Infrastructure and Project Management Specialist (Institutional Capacity Development), Strategic Initiatives (Retainer), Multiple positions

UNOPS strategic focus places increased emphasis on national capacity development and sustainable approaches to project management, procurement and infrastructure services. A key objective is to be recognized as an organization that delivers world-class infrastructure and project management, which is both economically and socially sustainable, even in the most challenging environments. To achieve this goal, UNOPS has established the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG). 

Within UNOPS, it is IPMG’s objective to serve the organization’s personnel and partners by broadening their infrastructure and project management capabilities, while disseminating best practices in both of these areas. Through this work, the group helps facilitate the successful delivery of programs and projects around the world.

To achieve its objectives, IPMG has established three interrelated and interdependent work streams, namely, Strategic Initiatives, Standards, and Engagement Assurance. IPMG is managed overall by the Deputy Director of IPMG.

The Strategic Initiatives (SI) team works to develop methodologies and tools to improve development outcomes as well as assist in the positioning of UNOPS at the highest levels in related fields, including various global agenda focus areas, such as resilience and sustainability.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Under the overall guidance of the Infrastructure Sustainability and Resilience Specialist, the Infrastructure and Project Management Specialist (Institutional Capacity Development) will support UNOPS project development, project delivery, tool and process development, and positioning in the area of governmental institutional capacity development. 

This is a home-based assignment that may involve travelling to various locations, including remote or post-conflict environments. This job description’s functions/responsibilities/key results are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all assignments or missions under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each consultancy work (retainer assignment) may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit. which IPMG will exercise oversight on.

All retainer assignments will be handled via the UNOPS online retainer management tool managed by Portfolio Support (PS), including the request for the retainer’s services and the provision of feedback for each assignment.

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 three (3) online courses upon signature of your contract and before commencing any retainer assignment related to Ethics and Integrity, the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Security awareness while on an official mission. These courses are available for free on the UNOPS learning platform and shall be completed within the first three months following the contract signature, at no cost for UNOPS.

The Infrastructure and Project Management Specialist (Institutional Capacity Development)’s responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Review of programme and project proposals and provision of direct inputs to specific project engagements as required;

• Identification and support to access key infrastructure enabling environment funding mechanisms;

• Technical assistance and advice on the strategic direction of and best practice relating to key project management aspects in the areas of the infrastructure enabling environment and institutional capacity building to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders;

• Prepare and deliver training and guidance materials on the infrastructure enabling environment, institutional assessment, and capacity development strategy, implementation and documentation;

• Support the development and piloting of frameworks, tools and methodologies which focus primarily on improving the capacity of governments to plan, deliver, and manage sustainable, inclusive, and resilient infrastructure;

• Support the development of initiatives for increasing knowledge and developing an applied understanding of the enabling environment for sustainable and resilient infrastructure;

• Support the drafting of reports and other key UNOPS positioning pieces which highlight the role of the enabling environment for sustainable and resilient infrastructure in global development, including relations to the global agendas;

• Support the development of awareness materials, including case studies, that promote UNOPS infrastructure activities internally and externally across UN agencies and the private sector;

• Support the mainstreaming of sustainable and resilient infrastructure within UNOPS policy and standards;

• Support the creation of knowledge products and tools to improve the capacity of the organisation and our partners in the area of institutional capacity development to improve the enabling environment for  sustainable and resilient infrastructure;

• Support the planning and delivery of missions to regions to support Strategic Initiatives work;

• Support the design and implementation of activities and initiatives around sustainable and resilient infrastructure and its application within the development and infrastructure management contexts;

• Support various tasks, work packages and projects as outlined and requested in the retainer booking tool;

• Provide research and data collection on topics upon request.

Education 

• Candidates must hold a Master’s Degree or higher: Civil Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, other infrastructure related subject;

• However, candidates with degrees in international relations, political science, economics, or sustainability AND have experience in infrastructure or the built environment may apply;

• A first-level University degree (Bachelor's or equivalent) in combination with additional 2 years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree;

Work Experience 

• 5 years of experience working in the built environment is required;

• Experience assessing the infrastructure enabling environment is required;

• Experience building institutional capacity is required;

• Experience working with a variety of institutions; including UN, government/public institutions, private sector, and or research/academia in the field of the built environment is considered an asset;

• Experience working with the global policy frameworks around sustainable and resilient infrastructure is considered an asset;

• Experience developing analytical frameworks is considered an asset;

• Experience developing software based tools is considered an asset;

Languages

• Fluency in English required; 

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

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.