Ethics Specialist, Training (Retainer), Multiple positions

Background information

UNOPS is committed to fostering an organizational culture of ethics and a harmonious and inclusive work environment. The Ethics Office (ETO) is integral to this effort, and has an overall mandate to act as an independent office pursuant to its establishment as per ST/SGB/2007/11. Overall, the role of the ETO is to cultivate and nurture an organizational  culture of ethics, integrity and accountability, and thereby enhance the trust in, and the credibility of UNOPS, both internally and externally.

More specifically, the ETO is responsible for developing standards, training and education on ethics issues, providing independent, impartial and confidential ethics advice to individuals and management in ethics related dilemmas, identifying key ethical risks and developing, implementing and monitoring policies and procedures, for ethical risk management and prevention of unethical behavior as well as safeguarding personnel by providing protection against retaliation.

The organization requires the services of Ethics Specialists that shall be on a retainer contract to help with fluctuations in workload.

The Ethics Specialist (Training) will focus on the delivery of training, outreach and awareness-raising activities on ethics-related topics.

The Ethics Specialist (Training) reports to the Director of the Ethics Office.

Please note that the selected candidates who will successfully undergo the assessments will be offered a remote working contract for 1 year (renewable subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance) but proposed a work package only when a specific opportunity arises.

• Contribute to the conceptualization, development and improvement of the Ethics Office training, outreach and awareness-raising material, ensuring material is adapted to the local or office specific settings.

• Support the scheduling of training sessions based on demands from the offices, needs identified by the Ethics Office and other considerations.

• Deliver in-person and virtual ethics training, outreach and awareness raising activities. 

• Deliver training in at least two UN official languages.

• Specifically, deliver a number of “Ethics starts with me” trainings (sessions from 1.5 to 3 hours, virtual and in-person).

• Conduct assessments of the impact of the training and outreach activities, analyse results and propose improvements based on lessons learned. 

• Liaise Partner with relevant stakeholders to boost engagement and impact, including Internal Communications, regional focal points, Culture ambassadors, etc. 

• Advise on and contribute to further effective ways to promote the Code of Ethics Ethics starts with me, UNOPS’ ethical commitments and ethical decision making, as well as raising awareness about conflicts of interest issues and adherence to ethics-related policies and initiatives.

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in a relevant field such as education, adult learning, sociology, communication, law, social sciences, human resources, corporate ethics or related field is required.

• A combination of a Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in organizational ethics, OR training development and delivery, adult learning, communications or related field in a multicultural and/or international work environment.

• Experience with delivering training, outreach and awareness-raising in an ethics function is desirable.

• Fluency in English is required.

• Fluency in French, Spanish or Arabic is required.

Contract type: ICA Retainer
Contract level: I-ICA 2 (ICS-10)
Contract duration: One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

• 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. 

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.