Community Liaison

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peace building, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve 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 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.

1. General Background of Project / Assignment

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peace building, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Its 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. With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it. A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.

Following the devastating earthquakes of 2015, UNOPS has been deeply engaged in various activities supporting the government of Nepal in the assessment of damaged buildings and enrollment of beneficiaries into housing grant schemes. UNOPS is expanding its footprint in post-earthquake reconstruction and aims to support homeowners engaged in the reconstruction process in Nuwakot District. The project aims to provide Socio-Technical Assistance to over 23,000 individual households. The project is recruiting Area Focal Point who will be based in different parts of Nuwakot District.

The Government of India (GoI) funded Socio-Technical Facilitation Consultancy (STFC) support for housing reconstruction in Nuwakot has been implemented by UNOPS from March 8, 2018. This support reaches 2 Municipalities (Bidur and Belkotgadhi) and 8 Rural Municipalities (Kakni, Meghang Tarkeshwar, Suryaghari, Dupcheshwar, Kispang, Likhu and Tadi) targeting a total of 23,088 house owners, identified by the Government of Nepal (GoN) and GoI.

To deliver high-quality socio-technical facilitation, UNOPS partnered with Build Change (BC). For the provision of socio-technical facilitation, the main project interventions include:

• Increasing awareness of earthquake-related disaster risk and understanding of earthquake-resistant construction principles;
• Conducting on-the-job training and assessments for skilled and unskilled labour;
• Offering on-site technical advice and guidance on construction technology, design options, disaster-resilient features, government norms, material procurement and construction management to homeowners;
• Supporting homeowners in applying for and receiving National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) reconstruction tranches;
• Providing monitoring and quality assurance of the project through technology;
• Providing NRA approved drawings and support in obtaining a building permit

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Community Liaison will work under the overall guidance of the Project Manager and reports directly to the Field Coordinator. He/she is expected to establish and maintain a solid and transparent network of contacts within the different stakeholders in Nuwakot.

Develop Strong Community Relationships:

• Establish and maintain relations and networks.
• Liaise with local authorities and community heads identified in the community.
• Liaise with municipality coordination efforts and activities in the field.
• Be responsible for holding and keeping track of regular meetings with all project government level stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot any possible issues within the community and work towards a productive and satisfactory solution.

Serve as a liaison between the district level government’s reconstruction agencies and the project:

• Serve as focal point for transmission of information (communication) to the different actors working in the area (local governments, NGO’s, local community groups, implementation partner, etc).
• Assist in the logistics for assignments with key stakeholders, staffs, and project/UNOPS.
• Assist the coordination and support monitoring/field visits as per the request from project/UNOPS.

Project meetings:

• Assist the coordination and support in organizing team meetings in the field (including local logistics).
• Support in preparation of area progress reports on scheduled date and time.

• Organize in coordination with other community mobilization staff, facilitate and supervise the implementation of community mobilization activities within the assigned areas of intervention.

a. Education

• Intermediate or Diploma in Engineering, Architecture, Management, Social Science or related field.
• University Degree in Communications.

b. Work Experience

• Minimum 5 years relevant experience specifically in liaison with communities and different levels of governments.
• Experience in field work is required.
• Availability to be stationed in remote areas is required.
• Being solution focused is essential.
• Honesty and transparency are essential traits.

c. Language

• Proficiency in English and Nepali is required
• Good writing skills in English and Nepali.

Contract type:Local Individual Contractor Agreement Support
Contract level: LICA-5
Contract duration:One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

• Position called for qualified female as preference
• 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 male 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
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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.
• This post is open for Nepali national only.  

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.