Vacancy Announcement

Advisor Urban Planning

Position: Advisor Urban Planning

Project: Climate-Sensitive, Socially Just Planning and Housing

Place of assignment: Kigali with frequent travels (2-3 times a week) to a secondary or satellite city within 1 hour commute to and from Kigali

Initial contract period: 01.06.2025- 31.05.2026 (with option to extend)

Salary band: 4

Application deadline: 24.04.2025

About GIZ and the project

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. The GIZ Office in Kigali covers GIZ’s portfolio in Rwanda and Burundi. GIZ Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and other commissioning authorities in the following priority areas: Sustainable Economic Development; Good Governance; Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development; Digitalization and Digital Economy; and regional projects in the Great Lakes Region.

The new project “Climate-sensitive, Socially Just Planning and Housing” (CSPH) is part of the German-Rwandan Program for “Climate Protection, Climate Adaptation and Sustainable Urban Development”. The project’s objective is to improve climate-sensitive urban planning processes and promote access to affordable housing opportunities for poorer population groups, especially women, in cities. It strengthens social, ecological and economic urban development through improved public participation of the local population in planning and decision-making processes.

In order to create the institutional and planning framework conditions for better access to climate-friendly and socially inclusive housing, the project focuses on a combination of strategy development at national government level, practical neighborhood planning processes in selected cities and enhancing the professional capacities of organizations and individuals in public institutions, the private sector and academic education.

The project is searching for a suitable candidate for the position of an Advisor Urban Planning. The Advisor will work for the project “Climate-Sensitive, Socially Just Planning and Housing” as part of the Cluster Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development.

The Advisor performs the following responsibilities and tasks:

Responsibilities

• Provides technical advice and knowledge support in the area of participative and climate-sensitive urban planning - both on strategic level and in selected neighbourhood planning processes
• Contributes know-how and systematic thinking on the interlinkages between urban planning and social housing
• Contributes to assessing the needs for Capacity Development of public, private and academic institutions and individuals in climate-sensitive urban planning and social housing
• Conceptualizes ToR and monitors consultancy contracts and assignments
• Liaises and maintains a good relationship with partner institutions in Rwanda, especially the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), the Rwandan Housing Authority, the National Land Authority, the partner districts/cities and others
• Maintains a good flow of communication and information between all stakeholders involved, as well as within the GIZ team
• Implements daily operational aspects of all issues related to the project and cooperate with a broad range of target groups

Tasks

The Advisor will perform the following tasks:

Management and Coordination

• Establishes the design and application of innovative participatory approaches and tools for climate-sensitive, socially just neighbourhood planning processes in the project’s second partner city; therefore it will be necessary to commute 2-3 days per week to the still to be determined secondary or satellite city, which will be within an hour commute from Kigali;
• Assists to form Neighbourhood Development Committees consisting of inhabitants, municipal/district representatives, civil society actors, private sector representatives and others
• Provides technical advice and knowledge support for the development of Detailed Physical Plans (DPP) and their connection to financial policy instruments such as Land Value Capture and social rental housing in general
• Carries out analyses of existing Rwandan urban planning policies and strategies
• Assists in the identification, priorization and implementation of communal small-scale infrastructure (e.g. climate-sensitive public space)
• Coordinates and assists in preparing and conducting project activities and carries out activities required for implementation
• Jointly with the partner institution, prepares, implements training events, workshops, forums, team meetings and other project activities
• Draws up reports and presentation documents, prepares appropriate input for various project/programme reports including annual reports, and contributes to other reports required
• Assists the project with all organizational and management issues

Communication and Networking

• Develops and maintains reliable communication and networks with all important stakeholders and partners
• Communicates well within the GIZ team for ensuring an efficient work-flow and synergies between the different project outputs
• Communicates local interests and efforts, forwards these and encourages sharing ideas and information for the benefit of the project

Other duties/tasks

• Performs other duties and tasks at the request of management

Required Qualifications, Competences and Experience

Qualifications and professional experience

• Masters/MSc in an area that is related to the project/programme objectives, with a focus on a relevant field (e.g. urban planning, infrastructure, urban geography, housing/architecture etc.)
• 5 years of professional experience, at least 3 years’ professional experience related to urban planning, infrastructure, urban geography, housing/architecture
• knowledge of the formulation of Detailed Physical Plans or climate-sensitive urban planning or working experience with MININFRA and other key partners is an asset
• proven experience in managing projects, research and documentation, trainings, and preparing planning materials
• strong analytical skills and the willingness to acquire new specialized knowledge

Other knowledge and additional competences

• very good working knowledge of ICT technologies (related software, phone, email, the internet) and computer applications (e.g. MS Office, Teams, Outlook)
• fluent written and profound oral knowledge of English and Kinyarwanda; French or German is an asset
• experience in working with graphical material using computer assisted design tools is an asset
• Willingness to upskill tasks and contents as required – corresponding measures are agreed with management

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit their application (motivation letter, updated CV, certificates and references), via our electronic job portal by using the button “Apply Now”; until 24^th April 2025 at 4:00 PM. All attachments should be put together in one PDF file not larger than 2 MB.

GIZ is a signatory of the Diversity Charter. Recognition, appreciation and inclusion of diversity in the company are important to us. All employees shall be valued - regardless of gender and gender identity, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, social background, age or sexual orientation. We support equal opportunities and welcome applications from people with disabilities.

This includes the provision of reasonable accommodation, if needed, in order to participate in the job application and interview process and to perform essential job functions. Please let us know, if you have any particular requirements should you be invited for assessment/interview or that you wish us to consider, when considering your application.

Women and persons with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for test and interview.

GIZ Office Rwanda

KN 41 St. / Nr.17, Kiyovu

P.O. Box 59, Kigali,

Rwanda

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