The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, or UN-Habitat, is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the U.N. system. With its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, the agency works in over 90 countries and provides knowledge, policy advice, and technical assistance.
The agency looks for diverse types of experience since it is both an operational and normative program under the U.N. Secretariat, said Erfan Ali, UN-Habitat’s chief of staff. While the organization is hiring across all regions, its largest portfolios of work are based in Africa and the Arab States region.
Even though the job search process can be competitive and frustrating, Ali encouraged interested candidates to continue to apply, noting that they could find initial opportunities as rostered candidates. However, he suggested only applying to “relevant jobs where you have relevant expertise” otherwise, you can hurt your reputation within the agency’s recruitment team.