Job Description

June 21, 2026

D

Family

NOA

National Professional Officer

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-06-07

Assistant Settlement Planning Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Assistant Settlement Planning Officer works under the overall supervision of a more senior settlement planning colleague, Technical coordinator, Programme Officer or the Head of Office. The incumbent works in coordination with other colleagues in the Field, in particular working in protection, health, community services, water and sanitation, etc... In addition to physical planning, the incumbent may also assist with the functions in the areas of shelter, infrastructure, site selection and construction management support. S/he acts as focal point for maintaining effective coordination with any established settlement / shelter sector working group at her / his particular level. In addition, s/he is responsible for the strategic management and monitoring of the implementation of settlement planning activities, and for collaboration with Administration, Finance and Programme on all programmatic issues within the Area of Responsibility (AoR). S/he shall be working closely with other sections on settlement and general infrastructure related activities and provides functional technical guidance to the team as well as to the technical experts in the Field.
The Assistant Settlement Planning Officer provides support to emergency and protracted operations in designing and developing sustainable settlements to host people of concern (POC) to UNHCR. A settlement should take into consideration the risks associated with settlement locations, spatial allocation of functions while addressing the needs of the population, the availability of resources, the amelioration of living conditions, the provision of services, enhancing transportation networks as well as recreational spaces.
The incumbent will therefore be expected to provide support to the supervisor in analysing the variety of settlement options, urban, rural, formal or informal and ensure that spatial allocation of lands is decided in support of the protection, access to basic services, livelihoods, and socio-cultural life of displaced people and the host community. S/he will also assist in negotiations with national and local government authorities regarding land acquisition and site development works.

The Assistant Settlement Planning Officer liaises and co-ordinates UNHCR settlement and construction related activities within the area of responsibility (AoR), in accordance with UNHCR policies and priorities and maintains contacts with the local officials and implementing partners to discuss and share information on the assessment of infrastructure conditions in refugee-hosting areas.
The incumbent should maintain regular communication with the shelter and settlement team in HQ for technical advice, information, communication and access to updated global tools and resources.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

Technical Guidance
- Provide support in conducting assessments, analysis and joint inter-sector needs assessment exercises as appropriate, and selection of potential sites in accordance with the Master Plan approach to settlement planning taking into consideration protection concerns, national legislation, environmental considerations, appropriate density, and access to basic services including water, hydrological concerns, socio/economic issues, and cultural inclusion and HLP matters.
- Draft settlement layouts, block plans and specific site plans that respond to natural topography and drainage patterns of the site to reduce construction and maintenance costs.
- Work with the relevant technical, programme and supply colleagues in close coordination with implementing and other concerned parties to develop implementation modalities and work plans for the settlement plans. Provide technical inputs and advice to Programme in the process of Implementation Partner Selection and review of PPAs of all sector related partners and partners with construction related activities in their budget.
- Provide technical guidance, supervision and monitoring of settlement plan implementation during plot allocation, infrastructure set up, site location of health facilities, schools, distribution centres, woodlots etc.
- Conduct regular monitoring of settlement and infrastructure works, with the help of adequate project management tools, so these are implemented according to plans and completed within designated timelines and budget and ensure that this information is captured in reports shared with the supervisor.
- In close consultation with partners, assist in conducting assessments, providing concrete initiatives and drafting specific strategies to make sure that residential areas, key services and infrastructure are not susceptible to the risk of natural hazards such as flash floods and landslides.

Coordination
- Provide support in ensuring that UNHCR's operation within the AOR is technically sound in the field of settlement planning to best meet the needs of POC.
- Liaise with relevant authorities and government counterparts to ensure strong coordination and partnership.
- Draft settlement plans that are aligned with regional, national land use plans and planned developments.
- Participate in the process of site selection and land negotiations with the local government, local community leaders and the landlords for the settlements within the AOR. In doing this, ensure that the risk of conflict linked to land tenure is addressed and mitigated while continuing to pursue actions that increase the security of tenure for displaced populations.
- Actively support the development and implementation of Settlement plans in a consultative process with Senior Management, relevant technical colleagues, implementing partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Draft Settlement Master Plans in alignment with the UNHCR guiding principles of the Master Plan Approach to Settlement Planning. Provide periodic updates on the Masterplan taking note of the expansion and densification of the settlement and develop plans for any settlement extensions.
- Work together with implementing and operational partners to ensure the use of common standards and tools for information collection and data management, including in needs assessments and monitoring.

Collaboration
- Collaborate and coordinate with all functional units in UNHCR and relevant technical actors in the feasibility and technical assessments, planning and development of sites, including protection, environment, health, education, water and sanitation.
- In coordination with relevant focal persons and technical colleagues, provide support in carrying out appropriate assessments and mapping exercises such as environmental impact assessment, useable land area assessment, mapping of services, mapping of host communities, livelihood assessments, etc.
- Promote the integration of agreed priority cross-cutting issues (e.g. age, environment, gender, and human rights) in sector/inter-sector needs assessments, analysis, planning and monitoring.
- Support active participation of communities and promotion of community-based approaches in the planning and implementation of settlement and masterplan activities.
- Develop regular reports and share information, both within the settlement planning stakeholders and with other sectors through inter-sector communication channels. Work on the reporting and monitoring through the provision of inputs for the 4W, SIP and site monitoring information.
- Promote and ensure the accountability to affected populations and the identification of durable solutions that also promote peaceful co/existence with the host communities.
- Provide equitable access to basic services for both the displaced and host communities while making emphasis on meaningful inclusion of the site community groups (women, youth, elderly and persons with specific needs) in decision-making processes including through governance structures and sectorial focal points.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Civil Engineering;
Construction;
Urban Planning,
Architecture; or other relevant field

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Good knowledge of basic computer softwares, including engineering design tools.

Desirable
Experience in all disciplines of Civil Engineering, Rural Settlement Development, Emergency Management and Environmental Planning, and ability to make the linkages to rehabilitation and development programmes.

Functional Skills
*SP-Autocad for Settlement Planning
IT-Computer Literacy
PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards)
SP-Environment Planning
SP-Environmental Assessment/Planning/Monitoring/Evaluation of integrated projects/programs
SP-Infrastructure Development/Construction Management/Property Management
SP-Natural Resources Management
SP-Reconstruction and Community Planning
SP-Urban/Rural Settlement Planning
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Candidate Profile (Essential and Desirable Attributes)
- Bachelor's degree in architecture or urban planning, with a strong academic foundation in spatial design, settlement planning, and built‑environment studies.
- Proven proficiency in Computer‑Aided Design (CAD) tools, including modelling, mapping, and preparation of technical drawings.
-Advanced skills in Adobe Creative Cloud 2025, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and related applications for high‑quality visual and communication products.
-Solid knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and demonstrated ability to apply spatial analysis for evidence‑based planning and reporting.
-Minimum 2 years of relevant professional experience in urban planning, urban design, or architecture, preferably with exposure to territorial scale planning and/or humanitarian and/or development contexts.
-Experience in Rural Settlement Development, Emergency Management, and Environmental Planning, with an ability to link emergency actions to longer‑term rehabilitation and development programming is desired.
-Strong ability to work within multidisciplinary and culturally diverse teams, contributing to integrated settlement and site planning processes.
-Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills, including the ability to prepare clear analytical documents, technical briefs, and visual materials for internal and external stakeholders.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Health hazards in the duty station include road crashes, work overload, natural disasters, mental health problems, substance use and abuse, heart disease, metabolic disease (diabetes), vector-borne disease, water and food-borne disease, SGBV, other infectious diseases and environmental hazards. Throughout the year, there are prevalent risks of malaria and dengue necessitating recommended vaccinations against Japanese Encephalitis and Diphtheria.

The General Threat Assessment in Cox’s Bazar is level 3 moderate. Given the current situation in the area, All UN official movements should be completed during daytime hours (Sunrise to sunset). All personnel should return to their homes before 2300 hours. Crowded local markets should be avoided. Security Clearance is required and can be requested via TRIP at https://dss.un.org Requests for clearance should be submitted 7 days prior to travel.

Nature of Position:

Bangladesh, despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, continues to host one of the world’s largest refugee populations. The Government does not formally recognize the Rohingya as refugees, referring to them instead as Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs). Nonetheless, the country is generously hosting approximately 1.2 million Rohingya across 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char. Since 2024, over 130,000 new arrivals have crossed the border—despite its official closure—fleeing renewed conflict and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Refugees now constitute nearly two‑thirds of the population of Cox’s Bazar District, placing significant pressure on host communities, services, resources, local infrastructure, and the surrounding environment.

The Government of Bangladesh maintains that repatriation to Myanmar, as swiftly as possible, is the only viable long‑term solution. This policy stance influences all aspects of the humanitarian response, limiting the development of permanent or long‑term infrastructure, formal education, livelihoods activities, and the use of cash assistance. Within this constrained policy environment, settlement and shelter interventions must balance operational realities with the need to ensure safety, dignity, and climate‑resilient living conditions for the refugee and host populations.

In line with UNHCR’s Strategic Framework for Climate Action and the Global Strategy for Sustainable Settlement, Shelter, and Infrastructure, settlement planning is central to safeguarding the environment and strengthening community resilience to climate‑related and other hazards. Human settlement planning considers the broader territorial context in which households live and the spatial configurations of shelters and services. It organizes the physical landscape through thoughtful allocation of functions and resources, ensuring that population needs, environmental sustainability, cultural practices, economic patterns, mobility, and service provision are harmonized.

UNHCR’s Master Plan Approach (MPA) provides the overarching framework for spatial planning in humanitarian settings and underpins the Integrated Settlement Planning (ISP) approach used in the Rohingya response. The ISP process is now an essential component of coordinated site management across the 33 camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf.

Under the supervision of the Shelter Officer, the Assistant Settlement Planning Officer plays a key role in driving forward the ISP in UNHCR‑managed camps. The position requires close collaboration with Field, Protection, Health, Community‑Based Protection, Education, WASH, Energy and Environment, and other stakeholders to ensure that settlement planning outputs are technically sound, inclusive, risk‑informed, and operationally feasible. The role also supports multisector engagement to ensure that planning decisions are aligned with humanitarian standards, government policies, and the dynamic needs of the population.

The incumbent represents UNHCR in coordination forums under the Shelter/CCCM Sector, including active participation in the Settlement Planning and Site Development Taskforce. This involves consistent technical engagement, information sharing, and follow‑up to ensure that UNHCR’s priorities and approaches are reflected in sector‑wide processes.

In addition, the position collaborates with government authorities, development partners such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and private‑sector actors involved in infrastructure, shelter, and site‑development initiatives. The role contributes to planning, implementation, design review, and monitoring of these efforts to ensure coherence with UNHCR’s objectives and adherence to sector standards, while also advocating for environmentally sustainable and climate‑resilient solutions.

Living and Working Conditions:

Cox's Bazar is a beach city located in the southeastern corner of Bangladesh about 298 kilometres from Dhaka, the capital city. Educational resources are limited, and international schools spanning primary to secondary levels are exclusively located in Dhaka. Health services are somewhat also limited in Cox's Bazar, with more reliable facilities accessible in Dhaka. As a prominent tourist destination in Bangladesh, Cox's Bazar draws visitors due to its scenic location at the Bay of Bengal and its expansive beach stretching over 120km to the tip of the peninsula, with several hotels and restaurants.

The climate of Cox’s Bazar is mostly tropical monsoon: high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and generally excessive humidity, with distinct seasonal variations. The annual average temperature in Cox's Bazar is a maximum of 34.1 °C (92.2 °F) and a minimum of 22.0 °C (71.6 °F). Flights connecting Cox's Bazar to Dhaka operate daily. Flight from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar takes one hour. The main airlines serving the airport are Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, Novoair and Air Astra. In addition, Banking facilities and ATM machines are available in Cox's Bazar.

The workweek is from Sunday to Thursday and working hours are from 8:00 to 17:00hrs with one hour lunch break.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

IT-Computer Literacy, PG-Programme Management (programme cycles and reporting standards), SP-Autocad for Settlement Planning, SP-Environmental Assessment/Planning/Monitoring/Evaluation of integrated projects/programs, SP-Environment Planning, SP-Infrastructure Development/Construction Management/Property Management, SP-Natural Resources Management, SP-Reconstruction and Community Planning, SP-Urban/Rural Settlement Planning

Bachelor of Arts: Architecture, Bachelor of Arts: Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Arts: Construction, Bachelor of Arts: Urban Planning

Certifications

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Innovation & creativity, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position requires Functional Clearance