Partnerships Senior Officer - Liaison

The Partnerships and Liaison Group (PLG) is a global functional entity within UNOPS, responsible for driving the strategic development and growth of both new and existing partnerships. Working in close collaboration with UNOPS groups, regional and country offices, PLG engages with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to advance the goals outlined in the UNOPS Strategic Plan. PLG comprises a network of liaison offices strategically located in Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo, Rome, and Washington D.C., each responsible for managing relationships with designated key global partners. These offices also provide partner-specific advice and support to UNOPS offices at the operational level. A cross-cutting Partnerships Development Team, based in Copenhagen, provides strategic guidance, conducts partner intelligence and analysis, and develops tools and resources to enhance the outreach and positioning efforts of partnership colleagues worldwide.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of Tokyo Liaison Office, the Partnership Senior Officer - Liaison provides project support to Japan-funded projects implemented by UNOPS country offices worldwide and assists the Head of Office on business development and political positioning. The Partnership Senior Officer - Liaison works in close collaboration with operations and project staff at Headquarters, Regional Offices and Country Offices, as well as key stakeholders in Japan.

The Partnerships and Liaison Group (PLG) supports UNOPS efforts to build closer ties with partners across the full spectrum of UNOPS activities. 

Tokyo Liaison Office (TLO) aims to develop strategic partnerships with organisations based in Japan. We work with the relevant ministries of the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the private sector. The office further assists UNOPS operational teams to manage the portfolio funded by Japanese donors.

The Partnership Senior Officer - Liaison is responsible for: 

Project Support 

● Liaising with the government of Japan as well as relevant offices in UNOPS to ensure timely project signing and fund transactions for Japan-funded projects, including preparation of relevant documentation. 

● Providing support to UNOPS country offices on communication, reporting, amendment, and any other issues related to implementation, administration and closure of Japan-funded projects, ensuring consistency with UNOPS rules and regulations as well as standard operating procedures. 

● Reviewing official letters, reports, presentations, and other documents/materials prepared by UNOPS country offices to be submitted to the government of Japan. 

● Liaising with the government of Japan as well as relevant offices in UNOPS to ensure timely refund of remaining balances under Japan-funded projects. 

Business Development Support 

● Reviewing the concept notes and proposals prepared by country offices to be submitted to the government of Japan. 

● Providing country-specific analysis to country offices on funding from the government of Japan as requested.

Coordination Support

● Supporting meeting preparation and reporting for UNOPS senior leadership team and directors. 

● Disseminating knowledge management materias and external communication tools to support country teams for outreach and knowledge management. 

● Liaising with key stakeholders in Japan to set up meetings and prepare minutes of meetings as required.

Office Administration Support 

● Reviewing various accounting transactions to ensure correctness of disbursements and adherence to relevant staff rules , financial regulations and rules, administrative instructions and practices. 

● Processing payment to suppliers/subcontractors and vendors of goods and services through the Atlas system (create vouchers, and run the pay cycle). 

● Ensuring the replenishments of the Bank account and petty cash are made on time. 

● Settle amounts due, or recover outstanding receivables. 

● Keeping up-up to date on documents/reports/guidelines/audit files in an appropriate manner. 

● Performing inventory. 

● Alerting the Head of Office on any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures. 

● Coordinating vendor communications, meetings and reports as necessary. 

● Managing procurement and payment processes to meet operational needs, on a monthly and ad-hoc basis.

Required: 

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Project Management, Development Studies, International Relations or related fields with 4 years of relevant experience, OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 2 years of relevant experience is required.

Required:

• Relevant experience is work in project management and/or operations management, preferably with focus on monitoring and reporting.

• Demonstrated excellent research and analysis skills related to partner/business development in an international setting. 

• Ability to work with computer and office software packages (MS Office) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired:

• Field experience or experience in developing countries is considered an asset.

• Experience and demonstrated knowledge of UN rules and procedures in Procurement, Finance, HR Management and administrative rules and regulations will be an advantage.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that 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. 
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• 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.