PSEAH Advisor (Retainer)

General Background 

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 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 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.

Background information - Prevention of Sexual Exploitaiton, Abuse and Harassment

Sexual harassment (SH) and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) are practices that bring negative consequences for the organization, its personnel, and the beneficiaries. These types of conduct violate human rights, go against the United Nations’ values, and conflict with the UNOPS competency framework. They constitute misconduct and UNOPS is determined to ensure that appropriate action is taken to prevent them, and, if they occur, to vigorously address them.

Over the years, UNOPS has put in motion different internal initiatives to prevent and address SH and SEA. UNOPS has also actively joined a number of United Nations system common efforts in this area. The present SH and SEA Prevention Strategy constitutes a new step towards the prevention of SH and SEA in UNOPS. This strategy takes into consideration the international community’s focus on the matter as well as the public opinion’s demands for strong actions to prevent and fight SH and SEA. It also acknowledges that the expectations of all relevant stakeholders are not static, and reflects the commitment of the organization to be aligned with the most up-to-date perspectives of the international community on these important topics.

Background information - Job specific

UNOPS is seeking consultants with experience in the field of sexual exploitation and abuse to conduct various assignments related to strategic, technical and operational approach to PSEAH.

This is a home-based retainer contract. This retainer position falls under the UNOPS Corporate retainer pool (which is administered by the Implementation Practices and Standards (IPS) Portfolio Support (PS) team). The Corporate retainer pool provides ad-hoc resources with global expertise to UNOPS business units and can be booked on demand through an online platform. All corporate retainers are invited to participate to a one-hour induction session (or two 30 minutes sessions) where they are guided through UNOPS retainer management tool, the retainer contract modality and their expertise area in the UNOPS context.

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions/assignments under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each retainer assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit. Under this contract type, the assignments will vary in scope and duration - ranging from short term assignments of a few hours at a time to longer blocks of time (e.g. several weeks or months full time, and up to a year). Work may also vary with regards to the time zone / location. Whilst most assignments can be delivered working from home, some may require presence in HQ and/or international travel on occasion, including to remote or post-conflict environments. Whilst the successful incumbent can be based in different time-zones, s/he should be able and willing to ensure a degree of time overlap with the teams ordering the retainer’s services.

The PSEAH Advisor (Retainer) specific tasks will include, though not limited to, the following:

Provision of Advisory Services, Capacity Building and Technical expertise to the UNOPS field offices

• Provide technical advice and support during the development and implementation of UNOPS engagements that require the inclusion of a SEAH prevention and/or response component, including negotiation with potential partners, particularly for engagement opportunities of high value and/or risk to the field programme offices (including but not limited to: project formulation, project development, project initiation, project planning and risk management);

• Provide technical inputs to the development of engagement amendments to comply with the new Grant Support Management policy that includes an Implementing Partner PSEA Capacity Assessment;

• Provide technical advice to efficiently manage implementing partners based on their PSEA risk profile;

• Conduct or provide technical inputs to SEAH risk assessment; 

• Strengthen teams capacities to develop and improve access to safe, gender and age sensitive reporting channels including community-based complaint mechanisms (CBCM);

• Design, develop and / or implemet training programmes and capacity building initiatives, potentially for both internal and external partners, to improve the quality of UNOPS project management services.

Practice contribution and Knowledge Sharing

• Development, implementation and roll out of global and regional guidance to improve efforts to address risk assessments, training materials and other guidance;

• Conduct training sessions upon request by COs or other units; training might have the objective of building capacity of UNOPS teams; training of trainers for office/project focal points; training for contractors’ personnel on PSEA/SH in UNOPS;

• Promote adherence to global procedures for SEA reporting and strengthen understanding among UNOPS staff on PSEAH policies and reporting procedures;

• Provide expert knowledge in assessing the capacity of partners in PSEAH to contribute to the development of standards and tool requirements, including the development of guidance material on the United Nations Implementing Partner PSEAH Capacity Assessment (in consultation with the Lead Retainer);

• Identify best practices in PSEAH and facilitate the knowledge sharing at corporate/regional/portfolio/programme/office level;

• Contribute to UNOPS knowledge management by capturing case studies and best practice examples of PSEAH throughout UNOPS, making recommendations on policy and tools, as well as contributing to the development of guidance material and tools;

• Provide substantive contribution to UNOPS PSEAH and implementing partner management practice focusing on continuous improvement of projects/programmes; support the corporate priorities, development of policy, guidance and tools.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Review and accept/reject the assignments in the retainer tool;

• Establish a meaningful course of action for the completion of the task and deliverables;

• Successfully meet the agreed deadlines;

• Successfully delivering;

• Provide feedback in the retainer tool for each assignment.

Education 

• An Advanced University Degree or a Master's Degree in: Gender Studies, Child Protection, Law, International Relations, Development Studies, Human Rights, Social or Behavioral sciences is required.

• A first-level University degree or Bachelor's or equivalent in a related field of study with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of Master's Degree requirement.

Work Experience 

Required:

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in the field of harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, child protection, gender-based violence, gender mainstreaming, and/or PSEA conducting capacity assessments and or other relevant discipline is required.

• A minimum of 1 year of experience working on capacity assessment of implementing partners is required.

Asset:

• Some experience in UN system organizations or large international development organizations, preferably in a developing country is desirable.

• Experience of SEAH reporting channels, and/or survivor assistance is desirable.

• Knowledge of Google Workspace, preferably Google sheet, Google doc, Google slides and Google drive, is desirable.

Languages 

• Fluency in English required. 

• Fluency in French and/or Spanish is highly desired. 

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Additional information (general)

• Qualified female candidates and candidates from the Global South 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.

• This is a home-based retainer contract. The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions/assignments under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each retainer assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit. 

• Under this contract type, the assignments will vary in scope and duration - ranging from short term assignments of a few hours at a time to longer blocks of time (e.g. several weeks or months full time, and up to a year).

• Work may also vary with regards to the time zone / location. Whilst most assignments can be delivered working from home, some may require presence in Copenhagen and/or international travel on occasion.

• Whilst the successful incumbent can be based in different time-zones, s/he should be able and willing to ensure a degree of time overlap with the team based in our HQ in Copenhagen.

• All UNOPS personnel are required to share a common understanding of UNOPS’ and the UN’s mandate, policies and activities. To this end, UNOPS Personnel must complete a set of mandatory courses. 

As a UNOPS ICA retainer, you are required to complete at least two (2) online courses upon signature of your contract and prior to commencing any retainer assignment related to Ethics and Integrity, the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. If you go on official mission, you are required to complete an online course related to security awareness. These courses are available for free on UNOPS learning platform and shall be completed within the first three months following the contract signature, at no cost for UNOPS. UNOPS reserves the right to request a refresher of the mandatory courses is taken or newly promulgated mandatory courses are completed at no cost for UNOPS.

• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

• All retainer assignments will be handled via the UNOPS online retainer management tool, including the request for the retainer’s services and the provision of feedback for each assignment. 

Additional information (contract modality)

There are two potential types of contracts to consider under this vacancy announcement:

(1) A retainer contract on project or assignment basis, or,

(2) A full-time employment for a specified consecutive period of time (up to one year maximum), in the context of technical surge capacity.

With the possibility to go back and forth between the two contract modalities, pending acceptance of the incumbent of the assignments proposed to him/her.

More information on retainer contracts:

• A retainer ICA does not accord any exclusivity to the Individual Contractor with respect to the Services listed in the job description. UNOPS shall have no limitation on its right to obtain Services of the same kind from any other source at any time.

• A retainer Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor may be required intermittently.

• A retainer ICA will specify a unit price (e.g. amount per day actually worked). For budgetary purposes, a monetary limit will be specified at the time the ICA is awarded and issued.

• UNOPS shall have no obligation to obtain any minimum quantity of Services from the Individual Contractor during the duration of the retainer ICA.

• Payment will be made only after completion of work (if any) or reaching agreed milestones.

• UNOPS Individual Contractors must comply with the standards of conduct required of a UN civil servant, when carrying out their official UNOPS responsibilities and also all other times. This includes the standards of conduct set forth in the UN Secretary-General’s Bulletin of 9 October 2003 entitled “Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse” (ST/SGB/2003/13) and the UN Secretary-General’s Bulletin of 18 June 2002 entitled "Regulations Governing the Status, Basic Rights and Duties of Officials other than Secretariat Officials, and Experts on Mission" (ST/SGB/2002/9) as they may be amended from time to time.

• UNOPS Individual Contractors must comply with all applicable UNOPS policies and instructions. This includes the obligation to declare any outside activity that could result in an actual or perceived conflict with the interests of the UN; as well as to refrain from using information gained through the UNOPS Individual Contractor Agreement contract for the Individual Contractor’s own purposes or to help a third party (unless the information is already in the public domain), in particular but not only in relation to procurement of works, goods and services.

• UNOPS Individual Contractors must abide by UN safety and security policies, instructions, directives, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

• The standard terms and conditions of the UNOPS ICA as of the present date can be found at https://content.unops.org/HR-Documents/ICA_contract/Annex-A-ENGLISH.pdf

• Given the nature of this position, particular attention should be given to section 11 on Confidentiality.