Due diligence Senior Officer

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.

UNOPS is seeking highly qualified and experienced Due Diligence Specialist Retainer to support the Fuel Project in conducting red flag reviews following established due diligence policies, procedures, and risk management processes.

To conduct comprehensive due diligence reviews-including financial crime, reputational, sustainability, ethical assessments and provide risk-based advisory services to ensure prospective and existing partners align with UN core values

Administer and operationalize the UNOPS Due Diligence Policy: Conduct comprehensive research and screenings of prospective and existing funding sources in accordance with the UNOPS legal framework internal policies, and due diligence standards.

Risk Assessment: Assess risks on the basis of screening outcomes in relation to the wider business context and business risk.

Reporting: Prepare, draft, and consolidate due diligence and screening reports, including concise executive summaries highlighting key risks and findings, in line with established policies; provide clear, risk-based recommendations to the submitting units on proposed next steps and mitigation measures.

Advisory Services: Assist stakeholders on the interpretation of due diligence policies, particularly Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT).

Knowledge Management: Support the development of training materials, guidance notes, and workshop content related to due diligence processes, acting as a resource person, providing subject-matter expertise and responding to queries in these sessions

Required:

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in Law, International Relations, Finance or related fields with 4 years of relevant experience OR

A master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 2 years of relevant experience is required

Desired:

Professional certifications like CAMS, CIA, or CFE

Required

• 4 years ( or less, depending on academic credentials) of professional due diligence experience, preferably in an international setting

Desired

• Experience in the UN system or developing internal SOPs for financial institutions is desired.

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

• 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.