Conflict Specialist (Conflict Analysis)

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. 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.

The Joint Peace Fund (JPF) is a multi-donor fund, established by international donors in 2015 to support Myanmar on the path to sustainable peace. The purpose of JPF was to support national efforts to achieve a final and lasting settlement of ethnic armed conflict in Myanmar. Activities were focused on making the peace process itself more effective, supporting a more inclusive process, and paving the way to long-term peace by supporting political solutions to resolve decades of conflict. This holistic focus – supporting a broad range of actors in the peace process from the negotiation of the top level leadership to community leaders working in villages in remote parts of the country -made it a unique project in terms of global peace support. With eight donors – Canada, European Union, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK – it represents a strong commitment to a peaceful future for all the many peoples of Myanmar.

The Myanmar peace process has been extremely affected by the military takeover of February 2021 and its aftermath, that saw an ever-increasing spiral of violence descending upon the country, the apparition of numerous new armed actors, and a generalised civilian resistance to the military. JPF is adapting to these evolving circumstances and is implementing a revised strategy that will guide the Fund’s work over the next few years.

The Conflict Specialist (Conflict Analysis) will have the following functional responsibilities:

• Lead in the collection of primary data to monitor developments in the context on a daily basis, tracking dynamics and staying abreast of new developments.

• Provide flash updates on emerging issues and rapid translations of statements from stakeholders and news media.

• Monitor news sources including social media in Myanmar language, and systematically review context and situation updates and analyses, in Myanmar language and provide synopsis or references for consideration by JPF senior management.

• Conduct analysis, mapping, and data collection in collaboration with the Programme Specialist.

• Analyse  the  political context, including relations between different actors, to consider in JPF’s decisions, positions, and supported programmes.

• Provide analysis and guidance in relation to JPF’s stakeholders.

• Analyse and advice on effective collaboration mechanisms in different contexts.

• Contribute to the drafting of weekly, monthly, and ad hoc analytical context updates.

• Participate as required in JPF appraisals, studies and evaluations.

• Carefully assess the quality, credibility, and relevance of all information before inclusion in JPF analysis and reporting.

• Provide quality assurance and review of JPF implementing partners’ written project outputs e.g. briefing papers, and other research and analytical products.

• Support mainstreaming gender, conflict sensitivity and risk management across JPF operations.

• Contribute as needed to periodic reporting including annual and mid-year reports, and policy and strategy reviews.

• Carry out other duties of temporary or permanent character within the organization as requested by the Senior Programme Manager.

Education

• Master’s degree in political science, peace and conflict studies, or other relevant social sciences discipline is required.

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in combination with 2 additional years of progressively relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience 

• Minimum five years of professional experience in an international institution, donor agency, NGO or INGO working on context analysis, public policy or political research, or peace and conflict monitoring in/on Myanmar is required.

• Sound understanding of Myanmar’s conflict context and the associated stakeholder landscape is required.

• Proven capacity to write analytical, understandable and simple reports on conflict dynamics and carrying out analytical desk reviews is required.

• Experience applying analysis to programming that is relevant to the nature and scope of JPF’s mandate is highly preferred. 

• Experience specifically on Gender, Women Peace and Security related analysis is an advantage.

• Sound knowledge of data and database management and quantitative research software is required. Experience with GIS mapping is an advantage. 

Languages

• Fluent spoken and written Burmese is required.

• Professional level in written and spoken English is required.

• Knowledge of any other Myanmar ethnic languages is desirable.

THIS IS A LOCAL POSITION, ONLY MYANMAR NATIONALS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: LICA 10
Contract duration: Ongoing (subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and availability of budget)

• 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.