Partnership Advisor (Wider Impact)

The purpose of the REACT project is to promote the mainstreaming of environmental sustainability in the UN system, focusing in particular on peacekeeping operations, by supporting them and the United Nations Department of Operational Support (DOS) in their efforts to manage and improve their environmental footprint. Peacekeeping operations are international missions mandated by the UN Security Council to operate in specific countries and parts of countries for specific periods. The operations usually take place in locations with a fragile environment and a serious lack of infrastructure. The environmental footprint of UN Peacekeeping Operations is considered to have significant room for improvement in a large number of critical areas. 

To support Peacekeeping Operations in reducing their environmental impacts and risks, REACT acts in the role of an in-house technical assistance (TA) team and provides expertise to support in planning, designing and implementing a range of actions that will cumulatively result in a substantial improvement in environmental performance.  

The technical assistance team will primarily provide expertise directly to Peacekeeping Operations but also strategic support to DOS Environment and Engineering teams in New York. Activities will be closely coordinated amongst these respective entities via existing work planning and request for deployment processes, principally under the guidance of the GSC Environmental Technical Support Unit.  

This vacancy announcement is for a Partnership Advisor (Wider Impact) to provide targeted advice to UN field missions and related entities on approaches to improve the positive legacy (PL) of Peace operation deployments, in line with the Wider Impact (WI) of the DOS Environment Strategy.

The scope of this assignment can be divided into: a) Operational field mission advisory b) Systemic and strategic advisory, including the catalyzation of change in strategic approach.

a.) Operational field mission advisory

Provide remote or on-ground technical advice  to field missions in:

• Identification, design and budgeting of potential WI/PL projects within their area of operation, pertaining to energy, water and wastewater management; solid waste management; livelihood and SMMEs creation; biodiversity/ecosystem protection and management; sustainably built Infrastructure; green/local procurement; support local vendors to adopt green practices; among other environment related areas of interest.  

• Implementation of WI/PL projects to ensure that interventions continue to benefit host countries/communities and remain sustainable after site close-down and mission liquidation.

• Research opportunities for alternative and co-financing mechanisms to supplement mission budgets for positive legacy initiatives. 

• Resource mobilization for WI/PL projects/interventions in collaboration with implementing partners (e.g. WI/PL projects being designed/implemented with government/development partners) and support the design and development of supporting documentation (e.g. proposals, budgets, reporting, and hand-over procedures).

• Upon request, in coordination with field mission representatives, liaise with national governments, local governments, host communities, private sector partners, development partners/donors and international and local NGOs/CBOs on the identification of potential collaboration, design and implementation of potential WI/PL interventions.

• Upon request, further develop the capacity of partners at the local level in preparation for hand-over/gifting of assets/infrastructure with environmental benefits (including maintenance & repair) and environment related projects/activities upon site closure and mission liquidation.

Contribute to systemic and strategic initiatives to improve wider impact and positive legacy considerations in planning, budgeting and decision-making by:

• Conducting a mapping of on-going/past Wider Impact (WI)/Positive Legacy (PL) projects and document lessons learned, successes and opportunities for improvement. Information resulting from the mapping is expected to be applied for awareness raising at global and local level, trainings, webinars, workshops, among other activities to inform the design and sustainability of future WI/PL projects.

• Review and provide feedback on the analysis of mission contexts and host country/local government infrastructure and capacity (energy, water and waste water, waste management, land use, biodiversity protection, past/on-going gov/development projects in the area) in light of the development of for example Energy Project Plans (EPPs), to support analyses on where opportunities for WI/PL projects might lie.

• Carry out monitoring, reporting and evaluation on the implementation of WI/PL projects worldwide to inform strategies, action plans, budgeting efforts as well as the development of training and guidance materials and documents.

• Conduct awareness raising activities and organize webinars/training for in-mission environmental practitioners and field management (e.g. through the Communities of Practice/Working Groups) on the identification, design, implementation and hand-over of WI/PL projects.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

The activities and outputs will need to consider, inter-alia, the following constraints:

• Relatively short timeframes for planning, design, construct and commissioning and operational lifespan.

• Complexity of contracting arrangements for joint UN initiatives.

Outputs will include:

• Provision of advice in the form of verbal, written and diagrammatic output, including face to face/VTC meetings and presentations, internal documents and associated working files to high standard.  

• Writing and/or editing short technical and applied research reports for publication as grey literature.

• Regular attendance and proactive contribution to various working groups and senior leadership meetings.

Travel (up to 30%), potentially to remote locations including least developed countries, will be required. All travel expenses will be covered in accordance with UN rules and regulations. 

The successful candidate will be working in a multi-stakeholder team. They would be expected to demonstrate professionalism and a strong work ethic; ability to work on their own under minimal supervision; flexibility and willingness to assist with tasks outside formal TOR.

Education

Advanced University Degree (Master's or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Engineering, Economics, Policy or other relevant discipline is required.

An additional 2 years of relevant work experience in combination with a relevant first university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) may substitute for the requirement for a Master’s degree.

Work Experience

Minimum seven (7) years of relevant experience in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of environment related projects is required.

Within the experience of 7 with master's degree or 9 years with bachelor's degree, at least 5 years of experience should include the provision of technical reports and advice, and at least 3 years of experience should be in provision of training, mentoring or management of personnel or stakeholders.

Experience in fieldwork in remote sites, fragile states and post conflict settings would be considered an asset.

Experience within the UN is desirable.

Languages

Full working knowledge of English is required.

Knowledge of another official UNOPS language (Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is an asset.

• 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
• 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.