Background
UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable and resilient towns and cities. It is the focal point agency for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat envisions well-planned, well-governed, and efficient cities and towns, with adequate housing, infrastructure, and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation. Responding to crisis and post-crisis context is part of UN-Habitatโs mandate and strategic plan.ย
Rationale and context of the assignment
Since 2023, UN-Habitat has been supporting the sustainable and inclusive urban recovery efforts in Ukraine, focusing on, among others, advancing the national-level urban policy development efforts. At the request of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine (hereinafter โMinistry for Developmentโ), UN-Habitat has been supporting the development of the Concept of the Urban Planning Code (Concept of the Spatial Planning and Territorial Development Code, hereinafter โConceptโ), a foundational legal framework designed to enhance planning processes, strengthen governance, and promote sustainable urban development. UN-Habitat has been contributing its global expertise and technical support to this process. The future Code is expected to harmonize planning processes in Ukraine, improve transparency, and enhance resilience and sustainability in reconstruction and future urban development.
To ensure that the future Code is evidence-based, feasible, and aligned with international best practices, UN-Habitat intends to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment of the Concept. This assessment will analyse the legal, institutional, financial, and socio-economic implications, as well as environmental aspects, of the developed Concept to guide the future development of the Code and ensure its effective and sustainable implementation. The proposed assessment draws on similar methodologies successfully applied globally.
To support this process, UN-Habitat is seeking an individual consultant with strong legal and institutional expertise to assess the potential institutional, financial, socio-economic, and environmental impacts of implementing the Concept, and to provide evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the design, coherence, and implementability of the future Code in Ukraine.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Head of UN-Habitat Ukraine Office and the designated mandated representative(s), the incumbent is expected to:
Evaluate the legal and regulatory impact of the Concept, focusing on its coherence with existing legislation, areas requiring harmonization or amendment, and overall legal clarity and enforceability. Assess institutional and governance impact of the Concept, focusing on institutional roles and capacities, coordination and accountability mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with ongoing decentralization reforms. Assess the financial and economic impact of the Concept, focusing on overall fiscal effects, funding mechanisms, investment climate, affordability considerations, and measures to strengthen economic resilience. Examine the social and environmental impacts of the Concept, focusing on inclusion, housing and accessibility, climate resilience, sustainable land use, and contributions to broader sustainable development and environmental goals. Identify potential risks and bottlenecks (legal, administrative, or operational) that may affect the enforcement or compliance of the future Code. Develop recommendations and policy options to strengthen the feasibility and alignment of the future Code with the New Urban Agenda (NUA), SDG 11, and Ukraineโs urban recovery goals.Results Expected:ย
The ultimate result of the assignment is the substantive impact assessment of the potential institutional, financial, socio-economic, and environmental impacts of implementing the Concept, and provision of evidence-based recommendations to strengthen its design, coherence, and implementability into a future Code.
Reporting requirements
The Legal and Institutional Expert will work under the overall supervision of the Head of the UN-Habitat Office in Ukraine and the substantive Lead for the developed Concept.
Outputs and Expected Deliverables
The incumbent is required to provide the following outputs
Desk Review: Review the Concept and related Ukrainian legislation (including, among others, construction, land, urban planning, environment, decentralization, recovery, etc.). Analyse the institutional and governance framework for spatial planning in Ukraine. Draw lessons from comparative countries and international best practices. Stakeholder Consultations Conduct targeted interviews or focus groups with key national, regional, and local authorities, as well as professional associations, and civil society. Impact Assessment using UN-Habitatโs Methodology for the Ex-Ante (prospective) Legal Impact Assessment, reflecting considerations from the developed financial assessment: Effectiveness of Institutional arrangements (roles, overlaps, coordination) Economic feasibility Social inclusion Environmental sustainabilityย Alignment with regional and global frameworks such as EU integration frameworks, SDGs, and the New Urban Agenda Benchmark findings with similar experiences (to be provided by UN-Habitat) to highlight comparative lessons. Final Report with Recommendationsย Provide detailed recommendations to enhance the future Codeโs feasibility, coordination mechanisms, and implementation pathways. Develop a final report and summary presentation for the Ministry for Development and UN-Habitat.The above outputs should be delivered according to the below planned schedule:
No. OutputsTIMELINE
and tentative dates 1 Desk review and Stakeholdersโ consultations: A report (approximately 10 pages) summarizing the Concept, related Ukrainian legislation, and relevant international best practices and lessons, incorporating feedback from stakeholdersโ consultations. It will set the analytical baseline for the impact assessment. 28 February 2026 2 Draft Impact Assessment Report (Version 0):ย Preliminary impact assessment of the Concept. 20 March 2026 3
Revised Draft (Version 1): Updated version of the impact assessment incorporating UN-Habitat feedback and benchmark findings with similar experiences. Final Report and Presentation: Comprehensive impact assessment report incorporating recommendations to enhance future Code and a PowerPoint presentation. 30 April 2026The duration of the assignment is fixed at three months. No extension of duration or additional remuneration shall be granted beyond the delivery and approval of the outputs listed above. All outputs shall be reviewed and approved by the Head of UN-Habitat Ukraine Office or his/her delegated representative as a condition for payment.
Working location and travelย
The assignment is output-based and will be conducted under a home-based arrangement within Ukraine. While the consultant is not required to work from the UN-Habitat office, the nature of the assignment requires presence in Kyiv and availability for in-person coordination and meetings with national counterparts, including relevant ministries and stakeholders, as needed.
Competencies
Professionalism: Demonstrates strong knowledge of legal frameworks related to housing, land and property rights, spatial and land-use planning, and urban governance in the context of Ukraineโs recovery and reconstruction. Understands issues concerning internally displaced persons (IDPs), tenure security, and the inclusion of vulnerable groups in recovery processes. Familiar with participatory, pro-poor, and gender-responsive approaches, as well as principles of sustainable and inclusive urban development. Ability to interpret and apply legislative instruments, develop and present results, recommendations, and opinions clearly and concisely. Proven ability to produce clear, evidence-based analytical and policy reports. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results. Maintains a high level of professional integrity, remains calm and objective under pressure, and demonstrates persistence and problem-solving capacity when faced with complex or sensitive situations.
Communication: Excellent written and oral presentation skills in English and Ukrainian. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others, and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style, and format to match the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively to achieve organisational goals; solicits impact by genuinely valuing othersโ ideas and expertise; places team agenda above personal agenda; shows credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for teamโs shortcomings.
Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingenciesย
Required Skills and Experience
Educationย
Advanced degree (Masterโs or PhD) in law, urban planning, housing, public policy, governance, or related field.Experience
Minimum 7 years of professional experience in law, legislative drafting, or governance reform, preferably in post-crisis or transition contexts. Proven experience conducting legal impact assessments or regulatory analyses. Strong understanding of spatial planning systems, urban recovery, and institutional reform. Familiarity with Ukrainian governance structures or comparable transition systems is an asset. Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills in English and Ukrainian.Language
Fluency in written and spoken English and Ukrainian is required.Key skills
Strong analytical and legal reasoning skills, with the ability to interpret complex legislation and institutional frameworks. Sound understanding of Ukraineโs spatial planning, land management, and decentralization systems. Previous experience in conducting legal, institutional, and policy impact assessments. Excellent report-writing and presentation skills, with proven ability to produce clear, evidence-based analytical outputs. Capacity to synthesize large volumes of legal, institutional, and financial information into concise findings and actionable recommendations. Ability to work independently under tight deadlines and manage multiple deliverables simultaneously. Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and ability to use digital collaboration tools.The candidate should be:
Willing to take responsibility, act professionally at all times, and make sure tasks are fully completed; Willing to work independently and proactively engage with national counterparts and UN-Habitat teams. Flexible and adaptable to evolving priorities and feedback. Able to meet deadlines for all project work and work under pressure in diverse environments with minimum supervision; Express enthusiasm and willingness to continue learning new skills and share experiences with other members of the team; Committed to UN-Habitatโs values of integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity, with sensitivity to gender equality and the needs of vulnerable groups.ย
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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 Ukraine Programme, email address:ย recruitmentunhabitatua@un.orgย with the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:ย
1.ย ย ย ย ย Cover letter addressing precisely how the applicant meets the qualifications and requirements.2.ย ย ย ย ย Completion of a CV in P11 Formย which can be downloaded at:ย https://t.ly/pdZjUThe CV shall include information on the past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.ย 3.ย ย ย ย ย Financial Proposal.ย The offeror's letter including form for the financial proposal can be downloaded at: t.ly/kDvQo4.ย ย ย ย ย Diplomas and copy of Passport or ID Cardย Deadline for applications:ย 18 January 2026
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Please note that applications received after the closing dateย will not be given consideration. Only short-listed candidates whose applications respond to the above criteria will be contacted for an interview.ย
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.ย
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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