Country Team Leader

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Global Portfolio Services Office (GPSO) develops and manages a portfolio of projects and services delivered in various locations across the globe.

GPSO supports partners such as the World Bank, the European Union, the Department of Peacekeeping operations, the United Nations Mine Action Service, the Global Fund, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, amongst others. This global portfolio constitutes a substantial volume of UNOPS project delivery.

• Country and Regional Partnership Programmes mobilize members and partners around longer-term, demand-oriented and customized interventions in selected regions and countries to engender a more effective urban agenda centered on inclusive, pro-poor cities;
• The Catalytic Fund catalyzes urban transformation processes that promote more inclusive cities and advance collective learning distilled from project experiences;
• Knowledge & Learning Programmes between members and partners distil, leverage and advocate the Cities Alliance’s knowledge for targeted urban practitioners on Cities Alliance priority themes, such as slum-upgrading, national urban policies and city development strategies.

The consultant will be the key in-country focal point in Ghana of the FCA programme and will ensure the effective and efficient functioning of the programme within Ghana. The consultant will undertake, amongst other, the following main activities:

Activity 1: Establish a Cities Alliance member advisory committee

In each of the countries where the FCA will be active, an advisory committee comprising Cities Alliance members will be formed. Depending on the context and existing consultative mechanisms in each country, the advisory committee may take a number of forms. The consultant in dialogue with Cities Alliance members and national partners will design the most appropriate mechanism for such an advisory committee.

Activity 2: Provide a secretariat function to the advisory committee

The consultant will ensure that the advisory committee has a functioning terms of reference (TOR) and meets on a defined regular basis. The consultant will ensure a clear line of communication between the project and the advisory committee. The consultant will ensure that the advisory committee receives regular highlight reports as per the various stages of the project plan.

Activity 3: Convene partners and map activities

The consultant will represent the project within the country and will engage with a wide range of national, local government, private sector and civil society actors. She/he will map all activities that relate to urban programming and will identify key synergies where they exist between potential stakeholders. Most specifically the consultant will ensure that the FCA programme is fully integrated with the Cities Alliance Country Programme.

Activity 4: Communication 

The consultant will undertake a detailed stakeholder analysis and will ensure that all stakeholders receive the appropriate flow of information regarding project progress and that the project is responsive to stakeholder feedback and identified needs. 

Activity 5: Oversight of work packages

The consultant will manage a small country team and will ensure that work packages delegated by the project manager are implemented to the defined quality standards and time frames. The consultant will ensure that the project manager is constantly appraised of progress and that appropriate mitigation strategies are in place to ensure effective delivery of outputs.

Activity 6: Ensure effective global and national collaboration

The Country Team Leader will ensure that all the necessary in-country background arrangements and work is in place enabling the effective use of internationally recruited specialist consultants.

Activity 7: Core values

The Country Team Leader will ensure that all work undertaken in the name of the FCA encapsulates the core values of UNOPS and that gender equality, a central pillar of the Cities Alliance Medium Term Strategy, is incorporated, monitored and reported on in all aspects of the emerging programme.         
  

The consultant will deliver the following outputs:

1. Monthly project stage progress reports including financials and narrative;

2. Attendance registers and minutes of the advisory committee.     

Required:

• Understanding of project management principles
• Ability to manage contracts or grants
• Broad appreciation of urban systems and development challenges
• Ability to convene stakeholders
• Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully at the highest levels of government
• Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with civil society
• Willingness to travel
• Proven ability to write well structured reports 
• Knowledge of (UN/UNOPS) Procurement and HR

• Strong commitment to and understanding of the role of cities in poverty reduction
• Proven ability to engage with partners and other stakeholders and maintain cordial constructive relationships
• Proven ability to manage a team and work in an autonomous manner

• Fluency in English, both writing and speaking, is required
• Good knowledge in other UN language will be considered as an advantage

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.