Conflict Specialist

UNOPS’ mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need. Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, UNOPS vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness. By assisting UN organizations, international financial institutions, governments and other development partners, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground.

UNOPS Myanmar

UNOPS Myanmar is one of UNOPS’ leading offices in Asia, acting as fund manager for three of the largest development programmes in the country, namely the Access to Health Fund, the Livelihood and Food Security Fund (LIFT) and the Joint Peace Fund (JPF). In addition, UNOPS is Principal Recipient for the Global Fund in Myanmar and for the Global Fund’s regional artemisinin-resistance initiative towards elimination of Malaria, which works to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination in the greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS provides procurement, infrastructure and project management services to a wide range of organisations in the country, including the Government of Myanmar, international development partners, other UN agencies, NGOs and INGOs. UNOPS plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Access to Health Fund

The Access to Health Fund aims to improve Health outcomes for vulnerable populations in conflict-affected areas of Myanmar. The Fund works with the Ministry of Health and Sports, Ethnic Health Organizations, national and international NGOs, the United Nations, and other partners to increase people’s access to health-services (maternal, newborn and child health, combating HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria) and to strengthen health systems.

The Access to Health Fund is supported by four donors - the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States, and Switzerland. Its Board includes these four Donors and the Ministry of Health and Sports.

The Conflict Specialist will play the role of an Advisor, providing high-level strategic advice, analysis, reporting, and guidance for developing practical solutions to the special challenges of improving health in Myanmar’s complex conflict environment with multiple active armed conflicts, non-government controlled areas, peace negotiations, interim arrangements, military participation in governance and the economy, and diverse ethnic groups and alliances. 

Specific questions the Conflict Advisor would advise on include:

• how can Access to Health support improved health service delivery in non-government controlled areas in ways that support social cohesion and do no harm to prospects for peace?
• how can Access to Health strengthen delivery of health services for people living in conflict affected areas (NGCA and mixed control areas) including reaching particularly vulnerable groups, such as IDPs etc, and building the capacity of health actors?
• how can Access to Health strengthen its role and partnerships with key stakeholders for the Fund’s main target groups, (such as other relevant Ministries, MoSRR, humanitarian community, peace community etc).

1. Provide advice on Myanmar's political situation

●        Increase the Fund’s overall understanding of Myanmar’s changing political context and dynamics at local, State, and Union levels; produce briefs, reports, maps, etc. on that context; and advise in particular on the situation in Rakhine, Kachin, Shan and the South East;

●        Advise on how that political context, including relations between different actors, may affect the Fund’s decisions, positions, and supported programmes;

●        Advise the Fund on partnerships; further the Fund’s collaboration with humanitarian actors, peace stakeholders and networks, and help the Fund define and develop its role in the Humanitarian-Peace-Development nexus.

2. Provide advice on opportunities (and risks) for influence and change

●        Help the Fund identify opportunities for further contribution to societal and other issues that go ‘beyond health’: social cohesion, decentralization in health, identification and support to strengthening of sub-national institutions, coordination, etc.

●        Understand the risks, challenges and opportunities in health system strengthening, and be aware of sensitivities on the ground

●        Support risk identification and management in conflict-affected areas;

●        Advise on how the Fund’s decisions may support or undermine positions under negotiation in the peace process.

●        Proactively engage with different stakeholders to understand sensitivities, challenges and risks

3. Help build and maintain strong relationships with Ethnic Health Organizations

●        Work closely with Programme Teams to map Ethnic Health Organizations’ operations, understand their needs, strengthen their management and overall capacity, improve inter-EHO coordination, and improve their collaboration with the MOHS

●        Produce briefs, reports, analyses and maps on the evolving situation of Ethnic Health Organizations in Myanmar

●        Support the organization of Ethnic Health Organization forums, meetings and exchange visits; promote Ethnic Health Organizations’ role/input into questions pertaining to the Health response in Myanmar.

4.       Contribute to the Fund’s Strategy

●        Collect and analyse data and information, and transform it into knowledge that supports the Fund’s strategy and approaches; Keep abreast of other organizations’ work in relation to conflict, Ethnic Health Organizations, and ethnic areas,

●        Build understanding of which collaboration mechanisms are effective in different contexts,  link to the wider strategy, and advise on future courses of action

●        Support the Fund in regularly updating its Strategy and ensuring it remains as relevant and ambitious as possible;

●        Represent the Fund in relevant forums and meetings.

5. Contribute to the Fund’s conflict sensitivity

●        Help understand sensitivities across the Fund’s portfolio, including complexity and dynamics between groups and organizations, and ensure that the entire Access portfolio is conflict-sensitive and context-sensitive;

●        Support  the Fund in the implementation of a Human Rights Based Approach;

●        Ensure that programmes take into account the reality of people who live in conflict-affected areas and the variety of power dynamics at play in each geographic area where the fund operates.

6. Other

●        Perform other activities as assigned by the Head of Strategy and/or the Fund Director, as required.

• A Master's degree in a relevant field is required: political science, peace and conflict studies, development studies, public policy, or another relevant discipline.

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

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in peacebuilding, conflict analysis, or conflict related programming, together with experience in programme/project management in a relevant field is required. 

The following would be an asset:

• Understanding of health systems;
• Experience working with the UN, non-governmental organizations, public sector and/or civil society organizations;
• Prior working experience in Ethnic Health Organization-covered areas or special regions;
• Experience and understanding of working in conflict affected areas;

• 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.