Senior Programme Officer

Peace and Security Cluster

The UNOPS Peace and Security Cluster (PSC) within the Global Portfolio Services Office is a principal service provider in the field of mine action with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), UNDP, UNICEF, Governments of mine-affected countries and other mine action partners. The Cluster is responsible to administer, provide support and oversight of the day-to-day management of the Project Field offices, both according to the client requirements and in line with UNOPS rules and regulations. 
It is headed by the Cluster Director who has the overall authority and accountability for the performance of the Peace and Security Cluster on behalf of its clients.

UNMAS

United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is a division of the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI) in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). UNMAS is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly (RES/68/72) to ensure an effective, proactive and coordinated response to the problem posed by a wide range of explosive hazards. Legislative mandates also recognize UNMAS technical expertise in responding to threats posed by unsecured and unsafe conventional weapons and ammunition stockpiles. As an office within DPKO, UNMAS supports peacekeeping and special political missions in accordance with Security Council mandates. 

UNMAS as a component of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) provides explosive hazard management capacities, including mitigation, to AMISOM as part of a logistical support package. Non-lethal tactical advice and analysis is delivered by UNMAS technical advisors located in each AMISOM Sector Headquarters and at AMISOM Force Headquarters, who support AMISOM planning and operations. UNMAS support includes both enabling (“operate in spite of IEDs”) and response (“defeat the device”). As a component of the UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) UNMAS also supports the Federal Government of Somalia, including the Somali Police Force, Somali Explosive Management Authority and National Security Advisor. 

Somalia

Since 2009 UNMAS has been mandated through the UN Support Office to AMISOM (UNSOA) to support the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) with training and mentoring in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and improvised explosive device – defeat (IED-D), provided the relevant specialized equipment and the use of explosive detection dogs (EDD). The AMISOM support project is the core UNMAS project and contains a number of sub-projects within the whole.

In addition UNMAS is mandated through the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) to deliver projects associated with: Weapons and Ammunition Management; stabilization and employment; humanitarian demining; EOD/IED-D with the Somali Police Force, and capacity development with the State body for Explosive Hazard Management and the coordination of humanitarian demining. UNMAS, a component of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions, draws upon project management services from UNOPS for implementation of its field operations

The Senior Programme Officer is responsible for the management of the PSC Programme Department. The Programme Department is responsible for the oversight of the funding cycle for all mine action related projects, regardless of whether they are supported through UN or bilateral funding channels. For the UN funded mine-action activities, this includes oversight of the financial side of proposal formulations, implementation (including contracts management), and reporting. The Senior Programme Officer has the responsibility to ensure the appropriate tasking of assets in accordance with multiple UN and Non-UN contract and funding agreement modalities, within a complex, highly demanding and constantly changing operational environment. 

Reporting to the Head of Programme, the Senior Programme Officer is responsible for the following tasks and responsibilities:

• Manage the PSC Programme Department
• Manage the programme systems and procedures to enable accountable control of all mine action projects/contracts funded by numerous modalities for the Mine Action Programme
• Manage the overall programme budget, which may consist of several funding sources and financial agreements
• Oversee the costing of the annual work plan portfolio and/or specific formulation
• Prepare the VTF (Voluntary Trust Fund) Annualized Budget submission for implementing partners activities
• Prepare the RBB (results-based budget) submission for peacekeeping missions
• Liaise with implementing partners for VTF versus activities tracking purposes, ensuring that donor contributions appropriately match activities on the ground; identify/communicate gaps/shortfalls for additional resource mobilization
• Liaise with senior management and budget sections of peacekeeping missions regarding the implementation of assessed budgets
• Monitor the funding and financial information of the programme (UN and bilateral)
• Oversee the preparation of financial reports to the local government and UN with regard to the implementation of the mine action programme
• Oversee the appraisal and review of sub-project proposals and subcontract documents to ensure accuracy, consistency, and conformity with programme criteria, procedures and the appropriate regulations and rules
• Oversee that implementing partners' reports comply with the contractual and financial requirements
• Ensure high professional standards of project design, proposal writing, monitoring and reporting
• Oversee the preparation of project reports and briefs, in particular financial aspects including, monthly and annual reports, semi-annual progress reports, project proposals and monthly summary of the programme financial status
• Develop strategies for public information campaigns on mines, ERW, and UN Mine Action activities, ensuring that these strategies are transferred into action plans and continue to support the programme’s overall strategies
• Depending on the role this position will be assigned to within the project administration setup in a specific country/programme (i.e. office structure, DOAs, oneUNOPS functions, segregation of duties, etc.), the incumbent will have responsibilities determined by UNOPS rules and regulations embodied in its regulatory framework - Organizational Directives, Administrative Instructions and other documents as periodically issued and updated by UNOPS. Reporting lines regarding compliance with UNOPS rules and regulations are ultimately to UNOPS Peace and Security Centre through the portfolio manager. In addition, division of responsibilities when it comes to administrative processes in support of the programme objectives will be as determined for each country office and confirmed in writing by UNOPS Head of Peace and Security Centre
• Train project national and international staff concerning media relations
• Oversee capacity building of national staff within the Programme Section
• Participate in relevant coordination meetings
• Act as Officer-in-Charge when the Head of Programme is absent
• Carry out other tasks as requested by the Head of Programme.

Education

• Advanced University Degree (master degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Project Management, Social science, Development, Humanitarian Affairs or related fields with a minimum of seven years of relevant experience; OR
• First Level University Degree (bachelor degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Project Management, Social science, Development, Humanitarian Affairs or related fields with a minimum of nine years of relevant experience

Work Experience

• Relevant experience is defined as experience in programme management, project management, or business administration in private or public sector organizations
• Two years experience serving in complex humanitarian and/or development programmes at an operational level is required
• Experience in report and proposal writing is desired

• Fluency in English (reading, writing and speaking) is required
• Fluency in another UN official language is desired.

1. Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment (staff)
2. Contract level:  P4
3. Contract duration:  One year, with possibility to renew, subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

• 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.
• 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
• 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 supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

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