Individual Contractor Urban Transport

Result of Service

Performance indicators for evaluation of outputs:

• Reliable and context-specific data collected on mobility patterns and congestion dynamics in Malé City, which will inform the development of an evidence-based decongestion plan.
• Timely delivery of the analytical report presenting the findings of the Urban Mobility Survey and the Disaster Risk Assessment (DRA);
• Effective engagement and coordination with municipal authorities and relevant stakeholders throughout the assignment;
• Clear presentation and dissemination of the survey methodology and key findings during the consultation workshop to facilitate informed discussion among stakeholders.

Work Location

Bangkok

Expected duration

1 January 2027-31May2027

Duties and Responsibilities

ESCAP’s Transport Division is responding to an official request for technical assistance from the Malé City Council, Maldives. The request reflects the urgent mobility pressures faced by Malé City, where traffic congestion has become a persistent constraint on everyday mobility. High road occupancy levels and limited public space significantly reduce traffic efficiency and increase travel time. At the same time, public transport services remain fragmented, while private vehicle ownership remains high. These structural challenges are further aggravated by frequent natural hazards, including heavy rainfall and flooding, which regularly disrupt transport operations and damage already vulnerable infrastructure. Moreover, such events affect not only private and public transport, but also other forms of mobility, limiting active alternatives such as walking and cycling. As a result, strengthening resilience to extreme weather events and integrating resilience considerations into urban transport planning have become urgent priorities for local authorities.

The project aims to support the Malé City Council in addressing these challenges through the development of a comprehensive decongestion plan tailored to the Maldivian context. The initiative will bring together relevant municipal departments, transport operators, public transport providers and other key stakeholders to ensure coordinated long-term planning. The project will deliver the following activities to strengthen the City’s technical capacity:

• Designing and conducting an Urban Mobility Survey (UMS) to support the development of a decongestion plan.
• Carrying out a Disaster Risk Assessment (DRA) to evaluate the impacts of natural hazards on mobility and infrastructure.
• Organizing a Consultation Workshop in Malé City to present the results of the UMS and the DRA and to consult stakeholders on defining next steps.
• Developing a Decongestion and Disaster Resilience Roadmap based on the findings of the UMS, the DRA, and the consultation workshop.
• Delivering a Capacity-Building Workshop in Malé City to strengthen the City’s capacity to reduce congestion, improve multimodal mobility, and enhance resilience to natural disasters.

Location: Physically based at the ESCAP offices in Bangkok, Thailand.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Against this background, ESCAP is seeking to hire an individual contractor to support the implementation of the project. Throughout the assignment, the contractor will be expected to collaborate closely with the ESCAP project team, municipal authorities in Malé City and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and coordination. Under the overall guidance of ESCAP’s responsible project officer, the contractor will undertake the following tasks:

1. Lead the design and development of an Urban Mobility Survey tailored to the context of Malé City;
2. Coordinate with the national consultant the delivery the survey, analyse the collected data and prepare a comprehensive final report;
3. Facilitate with the regional consultant the Disaster Risk Assessment (DRA) to evaluate the impacts of natural hazards on mobility and infrastructure;
4. Organize and deliver a Consultation Workshop in Malé City;
5. Support and guide the national and regional consultants in developing a Decongestion and Disaster Resilience Roadmap based on the findings of the UMS, the DRA, and the consultation workshop;
6. Deliver a Capacity-Building Workshop in Malé City to strengthen the City’s capacity to reduce congestion, improve multimodal mobility, and enhance resilience to natural disasters.

Qualifications/special skills

University degree in transport, civil engineering, urban planning, climate change, sustainable development or related field. Experience in sustainable transport, ideally in the UN system.

Languages

Fluency in English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.