Capacity Building Specialist

Peace and Security Cluster

Background Information - Mali Programme

Mali is facing a problem of weapons and explosive hazard contamination as a result of protracted and recent armed conflicts. The presence of explosive remnants of war (ERW), improvised explosive devices (IED) and insecure stockpiles of weapons and ammunition (obsolete, abandoned or neglected), poses a serious threat to civilians as well as to United Nations and humanitarian personnel operating in the country.

UNMAS deployed to Mali in January 2013 to conduct an emergency assessment of the situation with regard to explosive threats. In July 2013, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established under Security Council resolution 2100 and is currently operating under Security Council Resolution 2584 (2021). In accordance with these mandates, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has engaged UNOPS PSC to implement a mine action programme in Mali to:

• Improve the protection of civilians and facilitate humanitarian assistance;
• Enhance national capacity to mitigate explosive threats and enable compliance with international treaty obligations;
• Reduce the explosive threat to MINUSMA and United Nations personnel.

Reporting to the Project Manager, the Capacity Building Specialist is responsible for the overall coordination and successful delivery of capacity-building activities to mitigate explosive threats (EOD/CIED, WAM and treaty compliance).  S/he supports the Project Manager in identifying capacity building priorities and coordinating transition activities. S/he acts as Officer in Charge in the absence of the Project Manager.

1.     Functional responsibilities:

Summary of Key Functions:

The Capacity Building Specialist will:

1. Ensure coordination, coherence, and quality of the capacity development approach project-wide:

●        Ensure the coordination between the different units of the project and advise the Project Manager of changes or deviations from plans, including through the identification and management of risks and issues, ensuring maximum benefit to clients and stakeholders.

●        Ensure that UNMAS Mali is fully informed of the capacity development initiatives.

●        Support the Project Manager in identifying and reviewing product project quality and ensuring products are accepted, including with the technical guidance and oversight of Operations and Support Services, the tasking, monitoring quality control and evaluation of the performance of service providers, grantees and implementing partners.

●        Support the Project Manager in developing project concepts, proposals, funding requests and submission to joint appeals processes for priority needs by existing funding sources in line with government plans;

●        Guide and assist project teams to implement a transition plan to progressively and systematically transfer the management of mine action to national ownership. This may include organizing review workshops and coordination meetings.

●        Ensure that information gathered from monitoring and evaluations is used to inform stakeholders of progress and to improve the programme.

2. Lead institutional capacity development assistance and support for the Malian authorities

●        Support the Project Manager interaction with the national authorities at both institutional and technical levels in order to develop and support a sustainable and context relevant technical capacity to meet its needs to respond to all explosive hazards.

●        Support the National Authorities in developing multi-year mine action plans, a National Mine Action Strategy, to sign international conventions relevant to Mine Action and to advocate for mine action within Government and international stakeholders. 

●        Assist in coordinating the technical support for the government of Mali in the development of national EOD, IED threat mitigation and WAM activities which meet the needs of the Government and are context-relevant, while remaining in line with international standards; and in providing guidance to the stakeholders on key sector regulatory issues including Boards of Investigation, ensuring periodic reviews of National Standard, critical non-conformities, Land Release policy, Information Management etc.

3. Backstop the Project Manager:

●        Advise the Project Manager on issues that may impact the achievements of project outcomes.

●        Ensure that the project is accurately and appropriately represented to an external audience, under her/his strategic guidance. This includes via various consolidated and participatory processes as well as UN agencies funds and programmes, government counterparts, donors, and other key stakeholders.

●        Ensure accurate, complete, representative and timely substantive reporting on the project, its activities and key milestones to all stakeholders in collaboration with the programme unit.

●        Support the Project Manager in the management of all human, equipment, contractual and financial resources allocated to the project as needed.

●        Support the Project Manager in developing, justifying and implementing project plans within tolerances established at programme level and in line with programme strategy.

●        Any other duties as requested and tasked by the Project Manager.

a.     Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent with 5 years of relevant experience required; OR
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent 7 years of relevant experience; OR
• Military Experience (or relevant Police Experience) at the Senior NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) or Officer level (or equivalent) with a minimum of 11 years of relevant experience

• Relevant experience is defined as experience in advisory and coordination or Capacity Development roles in either emergency or post conflict environments.
• Minimum 1 year of experience in organizing and delivering training programmes/ workshops is required.

c.     Language

• Fluent in French (read, write and speak) is required
• Fluent in English (read, write and speak) is required

Contract type: International Individual Contractual Agreement
Contract level: IICA 2 (ICS10)
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

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.