Government Relations Specialist (Retainer), Multiple positions

UNOPS has been present in Bangladesh since 2003. In 2014 UNOPS was established as a formal representation as a response to the UNOPS Executive Board in order to provide more substantial support to the Government of Bangladesh and other clients in the different areas focusing to Resilient Infrastructure Approach, Program & Project Management, Fund Management, Procurement, Human Resources, Financial Management emphasizing on building national capacities, improving the resilience of communities with a view of contributing to the implementation of the SDGs.

UNOPS Bangladesh seeks to establish strong relationships with priority Ministries of the Government of Bangladesh especially in areas like infrastructure, procurement, project management and financial management. The ideal candidate will have an existing strong network with the Government which UNOPS can leverage to strengthen its relationships as well. The ideal candidate would have retired at a senior level from GOB in the recent past and will be well versed with policy priorities of the Government and align them to the contribution and management goals of the Strategic Business Plan of UNOPS.

The Specialist will support UNOPS Bangladesh in the identification of potential collaboration opportunities with the Government of Bangladesh. The specific duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Liaise with GoB counterparts and support UNOPS in the identification and development of programme opportunities  in Bangladesh, with a focus on procurement, infrastructure development, project management and fund management;
• Develop, build and strengthen strategic partnerships, and identify and pursue business opportunities as per the agreed work plan;
• Network and solidify relationships between UNOPS and GoB;
• Contribute to coordinating and communicating with other stakeholders UNOPS’ value addition in view of consolidating UNOPS’ profile in country;
• Support UNOPS personnel and consultants and provide inputs through liaison with the GoB through UNOPS;
• Provide technical inputs to the development of UNOPS proposals;
• Assist in the identification, design, formulation, and negotiation of new projects and programmes.
• Provide support on any new initiatives by securing GoB support and  provide advice to UNOPS Bangladesh on strategies for obtaining such support;
• Assist ministries and other stakeholders where required with focus on quality assurance and quality control of project documents; and
• Undertake other partnerships duties, as required.

The Specialist shall perform the services on a need basis with a maximum of 100 days, estimated average of 2 working days a week, commencing in August 2022  until 31 December 2023, with possibility of extension.

Deliverables, Timeframe and Fees

The Specialist will report to the UNOPS Bangladesh Country Manager on a regular basis. The Specialist shall submit a monthly Progress Report outlining the assistance provided against a set of agreed activities and outputs, and shall outline the Specialist’s progress towards the achievement of such objectives. Each Progress report is required by the end of each calendar month. The progress Report will be used as a supporting document for processing the invoice for payment of the fees.

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

• Minimum advanced university degree (masters or equivalent) in International Relations, Public Relations, Public Policy, International Development, or related field.
• A first university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the above-mentioned field with additional two (2) years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.

b. Work Experience 

• Minimum five (5) years of experience in government liaison with a focus on project or policy development or related field is required. 
• Experience coordinating work between different sectors and stakeholders, particularly with government networks;
• Proven track record to establish and maintain strong working relations with senior officials in line ministries;
• Prior experience in quality assurance and quality control of project documents is an added advantage.
• Experience in project design and/or project document development is an asset.
• Experience at a senior level in the Indonesian public service an added advantage;
• Experience at a senior level in development cooperation and coordination with International Organizations is an added advantage.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (Retainer)
Contract level: LICA 10
Contract duration: 1 year (Maximum 100 days)

• 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 peace and 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 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labour force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage the recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

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

UNOPS offers a variety of arrangements that enable women to excel in their careers, including flexible working hours for work-life balance, maternity leave, childcare facilities, and career coaching. UNOPS ensures a safe and inclusive working environment for women and men through field security training and measures to provide secure working arrangements  on-site and in the office.