Housing Accessibility Policy and Design Specialist

About the role

The consultant will support the development of the Accessible‑Ready Housing Design Compendium, conduct applied research on accessibility standards and policies, and ensure project delivery in collaboration with the UN‑Habitat Canada Office team.

Key responsibilities

• Develop annotated typologies, prototype layouts, spatial strategies, technical diagrams, costing analysis and design rationale for the Design Compendium.
• Conduct comparative research on housing accessibility standards, policies and regulatory frameworks in Canada and internationally.
• Coordinate inputs between the Design Compendium and the Guidance Package to align design strategies with policy pathways.
• Support workshops and consultations with case‑city municipalities, OPDs and external experts, ensuring intersectional accessibility needs are addressed.
• Maintain documentation, version control and knowledge‑management tools for all project materials.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in architecture, urban planning, housing design or a closely related field.
• Mid‑level professional experience translating accessibility or universal‑design requirements into architectural drawings and spatial strategies.
• Canadian residency or citizenship, or permission to work in Canada.

Required skills

• Architectural drawing and design documentation.
• Spatial analysis and typology development.
• Research and policy analysis on accessibility standards.
• Knowledge‑management and documentation control.