The UNOPS Middle East Region (MR) provides strategic leadership, performance oversight, and support to UNOPS operations across Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the State of Palestine. MR is responsible for positioning UNOPS as a key development partner in the region through high-level engagement with regional bodies, UN coordination mechanisms, development banks, donors, and intergovernmental organisations. By fostering strategic partnerships and promoting operational excellence, the region supports country teams in delivering sustainable solutions to complex development, peace, and humanitarian challenges

Established in 2004, the UNOPS Amman Multi-Country Office (MCO) provides strategic and operational support to partners across Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and the Gulf countries. The MCO delivers solutions that address development, peace, and humanitarian challenges through infrastructure, procurement, project management, and human resources services. Working in close collaboration with national governments, UN agencies, and donors, the office supports efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Its portfolio includes large-scale operations focused on improving essential services, strengthening national systems, and enhancing resilience in complex and fragile settings.

Urbanization is a key driver of development and cities are seen to be on the frontline of many of the global challenges the world is currently facing. In Egypt, 75% of the GDP is generated in urban areas and 80% of the jobs are in existing cities. However, unplanned urbanization and rapid encroachment the valuable agricultural and desert land surrounding cities and rural settlements result in rapid growth of informal, unplanned urban expansion. Over 16 million urban inhabitants live today in informal and unplanned settlements around urban areas. Moreover, urban population in Egypt is not evenly distributed among its cities, 96 percent of total population lives on 4 percent of the total national area, while the remaining percentage spread on 96 percent of the total inhibited area. This lead to more imbalances where 68 percent of the total population are living in three regions, Greater Cairo Region, Alexandria and Delta; representing 1.8 percent of Egypt’s total area, while 77 cities comprise 4 percent of the urban population.

Urban planning and management play an important role in ensuring urbanization values are optimized, captured, and fairly distributed among urban and rural population. In Egypt, efforts to improve urban planning and management practices varies largely in their nature and effectiveness. The Ministry of Housing, Utilities and urban communities plays an effective role in guiding policies and programmes to improve urban development tools and programmes.

In this context, the Urban Development Programme at UN Habitat Egypt Office is seeking a programme assistant to support the delivery of programme activities.

Under the overall supervision of UN Habitat’s Urban Development Programme Manager, the Programme Assistant ensures effective delivery of the programme consistent with UN-Habitat rules and regulations.

Responsibilities: within limits of delegated authority and depending on location, the Programme Assistant may be responsible for the following duties:

• Assists in the coordination of programme/project planning and preparation work for, typically, a medium-size and complex component of the departmental programme/project initiatives; monitors status of programme/project proposals and receipt of relevant documentation for review and approval.

• Compiles, summarizes, and presents basic information/data on specific programmes/project and related topics or issues.

• Reviews project documents, especially cost plans/budgets, for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures prior to submission for final approval and signature; identifies inconsistencies; distributes project documents to relevant parties upon approval.

• Reviews budget revisions; verifies availability of funds; ensures necessary approval and entry in computerized budget system.

• Serves as focal point for administrative coordination of programme/project implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with a diverse organizational unit to initiate requests, obtain necessary clearances, process and follow-up on administrative actions, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, etc.

• Compiles, summarizes and enters data on project delivery; drafts related status reports, identifying shortfalls in delivery, budget overruns, etc., and brings to the attention of management.

• Drafts correspondence on budget-related issues and prepares and updates periodic reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc.

• Provides general office assistance; responds to complex information requests and inquiries; reviews, logs and routes incoming correspondence; sets up and maintains files/records; organizes meetings, workshops; handles routine administrative tasks, such as maintaining attendance records, assessing telephone billing, etc.

• Provides guidance/training to new/junior staff.

• Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.

• Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Results Expected:

Provides reliable administrative coordination of programme/project planning and preparation activities and general office support services. Processes work and requisite follow-up accomplished under some supervision, seeks advice from and/or reporting to supervisor as needed. Accurately prepares reports. Consistently applies appropriate policies, guidelines and procedures. Effectively and in a timely manner, liaises and interacts with colleagues and concerned parties internally and externally.

Required:

High school diploma or bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, architecture, urban development, international development, urban design, or related field is required.

Required:

• 5 years of experience in urban development or related areas, such as architecture, urban planning, community advocacy, and urban design is required for high school degree holders. 1 year of experience in related areas for first degree university holders

• Proven experience working with communication production and/or image and publishing software (for example: Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, Illustrator, etc.) is required.

• Experience is in academic research, and technical writing is required.

Desired:

Previous work with international organisations, NGOs, or national counterparts is desirable.

Experience in at least one priority development area, such as environmental design, strategic urban planning, housing, informality, urban heritage and/or accessibility.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.