UNOPS

The UNOPS Middle East Region (MR) provides strategic leadership, performance oversight, and support to UNOPS operations across Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the State of Palestine. MR is responsible for positioning UNOPS as a key development partner in the region through high-level engagement with regional bodies, UN coordination mechanisms, development banks, donors, and intergovernmental organisations. By fostering strategic partnerships and promoting operational excellence, the region supports country teams in delivering sustainable solutions to complex development, peace, and humanitarian challenges

UNOPS supports both humanitarian response and early recovery in Gaza. Currently, UNOPS support in Gaza focuses on key humanitarian enablers, including on access, via the Security Council-mandated UN 2720 Mechanism and the Access Support Unit (ASU), humanitarian fuel and energy, and mine action. Operations are envisaged to continue in the coming period with a focus in line with the UNOPS mandate: (i) infrastructure construction and rehabilitation, (ii) procurement and (iii) project management.

The Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) is one of the most complex and challenging environments in which the United Nations operates. Access challenges, including movement restrictions, differ greatly across the oPt, primarily due to the range of political, administrative and security measures implemented by Israeli, Egyptian, Jordanian, and Palestinian authorities. Restrictions on access and the movement of people are severe, widespread, costly, and difficult to overcome. These restrictions increase the impoverishment and vulnerability of Palestinians within the oPt, and directly impede humanitarian and development operations. 

The ASU is an inter-agency project under the overall leadership of the UN Deputy Special Coordinator/Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator (DSC/RC/HC), working with UNSCO and UNOCHA, and administered by UNOPS. ASU provides services to the international system working in Israel/OPT to expedite movements of personnel from the United Nations, NGOs, diplomats, donors, and other international partners. This includes personnel working across the humanitarian, development, peace and security, and other pillars. ASU achieves these objectives through coordination with national and regional authorities to ease bureaucratic and administrative access impediments to the movement of personnel into and through Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. ASU strengthens the evidence base and stakeholder awareness on bureaucratic and administrative access impediments through regular production and dissemination of analytical reports and briefings to relevant stakeholders.

ASU’s key functions are:

• Under the overall leadership of the DSC/RC/HC and UNSCO/OCHA, the ASU prepares high-level political advocacy and discussions with the parties that contribute to an easing of restrictions on access and movement in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

• The ASU engages in and supports access negotiations and advocacy in relation to the movement of humanitarian, development, peace and security, and other pillar personnel and coordinates the implementation of mechanisms agreed with the relevant parties. Hands-on advice and support are provided to help navigate access and movement restrictions in the field.

• Particularly, the ASU supports international personnel rotations into and out of Gaza, (re-)entry into the country, supporting applications for crossing in and out of Gaza (both on the Israeli and the Palestinian side) as well as movements of international and local personnel into East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, and intervening when issues arise at checkpoints, crossings (including in the West Bank) or at international borders. 

The Access Support Unit Coordinator will lead the operational management of the Access Support Unit (ASU). 

Required

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in political/social science or international relations, Project Management, Business Administration, Political/Security/Development Studies, Public Administration, Anthropology, Law, Economics or other relevant disciplines.
• Bachelor’s degree in the above-mentioned areas or other relevant disciplines, combined with two additional years of relevant experience, may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.

.

Required:

• At least 7 years (or more depending on academic credentials) of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, or other related areas is required.  
• Experience in humanitarian access matters is required, including bureaucratic and administrative impediments, and movement of people. 
• Experience in team leadership and management is required. 
• Experience in access negotiations is required.

Desired:

• Experience in the UN Common System or other comparable international organizations is desirable. 

.

• 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.