1  Background

The Sindh People Housing for Flood Affectees is supporting the preparation of a Climate Resilient Settlement Development Plan for Village Haji Ibrahim, an informal waste-picker settlement located next to the Jam Chakro landfill in Karachi. SPHF will serve as the executing agency, while Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will provide technical and implementation support, including support for recruitment and management of the project team. The planning process will combine household, spatial, infrastructure, environmental, climate, public-health, occupational-safety, livelihood and community evidence to develop practical options for in-situ settlement upgrading, with partial re-blocking considered only where technically necessary and socially acceptable. The Urban Planner will lead the integration of evidence into spatially coherent and implementable settlement-upgrading options while protecting homes, livelihood zones, sorting and storage areas, access routes and community assets.

2  Scope of Work

• Lead the urban and settlement-planning component.
• Review available plans, land records, development controls, agency information, satellite imagery, survey findings and relevant legal and institutional requirements.
• Work with GIS and survey personnel to confirm the settlement boundary, land-use pattern, density, circulation network, residential clusters, commercial areas, public spaces, livelihood zones and service corridors.
• Integrate household, livelihood, infrastructure, land-tenure, legal, environmental, climate-risk, public-health, OHS and consultation findings into the spatial planning process.
• Prepare an existing-conditions spatial assessment identifying constraints, opportunities, hazard exposure, access limitations, service gaps and areas requiring protection.
• Develop an in-situ upgrading plan covering land use, access, infrastructure corridors, public and community spaces, livelihood facilities and phased improvement priorities.
• Develop a limited partial re-blocking option only where justified by access, drainage, safety or service-delivery requirements, and identify affected residential and livelihood spaces and avoidance measures.
• Coordinate with the Architect and Civil and Infrastructure Engineer to align built-environment, road, drainage, water, sanitation, stormwater, public-space and community-facility proposals.
• Compare planning options using agreed technical, social, environmental, climate, legal, cost and implementation criteria.
• Support participatory planning and validation sessions and communicate technical options in accessible formats.
• Prepare planning maps, narratives, phasing recommendations, institutional arrangements and report-ready inputs for the draft and final CRSDP.
• Address consolidated comments and ensure consistency among maps, drawings, cost estimates and narrative sections.

3  Expected Outputs and Indicative Timeline

Note: These outputs are indicative work milestones for supervision and performance monitoring. They are not separately priced deliverables and do not determine monthly payment.

4  Reporting and Performance Management

• This is a fixed-term staff position. The staff members will report administratively to the Project Manager.
• Technical work will be guided by the CRS Technical Lead in coordination with the nominated SPHF focal person and relevant CRSDP team members.
• The expected outputs and milestones in this TOR will be used for work planning and performance monitoring. They are not separately priced or payment-linked consultancy deliverables.
• The authorized supervisor will hold final authority for approving attendance, timesheets and the monthly performance certification required for payment, after considering technical feedback from the CRS Technical Lead and SPHF focal person, as applicable.
• The project will provide or facilitate access to the project data, approved hardware, licensed software and other work tools reasonably required for the position, subject to availability, licensing conditions and the approved project budget. Project assets must be used, protected and returned in accordance with applicable procedures.
• Official transportation for authorized field visits to Jam Chakro, site-access coordination and reasonable security arrangements will be organized or approved by the project in accordance with SPHF procedures.
• Pre-approved official field expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with applicable travel and expense procedures and against the required supporting documents. Personal or unapproved expenses will not be reimbursed.
• The staff member must promptly report unsafe conditions, incidents, near misses, equipment loss, data breaches and access or security concerns through the approved reporting channels.

5  Logistics Equipment Safety and Field Expenses

6  Payment Modality

This position will be paid on a fixed monthly basis under the applicable staffing contract, subject to verified attendance or timesheets and satisfactory performance. Payment will not be calculated or released against individual deliverables. Applicable taxes and statutory deductions will be handled in accordance with the contract and relevant procedures. Any approved official field expenses will be reimbursed separately in accordance with policy.

7  Contract Period and Work Arrangement

The position will be for 3 months from the date of joining. The staff member will work full-time in accordance with the approved work plan, combining office-based work in Karachi/Clifton with authorized field visits to Jam Chakro. Work schedules and field deployment may be adjusted by the authorized supervisor to respond to project sequencing, security, site access and coordination requirements.

8  Skills and Qualifications Required

• Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning, City and Regional Planning or an equivalent HEC-recognized qualification.
• At least four years of relevant professional experience in urban planning, master planning, settlement upgrading, land-use planning, informal settlements or feasibility studies.
• Demonstrated experience preparing spatial development options, land-use plans, circulation plans, upgrading strategies and phased investment plans.
• Sound understanding of in-situ upgrading, re-blocking, density, access, service corridors, public-space planning, land tenure and physical and economic displacement risks.
• Experience integrating socio-economic, livelihood, engineering, environmental, climate-risk and community-engagement data into settlement plans.
• Working knowledge of GIS-based planning and the ability to review maps, spatial databases and georeferenced outputs.
• Strong analytical, report-writing, presentation, facilitation and multidisciplinary coordination skills.
• Fluency in Urdu is required for community and stakeholder engagement. Proficiency in Sindhi and other locally spoken languages will be an advantage.
• Professional working ability in English is required for technical documentation and reporting.
• Knowledge of Karachi's urban context, planning institutions and informal settlements will be a strong advantage.