Project Management Support - Senior Associate

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of PIU, the Grievance Redress Senior Associate provides support to the project team in ensuring that complaints from communities are effectively and efficiently handled, responded to and resolved in a timely manner. This position operates within the Project Office in Kabul, Afghanistan, focusing on the critical function of grievance redressal for project stakeholders. The role involves establishing and managing a robust grievance redressal mechanism (GRM) as outlined in the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP). The incumbent will work closely with the Health, Safety, Social and Environmental Analyst to ensure effective and timely handling of complaints from communities, thereby contributing to project integrity and stakeholder trust in a challenging operational environment.

The Grievance Redress Senior Associate manages the establishment and implementation of a comprehensive grievance redressal mechanism (GRM) for the project. This role involves integrating various grievance uptake channels, ensuring robust data management and reporting, coordinating training for relevant committees and personnel, and facilitating effective communication and coordination with stakeholders and management to ensure timely and appropriate resolution of grievances, including sensitive incidents.

1. GRM Establishment and Implementation

• Manage the establishment of a simple, practical, and efficient grievance redressal mechanism (GRM) for the project, as described in the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), to facilitate easy grievance registration and efficient response. 

• Formulate and integrate grievance uptake channels, as per the ESFM, to facilitate the wide variety of project stakeholders, including a toll-free phone line. 

• Formulate and ensure the institutionalization of protocols to link the Grievance Redressal Committees (GRCs) at various levels efficiently.

2. Data Management and Reporting

• Ensure the establishment, maintenance, and regular updating of a GRM-related database, registering all grievances with details, and producing input/output-based reports.

• Review and prepare reports on grievances received and trends for inclusion in the project's quarterly progress reports to the World Bank. 

• Ensure reporting of all grievances that contain severe incidents to the Programme Director, Head of PIU, and the World Bank within 48 hours, as per the ESMF.

3. Training and Capacity Building

• Coordinate training for Facilitating Partners (FP) and UNOPS Community Liaisons Senior Associates to establish and train designated Grievance Redressal Committees (GRCs) in rural communities and urban project sites on the project’s agreed GRM at the field level. 

• Coordinate with management to establish and train higher-level GRM committees, ensuring their composition includes women and senior personnel trained in gender-based violence and sexual harassment redressal, with distinct mechanisms for handling such cases as per the GRM and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) Action Plan in the ESMF.

4. Communication and Coordination

• Coordinate with the Communications Officer to support the design of a communication plan for disseminating GRM information, including update and feedback channels, to the public. 

• Ensure immediate informing and briefing of the Head of PIU, Monitoring and Reporting Officer, or the environmental and social safeguards team on grievances that could impact the overall project, and support quick actions on the same.

• Perform other related duties as required by the Head of PIU.

Required

• High School Diploma with 7 years of relevant experience.

• Secondary School Diploma with 7 years of relevant experience.

Desired

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in management, business administration, development studies or other relevant discipline.

Required

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in designing and managing grievance redressal mechanisms for development projects is required with high school and 3 years with bachelor degree 

Desired

• Experience working with the World Bank, UN agencies or other donor agencies, government ministries, and/or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is valued.

• 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.