Project Management Support Specialist [Victims Congress and Handbook consultant]

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 Service Cluster (NYSC) 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 for the Victims of Terrorism 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) in the Victims 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 for the Programme that the contractor would seek to implement include the development of the expanded global programme on victims of terrorism from 2021 onwards, the preparation of the First Global Congress on Victims of Terrorism and the development of a handbook of good practice on victims of terrorism programmes for Member States.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Under the supervision of the Head of Cluster the contractor will carry out the following tasks:

1. Implement the organization and preparation of the first Global Congress on Victims of Terrorism, including providing the substantive and logistical contributions for development of the substantive elements for the Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism.

• Advise on the scope and structure of the Congress 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 three days of the Congress 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 in four countries to meet with relevant national officials and collect data about needs and best practices
• Conduct comprehensive literature reviews including Civil Society Organization (CSO) reports and relevant The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) country reports and assessment recommendations
• 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

3. Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.    

Monitoring and Progress 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.

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

Work Experience

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights and/or victims of terrorism.

• 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

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) 
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (I-ICA 2) 
Contract duration: Open-ended (renewable subject to funds availability and satisfactory performance)

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

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• 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 (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.