Partnerships Specialist - Liaison

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.

The South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) supports UNOPS operations across six countries: Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. SAMCO delivers a broad range of services and technical expertise in climate change, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), infrastructure, procurement, human resource management, and fund management. Each country office is staffed with local technical experts and maintains strong partnerships with national governments, ensuring context-specific solutions and effective project implementation.

Since 2003, UNOPS has partnered with the Government of Bangladesh and key development partners to advance national development priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNOPS supports a range of projects focused on capacity development and infrastructure, leveraging its expertise in procurement, human resource management, finance, and project management to deliver efficient, sustainable solutions.

UNOPS Bangladesh seeks to establish strong relationships with priority Ministries of the Government of Bangladesh especially in areas like infrastructure, procurement, project management and financial management. The ideal candidate will have an existing strong network with the Government which UNOPS can leverage to strengthen its relationships as well. The ideal candidate should be well versed with policy priorities of the Government and align them to the contribution and management goals of the Strategic Business Plan of UNOPS.

The Partnerships Specialist - Liaison acts as a seasoned professional who independently manages partnership projects and programs, adapting existing policies and approaches to meet emerging needs with the Government of Bangladesh. S/he provides authoritative advice on established policies and procedures, solves complex problems by applying existing rules, and maintains strong client relationships to ensure reliable service delivery and expand UNOPS' portfolio in the country.

The Specialist will support UNOPS Bangladesh in the identification of potential collaboration opportunities with the Government of Bangladesh. The specific duties and responsibilities include the following:

● Liaise with GoB counterparts and support UNOPS in the identification and development of programme opportunities  in Bangladesh, with a focus on procurement, infrastructure development, project management 

and fund management;

● Develop, build and strengthen strategic partnerships, and identify and pursue business opportunities as per the agreed work plan;

● Network and solidify relationships between UNOPS and GoB;

● Contribute to coordinating and communicating with other stakeholders UNOPS’ value addition in view of consolidating UNOPS’ profile in country;

● Support UNOPS personnel and consultants and provide inputs through liaison with the GoB through UNOPS;

●  Provide technical inputs to the development of UNOPS proposals;

●  Assist in the identification, design, formulation, and negotiation of new projects and programmes.

● Provide support on any new initiatives by securing GoB support and  provide advice to UNOPS Bangladesh on strategies for obtaining such support;

● Assist ministries and other stakeholders where required with focus on quality assurance and quality control of project documents; and

●  Undertake other partnerships duties, as required.

The Specialist is expected to liaise with the Government of Bangladesh and Ministries to be identified as priority Ministries along with the Country Manager, UNOPS Project Managers, Specialized Agencies, Diplomatic Missions, INGOs and stakeholders as needed.

Expected Period of Assignment

The Specialist shall perform the services on a need basis with a maximum of  30  days commencing in September 2026 until 31 December 2026, with the possibility of extension.

Deliverables, Timeframe and Fees

The Specialist will report to the UNOPS Bangladesh Country Manager on a regular basis. The Specialist shall submit a monthly Progress Report outlining the assistance provided against a set of agreed activities and outputs, and shall outline the Specialist’s progress towards the achievement of such objectives. Each Progress report is required by the end of each calendar month. The progress Report will be used as a supporting document for processing the invoice for payment of the fees.

The Progress Report shall provide an overview of meetings, findings, conclusions and recommendations regarding the following:

The Ministry and or department that would benefit from UNOPS’ support and technical assistance.

Operationalization of programmatic actions for the identification and development of business development plans in accordance with UNOPS’ business process;

Programme development and implementation strategy to expand UNOPS portfolio in Bangladesh; and

New networks and entry points for UNOPS  in the identified initiatives.

Any other task assigned by the Country Manager

Monitoring and Progress Controls

The performance of the Specialist will be reviewed by the Country Manager in consultation with the relevant Project Manager.

Required

• An advanced university degree (masters or equivalent) in International Relations, Public Relations, Public Policy, Public Health, International Development, or related field.

• A first university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the above-mentioned field with additional two (2) years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.

  
  

Required

• Minimum five (5) years of experience in government liaison with a focus on project or policy development or related field is required. 

• Experience coordinating work between different sectors and stakeholders, particularly with government networks;

• Proven track record to establish and maintain strong working relations with senior officials in line ministries;

Desired

• Prior experience in quality assurance and quality control of project documents is an added advantage.

• Prior experience in the UN system is an added advantage.

• Experience in project design and/or project document development is an asset

  
  

• 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.