Project Management Support Specialist [Counter Terrorism]

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.

UNOPS Development and Special Initiatives team works with UN partners and Member States. This portfolio offers support for various initiatives and priorities of the UN Secretary-General in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, it helps the UN Secretariat in implementing global programs in areas such as political affairs, climate, counterterrorism and peacebuilding, among others.

UNOPS DSI has signed an agreement with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism to implement project activities under the Global Programme on Prosecution, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (PRR).

The United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) was established by the General Assembly in June 2017. UNOCT has five mandated functions:

(1) Provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates entrusted to the Secretary-General from across the United Nations system;

(2) Enhance coordination and coherence across the Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy;

(3) Strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance to Member States;

(4) Improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts; and

(5) Ensure that due priority is given to counterterrorism across the United Nations system and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the Strategy.

Under UNOPS supervision and working in close collaboration with UNOCT, the Project Management Support Specialist will support the implementation of activities under the Global Programme on PRR.

Under the supervision of the UNOPS Project Manager and in close collaboration with the UNOCT Programme Manager of the Global Programme on Prosecution, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (PRR), the Project Management Support Specialist will support the delivery, coordination, monitoring and development of project activities and will be responsible for the following:

1. Project Delivery and Performance

• Support in the planning, implementation and monitoring of project activities in line with approved work plans, budgets and quality standards.
• Coordinate project activities and develop project management tools to ensure timely delivery of outputs and adherence to UNOPS and donor/partner requirements.
• Support the design and development of programmes and projects, including the preparation of project documents, implementation plans, budgets and results frameworks.
• Conduct or support needs assessments, stakeholder consultations and gap analyses to inform programme development and implementation.
• Manage and monitor progress against scope, time, cost and quality tolerances. Identify risks and deviations, propose corrective actions, and escalate when required.
• Support resource mobilization efforts through the preparation of concept notes, project proposals, donor briefs and related documentation.
• Embed sustainability principles - including gender equality, social inclusion and environmental considerations - across project activities.
• Contribute to the identification and development of new project opportunities or extensions of existing engagements.

2. Financial and Procurement Management

• Support financial planning, monitoring and reporting to ensure effective budget utilization and cost control in line with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations.
• Support procurement and grant management processes, including preparation of Terms of Reference (ToRs).

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Maintain effective working relationships with donors, partners, national authorities and other stakeholders to ensure coordinated delivery and alignment with project objectives.
• Coordinate project steering committees and country level coordination mechanisms.
• Support the development and implementation of stakeholder engagement and communication plans, ensuring timely and consistent information sharing.
• Facilitate internal coordination among project teams, technical experts and support functions.
• Represent the project in meetings, consultations and external engagements as delegated by the supervisor.

4. Monitoring, Reporting and Quality Assurance

• Monitor project performance against agreed indicators, preparing progress, financial and completion reports in accordance with UNOPS and donor/partner standards.
• Conduct data analysis and provide inputs for management decisions and strategic planning.
• Ensure quality assurance processes are applied to all deliverables, documents and outputs.
• Support compliance with internal audit and quality standards, coordinating corrective action as required.

5. Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the organization, facilitation and delivery of capacity building workshops.
• Participate in knowledge-sharing initiatives and Communities of Practice (CoPs), contributing insights and lessons learned.
• Conduct research on PRR-related topics and contribute to the drafting of reports, summaries and briefing notes.

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent), preferably in law, political science, international relations, management, economics or related fields with five (5) years of relevant experience is required; or
• First-level university degree (bachelor's degree or equivalent), preferably in law, political science, international relations, management, economics or related fields with seven (7) years of relevant experience is required.

A globally recognized professional certificate or membership in Project Management is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is defined as work in programme and project management in areas related to preventing and countering violent extremism or PRR.
• Demonstrable proficiency in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country.
• Experience in development or peacekeeping contexts.

• 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.