Capacity Building Specialist - (Lead Trainer) Lumpsum, Multiple positions

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peacebuilding, 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 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 headquartered in New York.  The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations to implement the activities for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is an initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which responds to a broad consensus across nations, cultures, and religions that all societies are interdependent, bound together in their development and security, and in their environmental, economic and financial well-being. The Alliance seeks to forge collective political will and mobilize concerted action at the institutional and civil society levels to overcome the prejudice, misperceptions, and polarization that militate against such a consensus. UNAOC hopes to contribute to a coalescing global movement which, reflecting the will of the vast majority of people, rejects extremism in any society. 

The complex, demanding dialogue of civilizations, cultures, and religions is necessary, possible, and fruitful. It is a critical tool against isolation, mistrust, and confrontation, and it is also the most powerful incentive for understanding and tolerance. History has shown that dialogue is not a simple process. If we fail to teach and cultivate it, the situation can give way to a monologue or to mutism, which is conducive to conflict and violent extremism. 

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was created to serve as a soft-power political tool of the United Nations Secretary-General for conflict prevention and conflict resolution. It is a coalition against extremist forces, a movement to advance mutual respect for cultures, traditions, and religious beliefs, and a platform to bridge divides and overcome prejudice, misconceptions, misperceptions, and polarization. The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was intended to promote collective action in society as a means of addressing the threats that emerge from the hostile perceptions that foment violence, overcoming cultural and social barriers, reducing tensions, and improving relations between societies and communities with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, and combatting violent extremism.

During its more than fifteen years of existence, UNAOC has pioneered a range of approaches and activities across its five priority areas, namely, Youth, Education, Media, Migration, and Women as peace mediators. The impact of many of its projects on the ground has been significant and measurable, particularly those implemented with civil society organizations (CSOs) and youth-led organizations. Nonetheless, the context of the current global challenges is more complex than ever before. The multidimensional nature of the scope of today’s conflicts requires a new approach to conflict resolution and conflict prevention. Around the world, there has been a rising wave of violent extremism conducive to terrorism, growing intolerance, hate speech, xenophobia, and discrimination, posing a threat to international peace and security. These new approaches are reflected in the UNAOC Action Plan 2019-2023. It builds on and develops existing UNAOC programming activities and suggests new focus areas that strengthen the Alliance’s ability to fulfill its mandate in a more effective and measurable way. The Plan further suggests new approaches for institutional development and political advocacy that should provide a viable framework for the way we respond to the current global challenges. Institutionally, the plan reaffirms the important role played by all stakeholders, including state and non-state actors, in developing and implementing national plans and regional strategies to promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue, the mainstay of the Alliance. The framework aims to expand and consolidate the global scope of UNAOC in Africa, Asia, Europe, MENA, and Latin America.

This is a position in UNOPS for supporting the implementation of UNAOC. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full administrative and financial responsibility.

Guided by the principle that youth are key actors to achieve peace and prevent violent extremism, as stated in the UN Security Council Resolutions 2250, 2419, and 2535, and the United Nations Secretary General’s Plan of Action on Preventing Violent Extremism, UNAOC develops educational programming to enhance the ability of young civil society leaders to foster mutual respect, understanding and long-term positive relationships between peoples of different cultures and religions. One of those initiatives is Young Peacebuilders which is a peace education programme that UNAOC implements in different regions of the world to offer peace competence development to young civil society leaders. Learning objectives include, among others: 

• Learn about other cultures and worldviews within and beyond the group to foster intercultural cohesion and collaboration. 

• Learn about negative stereotypes and how to critically analyze them to reduce their prevalence.

• Understand different perspectives in identity-based conflict and gain tools to develop solutions at the local, national and regional level and transform conflicts peacefully.

• Identify push and pull factors creating conditions conducive to violent extremism.

• Develop competencies to use different forms of media or expressive arts as a way to create alternative narratives, reduce polarization and promote social inclusion.

• Reflect on how to increase meaningful youth engagement in their region.

• Learn how to successfully design and run a project.

The aim is to support the growth of networks of young peacebuilders who are equipped with the tools to address stereotypes, prejudice, social exclusion, and polarization (both within and between their communities and countries) in order to build more inclusive and peaceful societies in their communities and globally.

1.Programme components:

• Part 1: online phase (2 months). Participants access the course through an online collaborative platform provided by UNAOC. UNAOC and other trainers facilitate the first few modules of the curriculum, giving an opportunity to participants to get to know each other prior to their first in-person meeting. They also start getting exposed to tools and concepts, engage in discussion, and start reflecting on their individual and joint action. 

• Part 2: face-to-face workshop (1 week). All participants travel to complete an intense in-person training, including field visits. They also work on their own action plans. 

• Part 3: implementation phase (2/3 months). Participants stay connected through the online platform, improve their action plans and report on the implementation of their interventions. This part consolidates the network and follow-up mechanisms, ensuring the members of the group continue to support each other after the end of the programme.

• Part 4: final symposium (1 day). Participants are invited to participate in a symposium in a still to be determined country in the target region, during which they share their experience, lessons learned, achievements, and recommendations with a broader audience of practitioners, policymakers, media, and the general public. They also engage with this audience on topics related to intercultural dialogue, peace, and security. 

UNAOC plans to implement YPB in different regions of the world to grow and strengthen the global movement of young peacebuilders. The first edition took place in West Africa, and the second edition, third and fourth edition in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Currently, we are launching the 5th edition of Young Peacebuilders, this time taking place in Latin America and the Caribbean, in collaboration with the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY).

Within the framework of the 5th edition, UNAOC is seeking a lead trainer. The incumbent will work remotely and tentatively start on March 30, 2022. Evaluation of qualified candidates will include an assessment exercise, followed by a competency-based interview. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full administrative and financial responsibility.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment 

In close collaboration with the responsible UNAOC Project Management Specialist, as well as the other lead trainers of Young Peacebuilders, the incumbent will:

• Design curriculum: develop content and educational materials for seven online modules, a face-to-face workshop, the implementation phase, and a symposium in order to meet the session’s proposed objectives and the learning needs of participants (by April 2022).  

• Facilitate the online modules on the interactive learning platform and ensure engagement by posting assignments, motivating participants, responding to questions, leading online discussions, etc. (May-Jul-August 2022). 

• Facilitate the face-to-face workshop (Aug/Sep 2022, Spain), and participate in debrief sessions with UNAOC.

• Mentor and guide the participants through the implementation of their action plans (Sep-Nov 2022).

• If required, be able to attend the final symposium (Nov-Dec 2022, at a location to be determined).

• Submit a post-training report summarizing the workshops conducted, lessons learned and recommendations.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Deliverable 1 (curriculum design), deliverable 2 (online modules facilitation) by 31 August 2022. 

• Deliverable 3 (face-to-face workshop facilitation), deliverable 4 (online mentoring of participant’s project), and deliverable 5 (final report) by 15 December 2022.

a. Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) preferably in peace and conflict studies, development studies, political science, international relations, social and humanitarian sciences, law, public administration, or a related field. 

• A first-level university degree in a relevant area with two additional years of work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
  
  

b. Work experience:

Requirements:

• Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience in peacebuilding and designing/facilitating workshops for multicultural youth. 

• General knowledge or understanding of peacebuilding, youth-led organizations, capacity development, and/or international UN policy frameworks related to these fields.

• Experience in using a gender and intercultural approach.

Desirables: 

• Experience in online training, intercultural and interfaith dialogue issues, media/communications as a medium for generating positive narratives, and other relevant peacekeeping themes.

• Exposure to the LAC region.

c. Language:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

• 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.