Associate Knowledge Management Officer, Nairobi

General

Description of assignment title:

Associate Knowledge Management Officer

Assignment country:

Kenya

Duty stations:

Nairobi

Work location:

On UN premises

Expected start date:

09/30/2026

Duration:

12 months(with possibility of extension)Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal:

11. Sustainable cities and communities

Host entity:

UN-HABITAT

Modality:

Onsite

Type:

International

Volunteer category:

Associate UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule:

Full-time

Number of Assignments:

1

Details

Mission and objectives:

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

UN-Habitat is the coordinating agency within the United Nations System for human settlement activities and in collaboration with governments is responsible for promoting and consolidating collaboration with all partners, including local authorities, private and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, Goal 11 of "Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable", as well as the task manager of the human settlements chapter of Agenda 21 and focal point for the monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the New Urban Agenda adopted during the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III),held in Quito, Ecuador, in 2016.

Context:

Partnership Implementing the New Urban Agenda (PINUA) is one of the current projects being implemented jointly between UN-Habitat and the Government of Kenya with funding from the European Union (EU) to develop models and approaches for filling the gap in affordable housing in the context of Kenya. The specific objective of PINUA is to unlock and upscale adequate green housing and communities' eco-friendly co-production in the targeted counties of Kisumu and Nairobi. UN-Habitat has produced numerous knowledge products, including flagship publications, report series, fact sheets, guides, tools, etc. Among these are over 100 thematic reports at global, regional and country level; over 52 publications on housing rights; and 30 national housing profiles which can be leveraged upon by PINUA to enhance affordable housing.

On its part, PINUA continues to generate a wide range of data and information including housing analytics, financial modelling, community mobilization strategies, social infrastructure, participatory housing and landscape design amongst others. This information will need to be effectively managed for effective utilization by the diverse categories stakeholders including government, civil society, private sector, academia, development partners and local communities.

Task description:

Under the overall supervision of the Head of East and Horn Sub-Region, the direct supervision of the Head of the Kenya Country Programme, and the technical guidance from National Officers, the International UN Volunteer will be required to collaborate and work closely with the consultants in the Kenya Country Office (KCO) while synergizing the respective outputs. The following are the specific tasks and responsibilities associated with this position:

• Support the consolidation and documentation of data and information in the Kenya Country Office
• Assists in collecting, organizing, and documenting data from housing and slum upgrading specialists, including baseline surveys, analytics, financial models, value-chain studies, community engagement strategies, environmental inputs, planning, and design.
• Support in aligning all documented data with the Government of Kenya's Affordable Housing Programme to support policy harmonization.
• Ensure all facts and figures are consistent with United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat ) project data and publications relevant to KCO.
• This should include innovation domains relevant to affordable housing and people-centered smart cities. The reporting should be structured and aligned to UN-Habitat and the KCO results framework.
• Contributing to developing relevant knowledge products for the KCO
• Support the development of relevant and suitable knowledge products including published reports, presentations, video scripts, popular versions, manuals, guides, and databases ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements related to knowledge management within the UN and the Government of Kenya.
• Adapt UN-Habitat knowledge management and innovation tools to create effective knowledge-sharing platforms for pilot countries.
• Support in developing the Affordable Housing Knowledge Catalogue capturing connections of existing national and sub-national policy directions and ensure coherence with UN-Habitat's policy papers on affordable housing are reflected.
• Support in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of projects in the Kenya Country Programme including turning M&E findings into learning products.
• Participate in Knowledge Management Audit and Strategy (including a framework for collecting, storing, retrieving, sharing, and dissemination of processes and best practices)
• Substantively, support the development of a comprehensive Knowledge Management and dissemination strategy outlining systems for collecting, storing, retrieving, sharing, training, and disseminating best practices. The strategy should be aligned with UN-Habitat's goals and objectives.
• Within the strategy, propose tools and platforms (e.g., intranets, knowledge bases, collaboration tools) to support secure, organized, and easily retrievable knowledge repositories usable across programmes, training initiatives, and the Affordable Housing Hub.
• Support the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted data collection and citizen feedback tools, transparent, real-time dashboards for information processing and reporting, and ethical guidance for AI use in housing and development contexts, particularly relating to participatory processes.
• Feedback on Collaboration and Networking
• This workshop will be informed and guided by a comprehensive and robust stakeholder mapping process. This mapping will be conducted in consultation with key UN-Habitat staff including a structured engagement with government officials. The agenda of the workshop should ensure the output reflects institutional priorities, sectoral expectations, and alignment. There should also be production of actionable insights for follow-up activities.
• Support the establishment of a relationship framework to strengthen collaboration among national, subregional, and regional stakeholders and prospective partner institutions.
• As and when requested, support facilitating networking and participation of stakeholders in knowledge exchange engagements and forums. From these forums, the consultant should track best practices and trends which influence project outputs and report to the Head of the Kenya Country Programme.
• Provide feedback and recommendations on new tools, technologies, and trends as part of the knowledge management and dissemination strategy.
• Provide strategic communication expertise where applicable.
• Support the production of UN-Habitat's normative work on housing and urban development for the UN-Habitat mission.

Key deliverables/Outputs

• A comprehensive Knowledge Management and Dissemination Strategy with clear structures for collecting, storing, retrieving, sharing, and dissemination of processes and best practices.
• A structured Inventory and Repository of Kenya Country Programme data and information, including all related programmes across global offices.
• High-quality knowledge products of the PINUA programme in the form of publishable reports, presentations, video scripts, popular versions, manuals, guides, and databases of technical information that enhance communication and capacity for effective knowledge sharing and utilization.
• A Knowledge and Innovation Hub Workshop with key and relevant stakeholders.
• An Affordable Housing Knowledge Catalogue which consolidates policy frameworks, lessons from ongoing programmes of Kenya's affordable housing programme, contextual innovations, good practices, and opportunities for scaling and capacity development.
• Incorporation of AI-enabled tools and innovative participatory processes in consultation with UN-Habitat's Data and Innovation unit.

During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check-ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.

Eligibility criteria

• Age:
• 18 - 80
• Required experience:
• 1 month
• Donor priorities:
• .
• Nationality:
• Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.
• Additional eligibility criteria:
• This assignment, including a 12-month contract extension, is funded by Spain and therefore candidates must be Spanish nationals.
• Candidates who already served on a UN Volunteer assignment funded by Spain are not eligible.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be carried out by the UN Host Entity in the country of assignment.

+++ UN Volunteer entitlement calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator +++

Assignment requirements

• Relevant experience:
• No experience required
• Languages:
• English, Level: Fluent, Required
• French, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
• Required education level:
• Bachelor's degree in Architecture and Settlements, Civil Engineering, Information and Knowledge Management, Information Technology, or Urban Development
• Competencies and values:
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Communication
• Creativity
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Judgement and Decision-making
• Knowledge Sharing
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Working in Teams

Skills and experience:

• Demonstrated interest and/or experience (up to 2 years):
• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze information, data, and metrics to deliver effective knowledge management products.
• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively disseminate knowledge and train others.
• Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams, stakeholders, and consultants, and build relationships across the organization.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in knowledge management tools and technologies.
• Knowledge Management systems: knowledge hubs, document repository, SharePoint, MS Teams, knowledge management tools (OneDrive, Power BI, Drupal/WordPress for web content, etc.) would be an added advantage.
• Information/data management: Organizing reports, databases, tagging, metadata.
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture (e.g., studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Area(s) of expertise:

• Architecture and settlements, Information technology, Development programmes

Driving license:

• -

Other information

• Tags
• community participation
• development assistance
• housing programmes
• international voluntary services
• knowledge management

Skills

• Analytical Skills
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Knowledge Management
• English

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