Urban & regional planner

As the Urban and regional planner for Luapula Province, you’ll support the Province by strengthening the local ministry’s capacity.

What does the role involve?

Urban and regional planning in Zambia has been operating ineffectually due to resource constraints and outdated planning procedures. This has resulted in unplanned and illegal developments without proper services available to them. The Zambian government has introduced a new Urban and Regional Planning Bill, which will fundamentally reshape planning in Zambia and will require all planning authorities to prepare Integrated Development Plans (IDP) for their areas. As the Urban and regional planner for Luapula Province, you’ll support the Province by strengthening the local ministry’s capacity to prepare the IDPs and subsequently implement the Bill. 

• You’ll work with colleagues to enable the transition from District Councils to Planning Authorities. You’ll use your experience of working with teams in development planning to assist colleagues in developing their roles and responsibilities. To do this you will:
• assist with the programming and preparation of Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) in the Luapula Province
• develop IDP implementation plans and monitoring systems
• ensure resources are made available for the IDP implementation provide training to District Councils in the Luapula Province on organisational and management changes necessary to take on new responsibilities as Planning Authorities under the Bill
• share with colleagues skills in urban, regional planning and management  throughout the Province, including data management and GIS.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be educated to Degree level or above in Urban and Regional Planning (or similar). You’ll have significant practical experience in Urban Design or Regional Planning and will be familiar with planning standards, plus practical experience of GIS. You’ll have strong project management skills, be hardworking and a self-starter and be able to show how you’ve shared your skills with others previously. You’ll need to be flexible, with the ability to work with unexpected circumstances and empower others through your encouragement of their learning. You will have sensitivity to another culture and a desire to build strong working relationships.

And the rest...

You will be based in Mansa, the capital of Luapula Province in Zambia. For your placement, you’ll be based in the offices of the Provincial Planning Officer and will work closely under that Officer’s supervision. You will liaise periodically with other VSO planner placements in other Provinces. Mansa is a beautiful Province with lovely rivers, waterfalls and wetlands to visit. Mansa is a hub for the province and has a daily market, banks, stores and a supermarket. We’ll ask you to commit to at least 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll support you to resettle. 

Application closes on the 1st of April- To apply click on the link below:

http://oneworldgroup.org/2013/02/25/urban-regional-planner/

UN HOUSE REHABILITATION ENGINEER (OPEN TO NIGERIAN NATIONALS ONLY

UN HOUSE REHABILITATION ENGINEER (OPEN TO NIGERIAN NATIONALS ONLY)
Background
On 26 August 2011, the United Nations building in Nigeria was bombed through a well orchestrated terrorist attack that resulted in the loss of lives and caused severe damage to the building infrastructure. Two integrity tests have been conducted to evaluate the extent of damage to the building and the Federal Government of Nigeria has indicated its commitment to commence the rehabilitation of the damaged UN House. The United Nations by reason of its global mandate is providing development assistance to the Federal Government of Nigeria in accordance to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). In spite of  the United Nations’ presence in the thirty-six Nigerian States and the Federal Capital Territory, its activity is centrally controlled from the UN Headquarters based in Abuja and this underscores the need for a quick implementation of the project.
Duties and Responsibilities
Purpose and Scope of Assignment Following the bombing of UN House on 26th of August 2011 in Abuja, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has agreed to rehabilitate the property following the outcome of structural integrity tests. A UN House Rehabilitation Committee representing the interests of the UN Country Team has been established, to which the consultant will report. The objective of the engineer is to advise a team of engineers/contractors working on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria on best practices to be used in the rehabilitation of the UN House taken into consideration UN expectations. The consultant will provide feedback and progress on the planned Rehabilitation project to the  UN House Rehabilitation Committee . The engineer would also act as an interlocutor to the  Committee on matters pertaining to the design, construction and project management of this rehabilitation exercise. Specifically, the consultant would: Ensure that the delivery of project work plans conforms with the approved UN project brief and the standards/expectations of the UN System in terms of space requirements, security standards, universal accessibility, environmental soundness, sustainability and timelines Recommend to the UN House Rehabilitation Committee for approval all project stage boundaries and highlight reports as well as presentation of issue logs for consideration. Provide technical support to the UN House Rehabilitation Committee, vetting all engineering designs, BoQs etc. and ensuring quality and value for money Provide technical support/guidance to project team on the UN approach to green infrastructure and energy efficiency for the implementation of effective eco-friendly engineering designs as may be necessary Plan, monitor and obtain regularly, relevant information from project contractors and FCDA to guide current and future UNCT decisions with respect to the on-going rehabilitation work on the UN House Work with UNDSS and the FCT project team in providing technical guidance and specifications for effective security improvements and infrastructure such as blast mitigation, access control measures etc Consult on a regular basis with the ADS Architect based in New York who would provide technical oversight and backstopping to the consultant on all key matters pertaining to the UN House Rehabilitation project. Special considerations need to be given to the following: Security – The rehabilitation process must exceed the UN Minimum Operating Security Standards with the   UNDSS providing technical lead in the design and specifications of security in the project. Space requirement – Prior to the bomb blast, inadequate accommodation to house the growing UN staff had been a challenge. The redevelopment design must take this into consideration and also make the building more amenable to the needs of the disabled. Vertical or horizontal extension within the UN compound and within available resources would therefore be a priority. Accessibility (i.e. provisions for people with disabilities) – The rehabilitation of the UN House is expected to take into consideration effective access for people with disabilities as well as for the generality of the UN counterparts. Environmental sustainability – The consultant would also be required to provide needed assistance to the design and implementation teams to ensure that the rehabilitated UN House is environmentally friendly. Monitoring & Progress Controls The national consultant will work with the relevant national body to ensure the quality and timely delivery of the rehabilitation work. He/she will report to UN House Rehabilitation Committee on a weekly basis and respond to queries from this committee where possible pertaining, but not limited, to the following topics: Collaboration between the “client” (UNCT and members of the FCT FCDA team), the architect/consultant and the contractor/builder Ensuring conformity of the UN project brief and work plans to be implemented with the standards and expectations of the UN system Consideration of the input of UN technical experts  and  reporting  to various stakeholders Participation in relevant technical meetings to ensure that UN inputs and vision are fully integrated into the implementation of the project Review and provide feedback on evaluation of the contractor’s bid to ensure value for money where possible.
Competencies
Functional Competencies: Good knowledge of complex infrastructure project implementation and management in Nigeria Excellent understanding of infrastructure frameworks and operations, and ability to interpret engineering drawings and understand BoQs; Excellent knowledge in M&E of infrastructural projects Good communication skills and a demonstrated approach to practical problem solving Ability to motivate and build team/work environment to support organizational goals Ability to work in demanding socio-cultural settings with government partners and challenging national infrastructure Advanced computer literacy and good knowledge of Microsoft office application Knowledge of UN core values, rules and regulation is an asset Corporate Competencies: Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards; Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP; Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability Treats all people fairly without favoritism; Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Required Skills and Experience
Education: The engineer must have a Masters degree in Civil Engineering or Architecture, Construction Engineering or any related discipline. Must be a member of a recognized professional association and duly certified. Experience: 10 years works experience in physical infrastructure projects with demonstrable experience in advising national counterparts on both technical (rehabilitation, security precautions, meeting established and internationally recognized norms-for instance UK BREEAM (sustainability) or Universal Design principles (accessibility). Language Requirements: Ability to speak, write and communicate in English Language is compulsory. The UN is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. A service contract (SC) is a modality for hiring individuals under a non-staff contract FC: 11300 and 11920
To apply click on the link below: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=36438

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Jobs for those with a British Passport and Permission to work in Nigeria.....

The British High Commission is recruiting an LEIII officer based in the Chancery building. Due to the need for security clearance to the required level, all applicants must hold a UK passport and have permission to work in Nigeria. 

Job Title: LE III PA to Deputy High Commissioner, IT Support Officer and Political Section support

This is an interesting and varied job in the heart of the British High Commission’s Chancery. The main focus is on providing an excellent level of administrative support to the Deputy High Commissioner and Chancery Officers, and ensuring the smooth running of the bag service and IT system. 

The successful candidates will be responsible for the following duties;

• PA to Deputy High Commissioner: Managing diary, arranging transport, replying to invitations, and general office support. Note taking at Post Security Committee and other meetings. (35%)
• Diplomatic bags and customs clearance: Sending and receiving UK and Lagos diplomatic bags, including arranging clearance. (20%)
• Restricted ITSO: To carry out Information Technology Support Officer (ITSO) duties on the Restricted tier in the Confidential area of BHC. (20%)
• Political Section support: Provide support to Chancery including Queen’s Birthday Party arrangements, drafting Notes Verbale to the MFA, setting up calls arranging visits etc. (15%)
• Line management: Manage 2 x part-time LE IV Chancery Receptionists. (10%)

Qualities needed

• The High Commission is looking for a candidate with previous office experience, with strong IT and technical skills, as well as PA skills.
• The ability to speak and write in clear, correct, jargon-free English is essential.

The successful candidate will need to be flexible and able to work unsupervised to keep on top of the workload and changing priorities. Good interpersonal skills will be essential as the jobholder will need to build close and effective working relationships with colleagues from across the High Commission, the FCO, and with Nigerian officials. 

Remuneration
The job will be graded LEIII with a starting monthly gross salary of N 287,490.00 including allowances. Successful candidates who are not liable to pay Nigerian tax will be subject to a 10 % notional tax deduction on the basic salary. The salary will be paid in Naira. The successful candidate will need to have the necessary permissions to work in Nigeria.

Application Closing Date
22nd March, 2013

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send applications with full curriculum vitae and a typed written covering letter statement in support of the application
                        
Human Resources Assistant
British High Commission Abuja
19 Torrens Close
Maitama
Abuja 

Or by e-mail to: recruitment.abuja@fco.gov.uk

Note:

• Applications should include full curriculum vitae, hand written statement in support of the application and be accompanied by a passport photograph. 
• Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.
• Telephone applications and enquiries will not be accepted.
• Only applicants called for interview will be contacted and it is likely that interviews will be conducted during the week commencing 8th April, 2013

Human Rights Job Posting- www.hrw.org

RESEARCHER ON NIGERIA

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
NIGERIA RESEARCHER
Africa Division
(Abuja base preferred)
Application Deadline: April 5, 2013

Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking a Nigeria Researcher with its Africa Division.  The Researcher, ideally based in Abuja, will be responsible for developing and implementing a research and advocacy agenda focusing on human rights conditions in Nigeria. The position reports to the West Africa team leader in the Africa division.

Responsibilities:

1. Monitoring and documenting human rights abuses by collecting and analyzing information from a wide variety of sources including government, local media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), journalists, diplomats, security forces and others in the field;
2. Conducting fact-finding missions in Nigeria;
3. Writing and publicizing reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to international bodies based on the findings of one’s research;
4. Developing and implementing local, regional, and international advocacy strategies to promote reform of abusive laws, policies, and practices in Nigeria and West Africa;
5. Responding promptly to queries from various advocacy targets as well as the media, public, and civil society colleagues;
6. Presenting human rights concerns to government officials, opinion leaders, inter-governmental agencies, and the media;
7. Working closely with colleague NGOs and local human rights organizations to engage in joint advocacy efforts and ensure that HRW’s work complements  their own work;
8. Liaising effectively with HRW staff in multiple locations throughout the world to ensure effective coordination   of activities;
9. Traveling domestically and overseas for two or more weeks at a time, several times a year; and
10. Carrying out any other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education:  An advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, journalism, law, or social sciences is strongly preferred.

Experience:  The candidate should have lived and worked in Nigeria, working on human rights issues country-wide for a minimum of 5 years.

Location:  Ability to be based in Nigeria, either in Lagos or Abuja (preferred).

Required Skills and Knowledge: 

1. Ability to identify, research, analyze and effectively communicate important human rights developments in Nigeria in a detailed, timely, and professional manner.
2. Ability to develop and implement realistic and effective local and international advocacy strategies and to respond to emergency situations.
3. Demonstrated ability to think strategically about the global and local media and to use both the traditional media and new media to further advocacy goals.
4. Knowledge of Nigerian legal system, as well as familiarity with international human rights law. Knowledge of the sub-regional body ECOWAS is highly desirable.
5. Solid field research and documentation skills.
6. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Proficiency in French is desirable.
7. Strong initiative and follow-through, the capacity to think creatively and strategically.
8. Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW as well as with local partners, government officials, diplomats and external media partners.
9. Ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure with a broad range of people and as part of a team.
10. Ability to make sound decisions consistent with vision and mission of the organization.

Salary and Benefits:  HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits.  HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.

Contact: Please submit a cover letter explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position, a curriculum vitae,  a brief writing sample (unedited by others), and contact information for three references toafricajobs@hrw.org. Please use “Nigeria Researcher REF: AFR-13-1008-A” as the subject of your email. 

Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.http://www.hrw.org/employment/2013/03/05/researcher-nigeria

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English News Today - Dennis Rodman on 'This Week': Kim Jong Un Wants President Obama to 'Call Him'