Capacity Building Specialist for Training Activities- Retainer position

UNOPS is the implementing partner for the Project "Enhancing Capacities and Preparedness of Montenegro’s Judiciary for EU Integration", funded by the European Union (EU). The project aims to enhance the rule of law by increasing the independence, efficiency, and accountability of Montenegro's judicial system and supporting the implementation of Action Plans for EU Accession Chapters 23 and 24. The EU has allocated €2,000,000 through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance 2022 (IPA), with the project spanning 24 months.

Key project activities include optimising processes within judicial institutions, conducting training programs, and assessing ICT and infrastructure. Additionally, technical documentation for the construction of a judicial complex in Podgorica will be prepared. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is the primary national partner, benefiting from the project's outcomes alongside other rule of law institutions.

Within this context, the Project intends to enhance human and institutional capacities of the Judiciary and contribute to the overall advancement of Montenegro’s judiciary in line with EU aquis and EU accession requirements.

Within the duration of the assignment, the Capacity Building Specialist for Training Activities is expected to conduct stakeholder consultations and needs assessment of the judiciary institutions in order to ensure the effective enhancement of human and institutional capacities of the judiciary. 

This process will involve engaging relevant stakeholders, including employees of the Ministry, judges, prosecutors, court personnel, legal professionals, and other key actors in the justice sector. Through these consultations, the operational needs of the judiciary institutions will be assessed, taking into account their specific requirements and challenges.

Following the completion of the analysis, the Capacity Building Specialist for Training Activities is expected to develop a capacity building programme and, in accordance with the developed programme, actively support the implementation of capacity building activities that have been identified as the most significant for the beneficiaries. 

In particular, the Specialist  will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

• Design and conduct comprehensive Training Needs Assessment (TNA) to identify knowledge gaps and training requirements across beneficiary institutions. This assessment will serve as the foundation for tailored capacity building initiatives.

• Based on the findings from the TNA, the Specialist will formulate a detailed Capacity Building Programme aimed at:
  

  • Enhancing the administrative capabilities of beneficiaries;

  • Strengthening legislative alignment with EU standards and other quality learning programmes to strengthen the capacity of the institutions involved;

  • Tracking other capacity-building activities across the beneficiary institutions, documenting outcomes, lessons learned, and providing recommendations for continuous improvement;

  • Identifying needs for future interventions and ensuring alignment with project objectives

• Actively support the implementation of capacity-building activities recognised by the Project (interactive workshops, seminars, conferences, and other learning opportunities) tailored to empower participants with the requisite skills and knowledge.

• An Advanced University Degree is required, preferably in Law, Public Administration, Economy, Management, Development Studies, or another relevant discipline.
• University Degree (Bachelor’s degree / first level) with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Minimum five years of experience in developing Human Resource Management (HRM) practices/ tools/ training programmes and/or implementation of the capacity building/ training activities is required;
• Experience in capacity-building activities related to the judiciary and/or public administration reform at the national and/or international level is required.
• Previous engagement with or within the Montenegrin judiciary system will be considered an asset. 

• Fluency in English and Montenegrin (speaking, reading and writing) is required

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) - retainer
Contract level: LICA 10 (ICS 10)
Contract duration: Up to 100 working days, during the period of one year 

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

• 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 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• 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.