Project Management Support Specialist

Background Information – Job-specific

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners’ programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations Office for Counter Terrorism to implement the activities of the Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme.

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) was established by the General Assembly in June 2017 (A/RES/71/291). The Office has five main functions: (a) provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates across the United Nations System; (b) enhance coordination and coherence across the 38 Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the Strategy; (c) strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance to Member States; (d) improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts; and (e) ensure that due priority is given to counter-terrorism across the United Nations System and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the Strategy.

This position is located in the United Nations Centre for Counter-Terrorism (UNCCT) of the Office of Counter-Terrorism (OCT), within the Victims of Terrorism Unit. The overall vision of the Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme is to protect, promote, and respect the rights and needs of victims of terrorism, and to increase the capacity of Member States and civil society organisations. The Programme seeks to (i) show solidarity with and raise awareness on the plight of victims of terrorism; (ii) strengthen victims’ voices and their role in preventing violent extremism conductive to terrorism; and (iii) increase the capacity of Member States and civil society organizations as they assist and support victims of terrorism in protecting their rights and needs. In this regard, technical assistance and advocacy are a key component of the work of the Programme. The activities of the Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme that the contractor would implement include the include the development of the second phase of the Global Programme on Victims of Terrorism from 2024 onwards, the preparation of the International Conference on Victims of Terrorism in follow-up to the first United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, the development of the concept for the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN) and the development of a handbook of good practices on victims of terrorism for Member States.

The incumbent of this position will be a personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Project Manager the contractor will carry out the following tasks:
1. Implement the organisation and preparation of the United Nations International Conference on Victims of Terrorism, including by developing the the substantive and logistical elements, and identifying and executing fundraising needs to ensure the successful delivery of the International Conference:

• Advise on the scope and structure of the Conference’s programme, including speakers.
• Lead on drafting of all substantive and logistical documents, including concept notes, the Chair’s summary, and the outcome report.
• Oversee implementation of all logistics throughout the entire duration of the Conference, both for all in-person events and for remote streaming of all panels.
• Oversee the development of all communications materials, including promotional films, thematic campaigns, pre-recorded events, social media posts, and op-eds and talking points.

2. Develop, publish, and launch in specific languages the ‘Handbook of Good Practices on Victims of Terrorism’, to strengthen the efforts and effectiveness of Member States as they assist and support victims of terrorism, and to be made available online through the UN Victims of Terrorism Support Portal and through the UNOCT website:

• Conduct scoping missions, if/as relevant, to meet with relevant national officials and collect data about needs and best practices.
• Conduct comprehensive literature reviews, including civil society, research centers and think tank reports and relevant country reports and assessment recommendations by the The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).
• Conduct remote consultations with relevant experts, government officials, civil society representatives, academics, and officials.
• Draft the handbook.
• Design a dissemination strategy and a monitoring and evaluation programme to measure impact and level of use and distribution.
• Develop the concept and operationalization of the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN) in line with best practice and launch it as a formal network managed by the Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme.
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Monitoring and Project Controls

• The implementation of the projects carried out in an optimal way according to the established guidelines and budgets.
• Assurance that the workflows of the assigned projects do not suffer major changes or delays in delivery.
• Maintains fluid and up-to-date communication with partners regarding project implementation processes.
• Visibility achieved around the victims of terrorism and strong attendance by high level governments’ representatives at the Congress.
• Additional commitment from Member States to ensure a victim-centric approach to counter-terrorism at the national level.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

*CANDIDATES WITH NO UNITED NATIONS OR UNOPS EXPERIENCE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education):

• Advanced University Degree (Masters or equivalent) preferably in social sciences, psychology, political science, international relations, delivery of humanitarian assistance, or related field preferably with an emphasis on human rights.
• First level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced university degree.

Required Experience:

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, trauma-informed interventions, and/or victims of terrorism is required.
• Experience developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programmes throughout their entire life cycle, including through the design of logical frameworks and indicators and the management of programmatic substantive and financial elements, is required.

Desirable Experience (The following experience is optional. Candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply):

• Experience in the development of policies, tools, communications and guidelines to counter-terrorism and prevention of violent extremism is highly desirable.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in French is highly-desirable.

Competencies
Strategic Perspective – Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, and thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.

Integrity and Inclusion – Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Leading Self and Others – Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Partnering – Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Results Orientation – Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Agility – Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Solutions Focused – Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Effective Communication – Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level, and duration
Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (I-ICA 2- ICSC10)
Contract duration: Ongoing contract (subject to good performance, availability of funds, organizational requirements, and project duration)

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information
Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.