UNOPS

The Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) provides policy, standards guidance and support in three UNOPS service lines of Project Management, Infrastructure and Financial Management Services (Grant Support and Fund Management). IPMG leads the design and implementation of a project, programme and portfolio management (P3M) system centered around the needs of UNOPS partners, beneficiaries and frontline personnel. IPMG also drives UNOPS efforts to leverage sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure and maximize local capacity through grant support management to achieve sustainable development. Through thought leadership, we aim to position UNOPS with its partners, foster innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development, and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes speeding up the implementation of urgent infrastructure and scaling up infrastructure service delivery, particularly in relation to climate action and energy. Our delivery approach to project management, infrastructure and grant support management prioritizes development needs, empowers institutions and communities, builds partners’ capacity, champions gender equality and social inclusion and reduces environmental impact. IPMG translates policy into practice by providing strategic direction, standards and oversight, while facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity-building for UNOPS teams globally.

The PM Certification (PRINCE2/MSP) Trainers will be subject matter experts primarily responsible for delivering high-quality training sessions in French for PRINCE2 and/or MSP certification, tailored to the needs of UNOPS personnel and external partners, and based on the Official Training Materials. In addition, the PM Certification (PRINCE2/MSP) Trainers are expected to collaborate with IPMG to develop, improve and adapt training materials, incorporate participant feedback and best practices in UNOPS work contexts.

UNOPS Corporate Retainer Pool

UNOPS is managing a pool of Corporate Retainers to meet the need for temporary, short-term ad-hoc support to UNOPS business units across the globe in several expertise areas identified by the HQ business units and in consultation with the regional offices. The Corporate Retainer Pool (CRP) covers a wide range of expertise areas. The CRP is coordinated by the Portfolio Support team in the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) however the Business Unit leading the expertise area supervises each position as relevant.

** IMPORTANT INFORMATION **

Retainer positions are not full-time positions. They constitute a contract whereby the Retainer may be requested to provide a specific output/deliverable within a specified period of time, on short notice. When holding a retainer contract, individuals may receive ad-hoc requests from the UNOPS project teams or country offices, and the quantity of requests will vary depending on the current needs. UNOPS shall have no obligation to obtain any minimum quantity of services from the Individual Contractor during the duration of the retainer ICA. It is possible to have multiple consultancy contracts with or outside UNOPS, as long as it is declared to the UNOPS Ethics Office. Read more about the ICA retainer modality here. 

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As part of UNOPS’ commitment to building capacity in project management, Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) seeks to expand its pool of qualified trainers for PRINCE2 and MSP certification. The PM Certification (PRINCE2/MSP) Trainers (Retainer) will be engaged through a competitive recruitment process and accredited to deliver PRINCE2 and MSP training in French in all offices where UNOPS operates. 

This retainer position falls under the UNOPS Corporate retainer pool, and the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) will be responsible for the technical onboarding and supervision of the PM Certification (PRINCE2/MSP) Trainers (Retainer).

The functions/responsibilities/key results of this job description are generic and may not always be applicable, nor be comprehensive, for all missions under this job title. The specific tasks and deliverables for each retainer assignment may vary and will be detailed in the terms of reference developed for each assignment by the requesting office/unit, while IPMG will exercise an oversight function. Under this contract type, the assignments will vary in scope and duration - ranging from short term assignments of a few hours at a time to longer blocks of time (e.g. several days or up to a week). Work may also vary with regards to the time zone / location. Whilst most assignments can be delivered working from home, some may require presence in HQ and/or international travel on occasion, including to remote or post-conflict environments. Whilst the successful incumbent can be based in different time-zones, s/he should be able and willing to ensure a degree of time overlap with the teams ordering the retainer’s services. 

All corporate retainers are invited to participate in a one-hour induction session (or two 30-minute sessions) where they are guided through UNOPS retainer management tool, the retainer contract modality and their expertise area in the UNOPS context.

While the contract modality for this Vacancy Announcement is an ICA retainer contract on project or assignment basis, UNOPS may offer on a need basis a full-time employment for a specified consecutive period of time (up to one year maximum) - with the possibility to go back and forth between the two contract modalities, pending acceptance of the incumbent of the assignments proposed to him/her.

All retainer assignments will be handled via the UNOPS online retainer management tool, including the request for the retainer’s services and the provision of feedback for each assignment.

The candidates shall confirm that they have no actual, perceived or potential conflict of interest that may prevent them from entering into an individual contractor agreement with UNOPS, or that may in any way jeopardize their performance in carrying out their obligations under the agreement. This includes a situation where the applicant intends to maintain in parallel to the retainer opportunity another activity besides the retainer opportunity that s/he applies to which could result in an actual or perceived conflict with the interests of the UN.

Please attach a cover letter highlighting the experience, knowledge and qualifications relevant for the position.

It is the responsibility of the selected candidate to make arrangements, to a standard deemed acceptable by UNOPS, for a secure internet connection, laptop and/or equipment necessary for work.

The Capacity Building Specialist independently manages the delivery of high-quality PRINCE2 and MSP training sessions in French, adapting existing training materials to meet the specific needs of UNOPS personnel and external partners. The specialist provides authoritative advice on the application of established project management policies and procedures, ensuring participants are well-prepared for certification exams and contribute to a minimum of 80% pass rate per cohort.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) with 5 years of relevant experience is required

• Holding a valid PRINCE2 (7th edition) Practitioner Certificate, and/or a valid MSP (5th edition) Practitioner Certificate is a mandatory requirement for this role. 

Required

• A minimum of five (5) years in a role including teaching or delivering training responsibilities is required.

• A minimum of three (3) years (or more depending on academic credentials) of practical experience in project management / programme management is required, and may be included in the above experience.

• A minimum of ten (10) days of experience delivering classroom-based training in French in Prince2 or MSP is required, and may be included in any of the above experiences.

Desired

• Demonstrated experience in managing, running and delivering project/programme management training courses.

• Demonstrated experience in designing and developing project/programme management training agenda and materials.

• Experience as a project or programme manager.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. 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. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.