Michael SLINGSBY

m.slingsby@dpu-associates.net

Specialisation

Urban management; urban development; poverty reduction; urban upgrading; urban infrastructure; community development; capacity building; climate resilience; monitoring and evaluation; programme management; project management; project design; land management; security of tenure; housing; housing finance

Country experience

Long term: India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia
Short term: Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore.

Languages

English (mother tongue)

Educational and professional qualifications

1969

Professional Associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

1971

Architectural Association Post Graduate Diploma in Planning with Specialisation in Urban Planning in Developing Countries

Honours

Member of the most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.) "for services to housing in India". The Queen's Birthday Honours List, 1986.

EMPLOYMENT

2011

Climate Resilience, Urban Poverty and Urban Planning Consultant in India and Indonesia. Member of five person team developing Trust Fund Design for the Urban Climate Change Resilience Programme (UCCRP) funded by DFID, with contribution to the inputs on urban planning, stakeholder partnerships and community participation.

2010-present

Urban Poverty Specialist for the "Support to National Policies for Urban Poverty Reduction" project in New Delhi, India. Contributed to the preparation of policy documents and implementation guidelines for Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) programme of Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation; made presentations at national and international workshops on community participation, urban poverty, urban planning and housing finance; provided support to national NGOs working with urban poor communities and preparing slum free city plans under RAY; and provided support to 20 project cities preparing slum free city plans and detailed project reports.

2009-10

Country Representative, UN-Habitat, Afghanistan Responsible for portfolio of US$165 million and 1,050 staff, including 10 international staff at headquarters in Kabul and in 20 provinces; liaised with heads of donor and UN agencies and with the Ministries of Urban Development and Reconstruction and Rural Development; Acting Special Representative to the Secretary General and Acting Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary General during their periods of absence; and responsible for the security of national and international staff.

2008-09

UNDP Project Manager for the Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction (UPPR) Project, Bangladesh. Overall responsibility for delivery of outputs, financial accountability and management of about 120 staff, including managing an US$100 million project funded by DFID and UNDP, “to sustainably improve the livelihoods and living conditions of 3 million poor and extremely poor people, especially women and children, living in urban areas.”

2006-07

UNDP Lead Consultant for the formulation of the proposed Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction (UPPR) Project, Bangladesh. Developed project documents for UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UNDP as part of the project formulation process for the UPPR Project and managed the project in the transition from Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation (LPUPAP) to UPPR.

2006

UN Habitat’s Team Leader for the formulation of the proposed Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction Project, Bangladesh. Development of proposed US$115 million project to provide support for poverty reduction programmes and improvements in environmental and sanitation conditions for 3million urban poor people in 30 towns and cities in Bangladesh.

2005

Senior Technical Adviser, UNDP’s project “Support to the National Poverty Reduction Programmes", Hanoi, Vietnam. Responsible for managing the international and national technical assistance inputs to support the Government of Vietnam’s National Target Programme on Poverty Reduction (NTP-PR) and the Socio-Economic Development Programme for Extremely Difficult Communes in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas in the Period 2006 – 2010, (SEDEMA or Programme 135); liaising with donors and NGOs; providing direct inputs into workshops and capacity building programmes.

2002-05

Chief Technical Adviser, UN-Habitat/UNDP's "Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LPUPAP)", Bangladesh. Responsible for managing project funds of US$21 million and 130 headquarters and field staff working in 11 towns. The project covered over 600 urban poor communities and provided support for the provision of basic services and infrastructure on a community contract basis; poverty alleviation through support for apprenticeship programmes and group businesses; community empowerment through support to community based organisations and experience sharing nationally and internationally; and, capacity building of local government to develop and implement pro-poor strategies.

2002

Senior Urban Sector Adviser, Swiss Development Cooperation, Hanoi, Vietnam. Provided support to Vietnam's Urban Forum for Government, donors and NGOs. Advised SDC on its urban public administration reform projects and coordinated donor inputs to the urban component of Vietnam's Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy.

2002

Consultant, the World Bank, Vietnam. Prepared consultancy report for the World Bank for its Vietnam Urban Upgrading Project, “Enhancing Access of the Urban Poor and Vulnerable Groups in Vietnam to Basic Infrastructure and Housing- Task 4 – Development of a Detailed Action Plan for a Selected City (Can Tho)”.

2000-02

Senior Technical Adviser, UNDP's project, "Assistance to Public Administration Reform", Haiphong, Vietnam. Responsibilities included managing international consultants; managing training programmes; support to project management; implementing monitoring and evaluation systems; and advising project management on the budget. Provided professional support for preparation of City Development Strategy.

1996-2000

Chief Technical Adviser, UNCHS/UNDP/UK DFID project , "Support to the Squatter Communities and Municipality for Participatory Urban Development", Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Responsible for the establishment and management of a UNCHS project working with Municipality of Phnom Penh, squatter community leaders and local and international NGOs. The project supported local community based organisations and facilitated their interaction with the local government, at district and city levels. Project activities included a voluntary squatter relocation programme, upgrading of existing slum and squatter areas through community contracting and an apprenticeship programme.

1993-96

Field Manager, U.K. Overseas Development Administration (now DFID), Urban Poverty Office, New Delhi, India. Responsible for managing and reporting to ODA on the performance of five slum improvement, health and community development projects in Hyderabad, Indore, Vijayawada, Vizag and Calcutta being implemented by Municipal Corporations and Development Authorities in partnership with local NGOs. The total cost of the projects was about UK£100 million.

1990-93

Community Development and Training Adviser, U.K. Overseas Development Administration Urban Poverty Office, New Delhi India. Provided professional support for the community development components and managed the training for the ODA funded slum improvement projects in India including leading study tours to Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore. Short advisory visit to Faisalabad, Pakistan.

1990

Land Economist and Surveyor Worked as land and property valuer with U.K. firms of Chartered Surveyors involved in property valuation, land and property development feasibility studies, property taxation and land and property management. Responsible for in-India and U.K. training programmes, plus a study tour to the Philippines and Indonesia for staff from the Municipal Corporations and Development Authorities implementing the ODA funded slum improvement projects in India.

1998-90

Project Leader, Indian Human Settlements Programme, Institute for Housing Studies (IHS), Rotterdam, The Netherlands (based at the Human Settlements Management Institute, New Delhi, India). Responsible for managing Dutch funds of about US$500,000 per annum; co-ordination with the Government of India; managing a scholarship programme; preparing terms of reference and managing 12 man months per year of Dutch visiting faculty inputs; supervising research studies and leading training programmes in housing, urban planning and urban management for participants from local authorities, development agencies and housing boards.

1982-88

U.K. ODA Technical Co-operation Officer in Housing and Community Development, School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, Madras, India. Responsibilities included mid-career training workshops in housing and urban management for Municipalities, Housing Boards, Development Authorities and NGOs in South India; development of curricula for training courses for UNICEF's Urban Basic Services Programme; development of courses for undergraduate architecture and post graduate town planning programmes; research and consultancy in urban and rural housing and poverty reduction, community development, slum improvement and sites and services schemes.

1982

Lecturer, Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College London (UCL). Responsible for Urban Planning Workshop as part of the Post Graduate Diploma Course in Development Planning.

1978-81

U.K. ODA Technical Co-operation Officer and Adviser of Studies, Post Graduate Diploma Course in Low Cost Housing and Community Development, M.S. University of Baroda, India. Developed new course to train young professionals to work in urban slums with an emphasis on community development.

1975-78

British Council funded Director of Post Graduate Studies, Department of Town and Country Planning, University of Sri Lanka. Developed two year M.Sc. course in Town and Country Planning, including urban housing policies, urban development planning and regional planning.

1972-75

Lecturer, Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College London (UCL). Course Co-ordinator of Diploma Course in Development Planning. Joint team leader of a Foreign and Commonwealth Office mission to develop a housing policy for the Seychelles Islands.

1971-72

Planner/Land Valuer, Architects Team 3, Penang, Malaysia. Undertook feasibility studies for major urban renewal scheme in Penang.

1971

Property Adviser, Architectural Association, London.

1961-69

Land Economist and Surveyor. Worked as land and property valuer with U.K. firms of Chartered Surveyors involved in property valuation, land and property development feasibility studies, property taxation and land and property management

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