Functional title: Programme Management Associate
Duty station of assignment: Istanbul, Türkiye
Contract modality: Local ICA
Grade: LICA-8 equivalent
Duration of assignment: 6 months
Closing date for applications: 16 November 2026
Background
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system and works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. It promotes urbanization as a positive, transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination, and poverty.
UN-Habitat’s Regional Programme Division (RPD) provides strategic guidance, coordination, and oversight to Regional and Country Offices to ensure coherent programme delivery, effective partnerships, and alignment with UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan. The Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ROEECA), based in Istanbul, Türkiye, supports national and local governments and other partners in implementing the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 on sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities and communities.
The regional office supports institutional capacity-building on sustainable urbanization and knowledge transfer between regional counterparts through key initiatives such as SDG localization, Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), integrated urban solutions for basic services delivery, and others.
UN-Habitat’s global footprint on SDG localization exceeds 30 countries, working through the United Nations system and in cooperation with main UN and international partners, through its corporate offering and global portfolio on SDG Localization, including the SDG Cities Global Initiative (Flagship 5). The SDG Cities Initiative supports cities in creating integrated solutions that drive progress across multiple SDGs, ensuring cohesive and scalable urban development addressing challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. It does so by leveraging data for evidence-based decision-making, fostering cities’ access to finance, and building their overall institutional capacities.
Within this framework, UN-Habitat, through ROEECA, is implementing the Konya Urban Pulse: Smart and Resilient City project to support the City of Konya in advancing sustainable urban development and SDG localization. The flagship product of the project will be the action-oriented Voluntary Local Review (VLR) for the City of Konya. The VLR is part of the broader UN-Habitat SDG Cities Flagship Programme and draws on the Action-Oriented VLR Methodology jointly developed by UN-Habitat and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).
Purpose of the assignment
To support the implementation, coordination and monitoring of the Konya Urban Pulse: Smart and Resilient City project, including the preparation of technical documents, project reports and materials for meetings and consultations with partners and government counterparts. The assignment will also support programme development activities, including the preparation of project concepts and proposals for potential follow-up initiatives in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Duties and main responsibilities
The consultant will be based in the Office of the Regional Director of the Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ROEECA) and will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Director. The incumbent will undertake the following duties:
Programme Implementation and Monitoring
- Support the coordination and implementation of project activities in Konya, including preparation of background materials, concept notes, technical briefs, agendas, talking points, and documentation for meetings and technical consultations with implementing partners, UNCTs, and government counterparts.
- Support organizing missions related to project implementation, including preparation of mission briefs, logistical coordination, development of follow-up matrices, and ensuring systematic documentation of mission outcomes.
- Support compiling materials for project evaluation reports, including consolidation of data, results, lessons learned, and supporting documentation..
Programme Development
- Provide analytical and technical support for the development of new regional initiatives, as a follow-up to the Konya Urban Pulse: Smart and Resilient City project, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including preparing concise analytical reports mapping UN-Habitat entry points in line with the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 of UN-Habitat and its regional roadmap.
- Support the formulation of project concepts, including drafting concept notes, logical frameworks, and donor-facing materials.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Competencies
Planning and organization: Ability to work independently with a high degree of responsibility, in a flexible manner, and under pressure; Communication: Excellent interpersonal communication and networking skills; Professionalism: Strong programme management and monitoring skills. Good coordination skills, with the ability to handle multiple activities concurrently, work under pressure and meet tight deadlines. Ability to plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Ability to undertake complex research independently. Teamwork: Ability to participate effectively in teams with various areas of expertise and across organizations. The candidate should share credit for team accomplishments and accept joint responsibility for team shortcomings, and should have a positive approach to work with consistent energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in urban planning, political science, international development, or a related field is required.
Experience
- A minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in knowledge management, monitoring, and programme implementation in the areas of sustainable development and evidence-based decision-making, is required.
- Experience working with Turkish government counterparts or within the Turkish urban planning context is a strong advantage.
- Proven ability to gather, organize, and analyze large data sets from multiple sources.
Language
- Fluency in English and Turkish (written and spoken) is required.
Other Skills:
- Strong writing, research, and coordination skills. Familiarity with SDG localization and UN processes is an asset. Professional experience in urban planning and governance is desirable.
How to apply
Interested candidates must submit an email quoting in the email subject the post title and the duty station to the UN-Habitat ROEECA, email address:
unhabitat-roeeca.recruitment@un.org
with the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:
1. Cover letter addressing precisely how the applicant meets the qualifications and requirements.
2. Completion of a CV in P11 Form which can be downloaded at**:** https://t.ly/pdZjU
The CV shall include information on the past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.
3. Diplomas and copy of Passport or ID Card
Deadline for applications: 16 November 2026
Please note that applications received after the closing date stated below, will not be given consideration. Only short-listed candidates whose applications respond to the above criteria will be contacted for an interview.