Capacity Building Specialist

Peace and Security Cluster

Background Information UNMAS

Established in 1997 by the General Assembly, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) serves as the United Nations focal point for mine action and supports its vision of “a world free of the threat of landmines and unexploded ordnance, where individuals and communities live in a safe environment conducive to development, and where mine survivors are fully integrated into their societies.”

UNMAS coordinates and collaborates with fourteen UN departments, agencies, programmes and funds to ensure an effective, proactive and coordinated response to the problems of landmines and explosive remnants of war, including cluster munitions.

UNMAS establishes, manages, and provides strategic direction to mine-action coordination centres in countries and territories as part of peacekeeping operations and humanitarian emergencies or crises. In these situations, UNMAS may plan and carry out mine-action projects, support and coordinate the work of local and international mine-action service providers, and set priorities for mine clearance, mine-risk education and all other aspects of mine action.

Project information

Despite international support around the turn of the century the Ethiopian Mine Action Authority (EMAO) has no working database of contamination, only one mine action standard aligned to IMAS, field staff with very limited experience of humanitarian mine action, no field offices, no tasking prioritization framework, little understanding of how mine action practices have evolved over the last twenty years and no mechanism through which international operators can become accredited.

The problem is further compounded by a lack of clearance operators working to international standards in northern Ethiopia. Those who are operating are not keeping records that may be audited or being subjected to any form of recognized quality assurance. As such, there is little recognizable mine action capacity in Ethiopia today.

UNMAS has established itself as a trusted partner of the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) since it started its activities in the country in 2021,  and is uniquely placed to initiate the required support to build the capacity of the mine action sector in the current political climate. UNMAS will assist in the development of an interim operational mine action capacity, which should facilitate the introduction of clearance operators, will enable the design of a functioning hazard database and a prioritization system, and will work with the Ethiopian authorities to establish a framework under which mine action can take place. 

Education

• Advanced university degree (master degree or equivalent) with five years of relevant experience OR

• First-level university degree (bachelor degree or equivalent) with seven years of relevant experience 

Work Experience

• Relevant experience is defined as experience in project management or project development, supporting operations in military, humanitarian, conflict, post-conflict, or development contexts with public or private sector organizations

• Mine action operations experience in a humanitarian, conflict, or development context is required

• Experience working with local actors and building the capacity of local governmental institutions is required

Language Skills

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

• 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.

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA)
Contract level: ICS-10 (P3 equivalent)
Contract duration: ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

SUMMARY OF TOTAL REWARDS PACKAGE FOR IICA PERSONNEL

• Remuneration is an inclusive monthly fee and varies according to the contract level, the hired candidate’s background, duty station specification as well as eligible dependents (i.e. hardship and risk levels, cost of living, etc.), among other criteria.
• For retainers and contracts with a duration of less than one (1) month, the fees may be established based on an hourly or daily rate.

Benefits and Entitlements

All IICA personnel benefit from UNOPS learning opportunities as well as a variety of family-friendly, work-life and well-being provisions at the workplace. Hardship leave is provided according to duty station classification.

Other benefits and entitlements are available for contracts with a minimum duration of 3 months. These include:

Leave

• Annual leave: 10 official UN holidays per year plus 2.5 additional days of accrued leave per month.
• Paid sick leave: 2 days of certified sick leave per month up to a maximum balance of 24 days, plus 6 uncertified sick days per year; depending on tenure, fee protection for longer periods of certified sick leave.
• Paid parental leave: Up to 26 weeks for eligible parents who give birth and 16 weeks for other eligible parents.

Medical coverage

• IICA holders must pay for their own schemes, the cost for which is accounted for in their fee.

Relocation support

• Financial Mobility Support is offered to International ICA holders and their dependents when relocating to a new duty station as per eligibility.

Security

• All personnel regardless of contract modality are enrolled in the United Nations Security Management System for emergency relocation/evacuation.