) months before the end of contract date of their current UN Volunteer assignment. This provision applies equally to first and subsequent contracts.
• - Candidates may apply to a maximum of three assignments and indicate the order of preference in the 'Additional remarks' field when filling in the application form.
• - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be done by the UN Host Entity at the level of the country of assignment.
• APPLICATION DEADLINE: 19 July 2026
• +++ UN Volunteer entitlement calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator +++

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 1 month

Languages:

• English, Level: Fluent, Required
• Portuguese, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level:

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Geography, International Relations, Human Rights, Environmental Studies, Project Management, or other relevant social sciences fields.

Competencies and values:

• - Accountability
• - Adaptability and Flexibility
• - Commitment and Motivation
• - Commitment to Continuous Learning
• - Communication
• - Creativity
• - Empowering Others
• - Ethics and Values
• - Integrity
• - Judgement and Decision-making
• - Knowledge Sharing
• - Managing Performance
• - Planning and Organizing
• - Professionalism
• - Respect for Diversity
• - Self-Management
• - Working in Teams

Skills and experience:

• - Demonstrated interest or experience (up to 3 years) in programme planning, monitoring, communications, or external relations, preferably in national or inter-national organizations.
• - Previous exposure to the United Nations or other international organizations is a strong asset.
• - Experience supporting activities related to urban development, territorial planning, housing, land management, or resilience in humanitarian or migration contexts.
• - Good understanding of results-based management and programme implementation in international development.
• - Some knowledge or interest in areas such as gender equality, social inclusion, or youth engagement in urban settings is an advantage.
• - Analytical skills and ability to draft concise documents, minutes of meetings, or short reports.
• - Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.
• - Previous volunteer experience and/or cross-cultural exposure (study abroad, internships, community engagement) is highly regarded.
• Skills in:
• - Proficiency in current office software applications, including spreadsheets and word processing.
• - Knowledge of Portuguese or another UN official language is an advantage.

Area(s) of expertise:

• Agriculture, Development programmes, Community development

Driving license:

• -

Other information