Infrastructure Specialist - Climate

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UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services

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Application deadline 2 years ago: Monday 7 Feb 2022 at 23:59 UTC

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Contract

This is a IICA-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-2 contracts.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information - Job-specific

Background Information – IPMG

UNOPS strategic focus places increased emphasis on national capacity development and sustainable approaches to project management, procurement, and infrastructure services. A key objective is to be recognized as an organization that delivers world-class infrastructure and project management, which is both economically and socially sustainable, even in the most challenging environments. To achieve this goal, UNOPS has established the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG).

Within UNOPS, IPMG’s objectives are to serve the organization’s personnel and partners by broadening their infrastructure and project management capabilities, while disseminating best practices in both of these areas. Through this work, the group helps facilitate the successful delivery of programmes and projects around the world.

To achieve its objectives, IPMG has established three interrelated and interdependent work streams, namely, Strategic Initiatives, Standards and Engagement Assurance. IPMG is managed overall by the Deputy Director of IPMG.

Background information - Job Specific

The Strategic Initiatives (SI) team works to develop methodologies and tools to improve development outcomes, as well as assist in the positioning of UNOPS at the highest levels in related fields, including various global agenda focus areas, such as resilience and sustainability.

Functional Responsibilities

Purpose and Scope of Assignment The Infrastructure Specialist - Climate will be based in Copenhagen and will report to the Head of Strategic Initiatives. However, the incumbent may be required to travel to support Strategic Initiatives in the field. Specifically, the Infrastructure Specialist will support the promotion and operationalisation of the UNOPS Strategic Plan particularly around Climate Action and its interdependent agendas of the SDGs and Gender and Inclusion in Infrastructure. This will involve the development of tools and other resources that are designed to ensure consistency in the way that the organization supports climate action across the globe, as part of the IPMG work plan.

More broadly, the Infrastructure Specialist may be required to provide technical inputs related to:

  1. Strategic Support
  • Contribute to the development and piloting of frameworks, tools, and methodologies for climate action, focused primarily on infrastructure systems.
  • Support the development of manuals and other capacity-building tools for increasing knowledge and developing an applied understanding of resilience.
  • Contribute to the development of awareness material including case studies, that promotes UNOPS experience and knowledge in climate action internally and externally across UN Agencies and the Private Sector.
  • Contribute to the mainstreaming of climate action within UNOPS policy and standards.
  • Prepare and/or contribute to reports and other communication including Newsletters and Bulletins to promote Strategic Initiatives’ achievements.
  • Support other UNOPS strategic initiatives in infrastructure, and ensure consistency in approach across such initiatives.
  1. Operations Support
  • Provide guidance and mentoring in support of building climate action knowledge, skills, and competencies at the HQ, Regional, and Country levels.
  • Be responsive to ad hoc requests for technical guidance on issues related to resilience, climate change, and other global policy agendas including the SDGs, with a technical and Strategic Initiatives approach.
  • Contribute to the design and implementation of pilot projects around the issue of climate action and its application within the development and infrastructure systems management contexts.
  • Assist in Strategic Initiatives wide activities with operational support, presenting technical solutions and innovative ideas to improve infrastructure needs across the global agendas.
  1. Liaison and Partnerships
  • Liaise with UNOPS HQ practices, Country and Regional Offices and provide guidance and advice on climate action and broader technical issues as required.
  • Support the strengthening of strategic partnerships with key stakeholder groups including UN Agencies, Private Sector, and Donor Agencies.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

  • Advanced University Degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field of the built environment with a professional certification in engineering or similar from an accredited institution (ARB, CEng, PE, or equivalent) is required.

Work Experience

  • At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in roles related to climate action applied to or combined with infrastructure is required.
  • A good understanding of infrastructure technical aspects demonstrated by a minimum of 1 year of experience in the infrastructure field (consultancy based preferable, and it can be broad, or sector-specific) is required.
  • Experience working in post-disaster, post-conflict, hardship or emergency context is required. It is recommended to detail in the cover letter or profiles what tangible results were achieved in these challenging/complex environments.
  • The following experience/skills are highly desirable (and may be included within the 5 years of required experience):
  • Experience working with various aspects of climate change; including mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and climate risk assessments.
  • Experience in knowledge, communication, or information management particularly in regard to the development of promotional material.
  • Experience working with a variety of institutions; including UN, government/public institutions, private sector, and or research/academia.
  • Good knowledge and applied understanding of Global Policy Frameworks, including amongst others the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the SDGs, and the Sendai Framework for DRR.
  • Strong understanding of the current development, Climate Change, and humanitarian debate and instruments of support to governments.
  • Experience in implementing strategic plans or organisational change would be considered an asset.
  • Demonstrating a clear understanding of the role of infrastructure and climate action and how it is applied within the development and humanitarian contexts.

Language

  • Fluency in English is required.
  • Fluency in French and/or Spanish is considered an asset.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA Contract level: I-ICA 2 Contract duration: Not fixed

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

  • Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
  • Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
  • Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
  • Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
  • UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
  • Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
  • 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 (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
  • The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Work environment

IPS offers a unique work environment in UNOPS headquarters, in Copenhagen, Denmark, located in the UN City building, one of Copenhagen’s landmarks. UNOPS HQ offers a safe, family-friendly lifestyle environment with multiple opportunities for networking and active lifestyle, in a city known for its excellent urban design and planning.

The IPS team is a diverse team in terms of age, nationalities and family situations. IPS is keen on strengthening diversity in the team with a current focus on gender equality and geographic diversity. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. IPS is very dynamic and welcomes agility, autonomy and self-drive. The work of IPS is oriented towards exciting opportunities which have a corporate, global impact and is in touch with the whole of UNOPS.

UNOPS has a hosting agreement with the Government of Denmark, and as such both national and international candidates are eligible for HQ-based positions. UNOPS officials are exempt from Danish taxes on UN incomes. EU citizens may opt to be registered with the Danish State Administration as EU migrant worker and keep the rights associated with that status or register through UNOPS with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. EU Citizens may apply for the public Danish health insurance or special health card depending on their choice of registration, while the non-EU citizens will be registered by UNOPS under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: jobs.unops.org