Adequate Housing Specialist

The consultant will provide support in data management and prepare evidence-based inputs on urban and housing adequacy, climate-smart housing, and support applied research and knowledge management activities. The role supports the UN-Habitat Canada Office and contributes to global exchange on sustainable and inclusive housing and urban development.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical and analytical support to the Canada Office’s research and knowledge management agenda on adequate housing, focusing on accessibility.
• Conduct applied research on housing adequacy elements including cultural adequacy, accessibility, inclusive housing innovation, and sustainable urban development.
• Support project management, knowledge management, coordination, and administrative tasks.
• Develop and maintain knowledge management tools, capacity-building materials, and webinar or policy brief content on housing adequacy, accessibility, and inclusion.
• Design and implement research methodologies and tools for housing data collection, analysis, and visualization including indicators of accessibility and cultural relevance.
• Develop innovative formats for communicating research findings such as graphical abstracts, data visualization, interactive figures, and video abstracts.
• Support mapping, analysis, and management of housing-related data sources integrating cultural and accessibility dimensions across Canadian and international contexts.
• Organize and facilitate meetings, workshops, and consultations to promote inclusive housing frameworks respecting diverse cultural needs and accessibility standards.
• Contribute to strategic partnerships and alliances with academic institutions, housing data agencies, Indigenous and community-based organizations, and international partners.
• Provide inputs to UN-Habitat initiatives advancing SDG 11, the New Urban Agenda, and UN-Habitat Resolution 2/7 with attention to cultural adequacy, accessibility, and equity in housing.
• Support monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on housing research outputs and knowledge products ensuring cultural and accessibility considerations are reflected.
• Contribute to resource mobilization and proposal development related to housing research, innovation, and culturally adequate housing solutions.
• Prepare regular progress reports, research outputs, and recommendations to inform the Canada Office’s housing programme and global engagement.
• Support integration of Canadian innovation and expertise on culturally adequate and accessible housing into global knowledge exchange and policy dialogue platforms.
• Provide support preparing inputs for major global events including the World Urban Forum, High-Level Political Forum, Mid Term Review of the New Urban Agenda, and other key international convenings.
• Provide support to the Canada Office across general functions including communications, advocacy, and overall administrative and management activities.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Urban Studies, Housing Policy, Urban Planning, Geography, Economics, International Development, Social Policy, or related field with focus on housing, accessibility, or cultural adequacy is required.
• A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• Desirable specializations include housing systems and policy, inclusive and accessible design, Indigenous and culturally responsive housing, or sustainable urban development.
• Minimum of 2 years experience in research methodologies, quantitative and qualitative analysis tools, survey design and methods, and documenting and communicating research outputs is required.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct applied research on housing adequacy including cultural adequacy, accessibility, and climate-smart housing, and to synthesize and present complex information in accessible formats is required.
• Experience analyzing and applying frameworks or standards related to accessible, inclusive, and culturally responsive housing design and policy is desirable.
• Strong report writing, reviewing, and editorial skills are highly desirable.
• Progressively responsible work experience at national or international level in housing systems, sustainable urban development, and knowledge management is desirable.
• Experience working with Indigenous or community-led housing initiatives or in culturally diverse contexts is an asset.
• Experience working in the United Nations Common System or other international organizations is desirable.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
• Proficiency and/or fluency in French is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is considered an asset.
• Applicants must be Canadian residents or citizens or have permission to work in Canada.

Skills

• Urban Studies
• Housing Policy
• Urban Planning
• Quantitative Analysis
• Qualitative Analysis
• Survey Design
• Research Methodology
• Applied Research
• Data Management
• Report Writing
• Knowledge Management
• Housing Systems Analysis
• Sustainable Urban Development
• Culturally Responsive Housing
• Accessible Housing Design
• Climate-Smart Housing
• Research Documentation
• Research communication

Languages

English, French