Team Leader (Explosive Threat Mitigation), Multiple positions

Peace and Security Cluster

Syria Response Programme

Operating under the mandate of Security Council resolution 2165 (renewed in 2017 with SCR 2393), UNMAS deployed the Syria Response programme at the request of the Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator in August 2015 and subsequently activated the Mine Action Sub Cluster under the Protection Cluster to address the impact of explosive hazards within Syria. UNMAS is the lead agency for the Mine Action Sub Cluster for the Syria Response. Established in Damascus since 2018, following the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Syrian Arab Republic, UNMAS strives to expand humanitarian mine action in Syria, with the aim to respond to high humanitarian needs. This includes humanitarian mine action activities prioritized in the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Syria: risk education, victim assistance, survey and clearance.

The conflict in Syria has been characterized by the extensive use of explosive weapons which resulted in large scale explosive hazard contamination, with the presence of diversified types of ordnances. According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2019 for Syria, 10.2 million people live in communities reporting explosive hazard contamination; men, women, and children, are exposed to the threat of grave injuries and death on a daily basis. Millions of people live with a permanent disability and new conflict-related trauma cases lead to thousands of permanent disabilities requiring long-term and multi-dimensional support.

Recent exchanges with UN agencies and observations made by the Syria Response Team have highlighted the immediate need for an explosive ordnance assessment capacity, which would be able to assess the threat of explosive ordnances  including landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices. UN Agencies often suspect that explosive hazards are present in an area where they may be attempting to support humanitarian programming; many of these locations include potentially contaminated infrastructures. However, these agencies do not have the capacity to verify and prove or disprove the presence of suspected threat. Therefore, UNMAS Syria Response is in a position to provide its expertise and undertake Explosive Ordnance Assessments (EOA). The intervention will result in an explosive hazard assessment report defining the status of the infrastructure/area as containing or not containing explosive hazards. 

Candidates who apply should note that they would be expected to deploy within a short notice period; please indicate your realistic availability and notice period

The Team Leaders will deploy frequently throughout Syria, leading their respective Explosive Ordnance Assessment teams. Under the supervision of the Chief of Operations Syria Response Programme, the Team Leader will plan Explosive Ordnance Assessment team activities, leading the Searchers under its supervision. S/he will be responsible for ensuring the following activities are conducted:  

• Lead the Explosive Ordnance team which will be made up of approximately 4 Searchers per team ;

• Lead the team in conducting non-technical survey, technical survey and high-risk search operations of infrastructure and areas identified by UN Agencies and Syria Response Programme as potentially containing explosive ordnance;

• Manage the team’s desk research on explosive ordnance hazards

• Oversee all aspects of mine action related activities carried out by staff under your supervision and control;

• Receive tasks from the Chief of Operations and help to plan and prioritise response; provide feedback on work plan for high quality and responsive operations; evaluate information received including sources;

• Liaise with appropriate security infrastructures within and outside the UN networks

• Implement and monitor technical, international and national safety standards in all team tasks

• Track all tasks and development ad hoc products, providing quality control on all products prior to delivery;

• Support the identification and the compilation of lessons learned. Focus shall be placed on continuous technical improvement within the project, comprising advisory services, training, mentorship, equipment, service provision, and direct implementation of threat mitigation measures;

• Ensure interaction and maintain close and effective coordination with relevant national military, government, community and civil society representation;

• Liaise and build relationships within the humanitarian sector for the purpose of facilitating activities, identifying and prioritising work;

• Produce detailed and comprehensive Explosive Ordnance Assessment reports for each infrastructure or area searched; disseminate analytic products to a diverse community inclusive of humanitarian actors and communities at risk, as required

• Complete accurate submission of the relevant IMSMA reports following the completion of the Explosive Ordnance Assessment task;

• Assist the UNMAS Chief of Operations in developing analytical strategies related to assessment of explosive ordnance in the area of operations;

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply!

Education 

• A First-level University degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) and 7 years relevant experience is required;OR

• A Secondary School diploma (High School or equivalent) and 11 years relevant experience is required.

• Certification as a deminer or surveyor in a demining capacity is required.

• Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Certification 3 or Higher Qualification is required.

• Certification as a High Risk Searcher or Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD) Operator is required.

• Relevant experience is defined as operational experience with a recognized military, police, or humanitarian mine action organization, or development setting, or other relevant field experience.

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in manual mine clearance, technical survey of mined areas and/or areas suspected of containing IED’s, or clearance of areas confirmed to have been contaminated with IED’s is required.

• Experience in manual IED threat mitigation, high risk search (EOD, military search at the operator or staff level, military management in the field of IED mitigation, training, mentoring, capacity development, development of doctrines and concepts of operations, or programme for the development of IED mitigation equipment) within the last 5 years is required.

• Experience as a High Risk Search operator or an IEDD operator within the last 5 years is required.

• Experience as a team leader or supervisor of a High Risk Search capacity or IEDD team (in military, humanitarian or commercial contexts) is required.

• Basic knowledge of English (writing, speaking and reading) is required. 

• Intermediate knowledge in Arabic (writing, speaking and reading) is desired.

• Intermediate knowledge of Russian (writing, speaking and reading) is desired.

1. Contract type : International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level : IICA-2 ICS-10
3. Contract duration : Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• 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.
• 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.  

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 is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, 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.