The Supreme Council for Planning in Oman is seeking an experienced person to support the development of Oman National Spatial Strategy (the ONSS), the first of its kind for the Sultanate.

When completed, the ONSS when completed will help to guide sustainable spatial developments in the Sultanate for the next 20 years and will provide the framework for guiding Governments socio-economic growth in decades to come. The ONSS comprise of a National Framework and 11 Regional Spatial Strategies each with its own implementation plan and evaluation mechanisms.

About the role

This full-time position will require the successful candidate to work with the ONSS development team at the SCP in Muscat. Given the ONSS scale, the SCP is therefore seeking to hire a high level expert in strategic spatial planning to lead the development of the ONSS.

The successful candidate will be required to lead a multi-disciplinary team tasked with developing the content of the ONSS, that includes SCP team as well as multiple consultants tasked with this mission. The candidate will provide high level expertise to steer the development of the Spatial Strategy as well as steering the SCP to make high level decisions related to national and regional planning as well as revising and formulating the required spatial policies to organize future sustainable development for the country.

The candidate will be required to participate in planning projects, consult with the community, conduct economic analysis and model development outcomes. Presentation of outcomes to stakeholders and high level government officials as well as community groups is an important aspect of the position and can require after-hours work.

Essential Criteria:

• A tertiary qualification in either town planning, urban planning or a similar planning qualification
• Minimum of 15 years’ experience in Urban Planning including experience in National or Regional Spatial Planning projects
• Experience in Planning Institution reorganization and implementation of new planning systems
• Experience in development of capacities
• Extensive skills and demonstrated current hands-on experience in the preparation, assessment and implementation of planning policies, planning proposals, environmental plans and planning strategies.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Skills and experience in the preparation and implementation of community consultation programs, including presentations to public forums.
• A proficiency in research and problem solving, providing clear concise recommendations for action.
• Time management skills, with a particular ability to balance priorities.
• Highly developed skills in project development and project management.
• The ability to provide creative input in to the operation of a team of multi-skilled professionals.
• Facilitating and coordinating the development and implementation of major strategies, using an integrated and transformative approach for areas such as:
  • economic development, jobs and workforce change
  • the environment and tackling climate change and its impacts
  • strategic land use
  • public space, place making and activation
  • residential development and housing
  • heritage
  • sustainable transport planning
  • smart city initiatives

POSITION OBJECTIVES:

• Lead a multi-disciplinary technical team to deliver the ONSS
• Responsible for coordinating content development of the ONSS
• Contribute to high level integrated strategies, policies, plans, programs and initiatives to support, manage and promote the population growth, economic development and
• Environmental performance of the Sultanate.
• Work collaboratively with others within the relevant units of the Government as well as the other stakeholders
• Management of external consultants to prepare the spatial strategies, as well as internal staff as required.
• Research and develop comprehensive strategic policies and plans and identify actions and initiatives that could assist in the implementation of strategies.
• Contribute to and assist in the coordination of Steering Committees and Project Teams.
• Prepare written material to support the delivery of strategic planning projects.
• Demonstrated Project Management experience.
• Highly developed analytical, investigative and conceptual skills with a demonstrated ability to use these in the preparation of innovative strategic plans.
• The ability to analyse, comprehend and research data and prepare concise reports and recommendations, including submissions and reports to SCP.
• Ability to operate in a broad organisational framework with minimum supervision.
• Knowledge of how a strategic planning approach contributes towards both the corporate and statutory planning processes.
• The ability to prepare and manage the execution of strategic planning projects using internal and external resources.

MANAGEMENT SKILLS:

• Supervise and provide guidance and support to staff.
• Skills in managing time, setting priorities and planning and organising one’s own work and where appropriate that of other employees so as to achieve specific and set objectives in the most efficient way possible within the resources available and within a set timetable despite conflicting pressures.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of long term staffing strategies.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

• High level written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to gain co-operation and assistance from clients, members of the public and other employees in the administration of broadly defined activities and to motivate and develop employees.
• Ability to liaise with counterparts in other organisations to discuss and resolve specialist problems.
• Ability and commitment to maintain confidentiality at all times.

Updated 16 October 2018

For more information, please contact [email protected] referencing N182902.

This job is no longer accepting applications.