Ahmad Zaki
**********@*****.***
Linked in Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-zaki-1a411798/
Education
Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MUP)
State University of New York, USA (University at Buffalo)
03/2002-12/2007
B.Sc in Architecture Engineering
Kabul University, Faculty of Engineering
Job and Professional Experience
May 2020- Now
Manager and Senior Urban Planner at Utopian Planners
Key Responsibilities
1.Data collection/analysis, study and preparation of five Strategic Development Plans for five Provincial Capital Cities of Afghanistan
2.Management of the team members, tasks and project deliverables
3.Design and supervision of community outreach and analysis of the findings.
Feb 2019-
May 2020
Mayor of Kabul City, Capital of Afghanistan
Major Accomplishments at Kabul Municipality (KM):
-Improved local governance and delivery of city services, particularly at by informal settlements, which formed 75 percent of the city;
-Built data and financial systems, which helped 20 percent increase in municipality revenue;
-Established and endorsed PMIS management system for the first time at KM that helped successful implementation of 225 large and small projects;
-Reviewed and updated the legal and technical frameworks of the municipality to achieve SDGs and objective of Smart Growth;
-Prepared and endorsed implementation of a Form-Based Zoning tool for the first time in the city;
-Prepared detailed plans and implementation guidelines for seven major urban corridors that boosted investment aligned with TOD principles;
-Designed and implemented 12 community parks, providing gathering and entertainment space, particularly for women and children;
-Planned and prepared the design for three transfer stations;
-Planned and conducted the site analysis for two citywide landfills;
-Played a major rule in coping the spread of COVID-19 in Kabul City;
-Revised and endorsed the organization structure based on the study of effective models in developing countries;
-Built a conducive working relationships with national and international organizations, such as WB, UN-habitat, USAID, JICA and others.
Sep 2018-
Feb 2019
Senior Advisor to the President of Afghanistan on Urban Development Affairs
Major Responsibilities:
-Worked directly with HE. The president of Afghanistan (Mohammad Ashraf Ghani);
-Being member of High Council for Urban Development;
-Provided around 60 memos and policy notes to HE. The president on urban and development issues;
-Worked with different entities of Afghanistan’s urban sector to build coordination;
-Worked on Municipality Law and its regulatory framework which was endorsed by the cabinet in the same year;
-Streamlined assistances and supports of international organizations and NGOs in strengthening Afghanistan’s urban sector.
Dec 2016
Sep 2018
Director of Urban Development Affairs, Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MUDH), Afghanistan
Key Accomplishments:
-Revised fragmented technical process which caused unnecessary delays by establishing an integrated regulatory and technical planning platform;
-Prepared and got endorsement of development plans for seven cities;
-Developed manuals and guidelines for comprehensive planning, development and detailed planning utilizing smart growth principles;
-Drafted the first Urban Development Law of Afghanistan, which was endorsed by the cabinet on August 2017;
-Led and supervised the SASAKI Associates – a Boston based urban design firm that prepared the Kabul City Urban Design Framework which was endorsed at the 4th High Council for Urban Development;
-Revised construction permitting system/ process.
June 16 –
Dec 16
Head of Urban Research and Training Center / MUDH
Accomplishments:
-Conducted a series of more than 60 training programs, building the capacity of about 3000 gov. employees in the urban sector;
-Established a proactive board of technical experts to study, research and write policy notes on urban issues to the government;
-Conducted a survey of finding and prioritizing major urban challenges from the citizens’ perspective in Kabul Province;
-Planned and established the 3rd National Urban Conference gathering above 3000 professionals, practitioners to discuss findings of the survey and find relevant solutions;
-Designed a new complex for the center which was implemented later on.
Jun/2011 Aug/ 2012
Quality Control Program Manager @ Bakhtar Sustainable Construction. Co
Responsivities:
-Review, control and supervision of all design activities and deliverables according to contract specification;
-Preparation and supervision of work schedules and work progress;
-Ensuring legal obligations are followed and ensuring compliance with regulatory bodies and with health and safety guidelines;
-Inspecting the final outputs of design documents.
02/2008
09/2016
Assistant/ Associate Professor
Kabul University, College of Engineering, Department of Architecture
-Taught different drawing, designing and urban planning courses
-Was member of Academic Council
-Was member of curriculum development committee
Major Skills
Language Skills
Urban and Regional Planning, Data Analysis, Environmental Planning
Urban Governance and Development, Policy and Strategic Development
English
Project management, Urban and Architectural Design/ Drawing
Persian
GIS, Auto CAD, Sketch Up and InDesign
Pashto
MS Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)
Hindi/ Urdu
SPSS (Statistics and data analysis software) and Primavera (P6)
Note: References will be provided upon request.