UNOPS

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the UN agency dedicated to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable urban development and adequate housing for all. Mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1978, UN-Habitat brings over four decades of expertise in addressing urban growth challenges. It plays a key role in implementing the New Urban Agenda, adopted at Habitat III in 2016, and advancing Sustainable Development Goal 11 to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Since 2015, UN-Habitat Syria Programme has worked closely with Syrian cities and communities to rebuild urban resilience and recover cities in Syria. UN-Habitat supports national and local authorities and communities to (1) undertake urban damage urban data and conduct urban analysis to reach a common understanding on urban recovery needs; (2) to identify neighborhood and municipal area-based recovery priorities and support government and community to co-develop recovery plans; and (3) support rehabilitation and reconstruction infrastructure and basic services, housing, urban environment, and urban cultural heritage.

UN-Habitat Syria currently has offices in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, and Deir Ezzor. The UN-Habitat Syria programme operationalizes projects across Syria. UN-Habitat also co-leads the Housing, Land and Property (HLP) Rights Technical Working Group and coordinates the UN Joint Programme on HLP together with UNHCR, IOM, UNDP and NRC.

Reporting to Deputy Country Director under overall supervision of the Country Director and in coordination with relevant colleagues, the International Consultant will support UN-Habitat Syria to strengthen systems, procedures, and technical standards for the operational, administrative, and technical delivery of its projects. This includes improving knowledge of and adherence to procurement systems, standards and procedures; developing standard specifications and documentation; establishing oversight mechanisms for project implementation; and strengthening coordination between programme, operations, and field Hub teams.

Required:

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in procurement, operations management, business administration, engineering, architecture, urban planning, or a related field. 

A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Desired:

Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) is strongly preferred. 

Required:

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in in project management, programme management, or project coordination within international development, public sector, engineering, urban planning, infrastructure, or related fields..

• Experience working with UN agencies or international organizations is desirable.

• Demonstrated experience establishing project implementation and procurement-related systems, technical standards, or operational procedures for infrastructure or development projects.

Desired:

• Experience working in Syria or similar contexts is an advantage.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• 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. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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.