Senior Advisor on EU Integration (Roster)

Under the framework of the multi-year project titled “Knowledge for Reform Action in the Western Balkans” UNOPS is providing support in the six countries of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) with access to tailored expertise, knowledge and best practice to assist them with advancing their respective reform agenda. Learning and exchanges will be promoted across the Region, as well as from neighbouring countries which have joined the EU.

The project will result in strengthened institutional, administrative and legislative frameworks and practices. To this end, UNOPS will create a pool of capacity building national, regional and international experts (individuals, thinks tanks, consortiums, consultancy companies and similar) to be deployed to support governments with regards to the approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation as well as to facilitate the sharing of EU best practices.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organisations. With over 6,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it. By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

AUMCO

The Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO) was set up in August 2019 as a part of the UNOPS Europe & Central Asia Region (ECR). Specifically, AUMCO aims to enable achievement of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement through global programmes and tailored interventions in the Balkans, South Caucasus, and Central Asia, focused on:

•             Infrastructure

•             Procurement

•             Project Management (full service, back on track)

•             HR and Transactional Services

•             Grants Management

•             Technical and Advisory Services

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager, and in close cooperation with beneficiaries, the Senior Advisor on EU Integration will provide technical expertise to the Prime Minister's Office,  Ministry of European Integration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other Ministries and institutions as appropriate.

The experts should have a high level of expertise and professional experience in one of the fields of the EU action and policy, in particular as relevant to the support in stabilization processes and EU integration of the Western Balkans countries including the capacity building expertise in the areas of assistance with harmonization, approximation and standardization in EU Accession process, visibility in Brussels and EU Institutions, EU policies and advocacy in EU and similar.

Selected experts will work on tasks in one or more of the following areas of specialization:

1.      EU negotiations

2.      Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and  Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP)

3.      Various Chapters of the EU acquis communautaire

4.      Networking with the EU institutions

5.      Implementation of the EU reform agenda for Western Balkans

6.      Establishment of the EU learning platform

7.      Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) programming

Specific Responsibilities

The selected candidates will perform functions such as the following.

●        Provide technical expertise and advise on EU negotiations to the beneficiaries, including roadmaps and benchmarks

●        Provide technical expertise and advise on SAA process

●        provide assistance with harmonization, approximation and standardization in the line with the enlargement methodology

●        Provide technical expertise and advise on the reforms under various Chapters of the EU acquis communautaire

●        Provide assistance with harmonization, approximation and standardization of legislation aligning it with the EU Acquis

●        Provide technical expertise as relevant to the networking with the EU institutions, facilitate the access to the relevant EU institutions

●        Provide technical expertise and advise on the implementation of the EU reform agenda for Western Balkans on a needs based cases

●        Provide technical expertise and advise on the establishment of the EU learning platform

●        Advice on the content of the EU knowledge and learning Platform

Other Tasks and Responsibilities may include:

●        Develop roadmaps and procedures as relevant EU Acquis Chapters

●        Perform analysis of certain EU acquis chapters or clusters

●        Design monitoring and coordination mechanism for the governments as relevant to the EU integration reforms

●        Carry out technical assessments, analysis on the subject matter

●        Draft concept notes, design and develop trainings and similar in relation to the reforms that beneficiaries are undertaking with the view to the EU integration processes.  

Selection of experts will be made (when needed) from the Roster, based on selection criteria such as professional expertise and experience, language skills, geographical and gender balance, regular rotation, and absence of conflict of interest.

The incumbent will be engaged as a retainer and asked to perform specific tasks linked to supporting delivery of the project's capacity development work in the region in advance when the requirements arise. 

Please include a Cover letter indicating your areas of specialization relevant to EU Integration.


Education

Advanced University Degree either in Law, EU integration, International Relations, Public Administration, Management, Developments Studies, Sociology, Political Sciences, Agriculture and Rural Development, Human Rights, Sociology, Social Sciences, Environment, Finance or other relevant discipline is required.

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.

Work Experience

●        7 years of experience in working for/with the EU institution and/or working for/with the beneficiary countries on EU accession related elements is required. Specialization in one or more of the seven areas noted above is highly desired.

●        Participating in accession negotiations of an EU candidate country and experience in the coordinative structures for supporting the negotiations for the EU accession will be an asset.

●        Positive accession experience of/in the EU neighbouring countries is an advantage.

●        In depth knowledge of the Western Balkans region is required.

Language

●        Fluency in English (speaking, reading and writing) is required.

●        Knowledge of locally spoken languages including lingua franca is an advantage.

Duty station:                     
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*[1], North Macedonia, Montenegro or Serbia, depending on the outcome of the recruitment process. Regular travels may be required. The final decision regarding the duty station lies with UNOPS