Security Sector Advisor

A well‐governed security sector that is accountable and equipped to provide security effectively and efficiently and in accordance with principles of rule of law remains at the heart of state-building rooted in the rule of law as well as regional security as seen in the Oslo Accord.

Under the direction and the supervision of the OQ ROL Director, the Security Sector Advisor will carry out the below scope of work in cooperation with the United States Security Coordinator (USSC) and other international partners, as well as relevant Palestinian and Israeli authorities: 

1. To work constructively with Palestinian and Israeli security authorities at the policy and operational level to increase safety, security and public order for Palestinian communities, particularly where Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) services have not previously been available or remain restricted in their performance due to movement and access limitations, notably within geographical areas B and C of the West Bank. Specifically, the Security Sector Advisor will: 

1. work closely with OQ’s GIS expert to map systemic security barriers, options and solutions to enable expansion of PASF movement and access in the West Bank, in particular in Hebron 2;

1. provide support to PASF and IDF District Coordination Offices aimed at shortening PASF service response times and reducing conflicts in communications required for coordinated movement and access through increased use of digital communications tools;

1. provide actionable recommendations and support to improve command and control coordination amongst relevant institutional components of the PASF, as well as to enhance coordination with their GoI security counterparts in addressing needs of] Palestinian communities for proactive and reactive security service delivery.

1. To strengthen the Judicial Police’s ability to perform their duties to (inter alia) reliably make legal notifications, implement final decisions of the courts, as well as the decisions of the Public Prosecution, and to reduce the backlog of pending files, service of warrants and Shari’a (family) court judgments awaiting execution that pose an impediment to access to justice for women. Specifically, the Security Sector Advisor will: 

1. Identify barriers to and opportunities for improving performance, and develop actionable operational recommendations to enable delivery of Judicial Police service, with a focus on solutions which better meet the needs of women and children affected by family court cases.  

1. To contribute to strengthening the functioning of the PA Customs Police. Specifically, the Security Sector Advisor will: 

1. engage stakeholders with respect to the mandate and operation of the PA Customs Police and make recommendations for bring greater alignment with international best practices including analyse and support the development of strategies to improve, movement and access of the Customs Police to combat smuggling, including  developing a working arrangements between the CP and the Public Prosecution, in respect of as authority to direct and participate in investigations, in information-sharing systems, and protocols to protect the chain of evidence;

1. take steps to strengthen coordination between the Customs Police and its various governmental partners; and 

1. examine the potential deployment of Customs Police officers to Palestinian bonded warehouses and/or crossing points.

1. To maintain a good awareness of ongoing and emerging issues impacting the security sector environment, and to produce analysis as to risks and opportunities within or with relevance to the Palestinian security sector. Further to identify and advise on reforms to the legal and policy framework governing the structure, operation and oversight of the various Palestinian police and security services to support the necessary legal definition of their competencies, functions and administration, in line with their operational needs and international best practices.

1. To build relationships of trust with civil society relevant security institutions on behalf of the OQ, and to work closely with the OQ’s various international partners to ensure effective coordination and complementarity of efforts, particularly as it pertains to initiatives that are served by OQ engagement of and between Palestinian Police and Security Forces and Israeli Defence Forces at strategic.

1. Support the general functioning and responsibilities of the ROL Department, including liaising with and briefing key stakeholders, contributing to presentations and reports, and contributing to the formulation of analysis and strategy development.

1. Support the OQ in other Security Sector assignments and projects which may develop over the course of employment, as directed by the Director of Rule of Law. 

To be consider for this position, the Advisor must be able to and willing to comply with an OQ confidentiality agreement and an OQ code of conduct, based on standards of professionalism and impartiality. 

• 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.