UNOPS

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of eight global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR. The EU-UNOPS Lives in Dignity (LiD) Grant Facility is also based here.

WEC Background

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support.  

 WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The NDC Partnership

The NDC Partnership is a global coalition, bringing together more than 250 members, including more than 130 countries, developed and developing, and more than 110 institutions to deliver on ambitious climate action that helps achieve the Paris Agreement and drive sustainable development. Governments identify their NDC implementation priorities and the type of support that is needed to translate them into actionable policies and programs. Based on these requests, the membership offers a tailored package of expertise, technical assistance and funding. This collaborative response provides developing countries with efficient access to a wide range of resources to adapt to and mitigate climate change and foster more equitable and sustainable development. The NDC Partnership Support Unit is jointly hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). For this project, the Consultant will be contracted through UNOPS.

The incumbent will assist the Government of Belize's Climate Finance Unit (CFU), which is housed within the Ministry of Economic Transformation. This mandate is highly strategic: the Ministry's core responsibilities include tracking and monitoring the national Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP), valued at over $1.2 billion. The role is designed to ensure the efficient, transparent, and compliant acquisition of goods, works, and services needed to accelerate NDC-related climate projects, thereby directly contributing to increasing the Ministry's overall project implementation rate within this large national framework.

The incumbent will serve as the primary procurement liaison for the CFU. This strategic role is key to accelerating the procurement processes for sustainable development and climate-related projects. The successful delivery of the Procurement Implementation Plan, the role's key technical deliverable will act as the essential tool for managing all acquisition and compliance activities, thereby directly supporting Belize's NDC implementation.

The embedded procurement specialist will implement all tasks under the direct supervision of the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist and will work in close collaboration with the Director of the Climate Finance Unit and different ministerial offices. 

• This is a retainer national vacancy / position for twelve 12 months, maximum of 220 working days, with possibility of an extension depending on satisfactory performance and on availability of funds. 

• This is a Home based position, meaning that the incumbent will not work from a UNOPS office but from the government facilities. Therefore, the incumbent will need to use his/her own laptop and software. 

• As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Belize or have a valid residence permit in the country. 

• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Procurement Specialist will support the Climate Finance Unit in strengthening its procurement systems and processes to enable effective delivery of climate-related projects. The incumbent will contribute technical expertise to the development of a Procurement Implementation Plan, assist in establishing tools for contract and data management, and help ensure procurement activities align with national and international compliance standards. By building institutional capacity and improving operational efficiency, the role will directly contribute to Belize’s climate finance readiness and NDC implementation.

Required

• Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field with 5 years of relevant experience or;

• Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience (7 total) may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

  
  

Desired

• Certification in Procurement Professional (CPP) or equivalent certification (e.g., CIPS, CPSM) is a strong asset.

  
  

Required

• At least five (5) years of demonstrated experience in public and/or private sector procurement, focusing on strategic sourcing, contract management, and project execution.
• Experience with the procurement modalities and processes of International Financial Institutions (IFIs), Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), or major international donors 
• Experience in designing and implementing contract management systems and procedures to enhance efficiency and accountability.
• Knowledge of Belize's national policy frameworks, national plans, and strategies related to climate change, including the NDC 3.0 and the Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP).

Desired

• Familiarity with climate change, supply chain, and logistics project management, particularly concerning the acquisition of goods/services for climate mitigation or adaptation projects.
• Proven ability to foster formal and informal networks to strengthen cooperation between government agencies, private sector participants, and international stakeholders
• Experience with national government climate change processes and/or familiarity with UNFCCC processes, such as the Conference of Parties (CoP) or the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
  
  

• 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.