Housing Policy Analysis and Reporting Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
UN-Habitat is the agency for human settlements, established by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. The Canada Office of UN-Habitat strengthens the organization’s mission by serving as a focal point for partnerships, applied research, and policy engagement in Canada and across North America for the implementation of UN-Habitat’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan. Operating from Montreal, the Canada Office plays a central role in four domains: partner engagement and resource mobilization; research-policy-action interface; advocacy and communication; and the advancement of sustainable urbanization agendas within the Canadian and North American context. The Canada Office emphasizes knowledge and innovation to accelerate housing solutions that are affordable, adequate, resilient, and compatible with national and global commitments. Currently, it is implementing a strategic housing initiative commissioned by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) from February 2026 until May 2028, focusing on advancing affordable housing supply markets and systems in Canada through applied research, policy analysis, and expert engagement.

Job Overview:
The Housing Policy Analysis and Reporting Specialist will provide technical and analytical support for the preparation, integration, and quality assurance of the project’s Issue Briefs and final synthesis report. The consultant will work closely with the UN-Habitat Canada Office team to consolidate research findings, case studies, expert inputs, and cross-cutting analytical insights into coherent, evidence-based, and policy-relevant knowledge products. These outputs will be critical to ensuring the timely and high-quality completion of the project, while generating knowledge and analytical insights that inform other components of the Canada Office’s housing programme and contribute to its broader mandate in Canada and globally. The position is full-time and based in Montreal, Canada, initially offered as a six-month contract with the possibility of extension based on performance evaluation.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Housing Policy Analysis and Reporting Specialist will provide technical and analytical support to the implementation of the CMHC-commissioned project, focusing on integrating research findings and preparing high-quality knowledge products. The consultant will contribute to the preparation, synthesis, and quality assurance of project outputs, ensuring consistency across thematic workstreams and their relevance to Canadian housing priorities and UN-Habitat’s global mandate. Specific duties include:

• Supporting the preparation and integration of project knowledge products, including Issue Briefs, case studies, technical notes, analytical papers, and the project’s final synthesis report.
• Reviewing, synthesizing, and consolidating research findings generated across the project’s thematic areas.
• Providing technical and analytical inputs to Issue Briefs and other project outputs.
• Analyzing relevant Canadian and international housing policies, programmes, regulatory frameworks, and institutional arrangements.
• Supporting knowledge dissemination and policy dialogue activities, including roundtables and workshops.
• Identifying and synthesizing key analytical insights from Canadian housing policy and practice for international knowledge exchange.
• Performing other analytical, research, reporting, and knowledge-management tasks as required.

Required Qualifications:
A Master’s degree in Economics, Geography, Urban Studies, Housing Policy, Public Policy, Urban Planning, International Development, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in housing and urban policy research, housing market analysis, public policy, urban development, or related fields is required. Proven experience drafting, integrating, and reviewing knowledge products, including policy briefs, analytical reports, technical notes, case studies, and research papers is required. Strong analytical, report-writing, and editorial skills are essential.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Economics, Geography, Urban Studies, Housing Policy, Public Policy, Urban Planning, or International Development is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in housing and urban policy research, housing market analysis, public policy, urban development, or related fields is required. Experience in preparing high-quality research and publications is essential, along with demonstrated ability to synthesize complex research findings into coherent analytical narratives and actionable policy insights.

Languages:
Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Proficiency and/or fluency in French is highly desirable, and knowledge of another official UN language is considered an additional asset.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and based in Montreal, Canada. It is initially offered as a six-month contract, with the possibility of extension based on a positive performance evaluation. Applicants must be Canadian residents or citizens or have permission to work in Canada. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.