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Coordinator of the Country Liaison Team

Geneva

  • Organization: UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services
  • Location: Geneva
  • Grade: Mid level - IICA-2, International Individual Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Administration
    • Programme Management
    • Project and Programme Management
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background information- ECR

Based in Geneva, the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR) supports UNOPS offices throughout the region through: management, financial and programmatic oversight of global and country-specific portfolios, clusters and operations centres, including hosting services; fund and management advisory services; project implementation; procuring goods and services; and managing human resources.

ECR ensures that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between business units and projects across the entire region.

 ECR strategy is to:

  • Strengthen UNOPS role in operationalizing the Sustainable Development Goals with particular emphasis on health, environment and economic development.
  • Position UNOPS in the Balkan sub-region, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
  • Strengthen the implementation of ECR global and regional programmes, with revitalized partnerships in infrastructure, procurement and project management.

ECR operates global portfolios from offices in Geneva, Brussels and New York, and country-specific programmes from its operations and project centres located in Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries.

Background Information - Job-specific

Launched in September 2010, the purpose of the SUN Movement is to catalyse collective action and create an enabling environment to end malnutrition in all its forms. With 60 SUN Countries and the Indian States of Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh at the helm, the SUN Movement represents an unprecedented country-led effort to bring together stakeholders – from governments, national and global civil society organisations, businesses, the UN system, researchers and scientists across different sectors- and provide them with a collaborative space to convene, mobilise, share, learn, advocate, align and coordinate actions and approaches to improve nutrition.

SUN countries, supported by all stakeholders in the Movement, are committed to creating an enabling environment for scaling up nutrition by strengthening four strategic processes as set out in the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap 2016-2020: expanding and sustaining an enabling political environment; prioritising effective actions that contribute to good nutrition; implementing actions aligned with national common results frameworks; and effectively using, and significantly increasing, financial resources for nutrition.  The SUN Movement Coordinator, UN Assistant Secretary General, oversees the day-to-day implementation of the Strategy and Roadmap, leads the SUN Movement Secretariat and represents the SUN Movement globally. 

Since 2012, the SUN Movement Secretariat has developed as a small coordinating mechanism. It has a catalytic role, and seeks to link together countries and networks in the SUN Movement to ensure that support, requested in countries to intensify actions and achieve nutrition objectives, is received in a coordinated and coherent way.  It also ensures that the Movement’s progress is tracked efficiently and communicated clearly. The Secretariat is headed by the Director of the Secretariat who is responsible for ensuring that the Secretariat catalyses, facilitates and supports effective action across the overall SUN Movement. 


Functional Responsibilities

In the SUN Movement Secretariat, the Country Liaison Team (CLT) is made of Policy Specialists liaising with portfolios of SUN countries to contribute to the fulfilment of the Secretariat’s work-plan for 2016-2020. Under the supervision of Director of the Secretariat and in close collaboration with the Coordinator, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and the Strategic Management Team of the SUN Movement Secretariat, the Coordinator of the Country Liaison Team is expected to:

1.     Coordinate with the Country Liaison Team to ensure that all SUN countries receive adequate support to accelerate progress and achieve impact through peer-to-peer learning and access to timely and relevant technical assistance
  • Coordinate the work and the members of the Country Liaison Team: lead the development of individual workplans aligned with the priorities of the SUN Movement Secretariat and the prioritisation of workstreams per Policy Specialist; Ensure a smooth implementation of the CLT workplan through coordinating the inputs from the Country Liaison Team in SMS work and leading on the delivery of quality and timely outputs specific to the CLT and contributing to the SMS annual workplan; conduct yearly performance appraisals of team members;
  • Coordinate the travel plans and absence plans of the Country Liaison Team in compliance wiht the employee handbook of the SUN Movement Secretariat and with team work priorities;
  • Lead the induction plan for new staff members of the Country Liaison Team to ensure continuity of the team values and work practices and of the relationship with SUN focal points;
2.     Actively participate as a member of the SMS Strategic Management Team and foster effective cross-team collaboration
  • Ensure representation of CLT vis vis other teams and in the strategic Management team;
  • Ensure that the SUN Movement Coordinator and Secretariat are kept informed of challenges and opportunities to accelerate progress in SUN countries, sustain the SUN Movement and its principles, implement the Roadmap of the SUN Movement for 2016-2020. Take responsibility for briefing the SMT and the SMS on major developments in the nutrition action in SUN countries and guide colleagues on how to act on developments. Be proactive, opportunistic and flexible and in collaboration with the team members of the SMS encourage innovative solutions to SUN Country challenges as they emerge;
  • Collaborate with other members of the SMT and provide strategic advice on all major priority projects of the SMS;
  • Contribute to donor reporting.
3.     Assist a portfolio of SUN countries (exact number of countries to be adjusted based on staffing of the Country Liaison Team and number of Countries in the Movement) to accelerate progress and achieve impact;
  • Continuously track and analyse the challenges, opportunities and progress of the portfolio of SUN countries; Assist SUN countries with the organization and reporting of their annual joint-assessments  including collection and organization of relevant information and documentation; Participate in the analysis of data from multiple sources and in the generation of evidence on the effectiveness of multi-sectoral multi-stakeholder approaches; Contribute to the production of the annual SUN Movement Progress Report, SUN country information briefs as well as the preparation of any other document as required for dissemination to SUN Countries, the SUN Networks, the Executive Committee, Lead Group and the general public;
  • Identify strategic opportunities for the engagement of the Coordinator with high level representatives of SUN countries (in country and/or in regional or international events) to encourage the implementation of a multi-sector multi-stakeholder approach to nutrition;
  • Ensure timely and coordinated communication with Country focal points to support their active participation in sharing and learning opportunities;
  • Support SUN Focal points to articulate their needs and access effective and predictable responses from within the SUN Movement to requests for support; identify recurring gaps in response capacity; keep track of country requests and priorities.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in Political Science, Social Sciences, Development, International relations, Nutrition or related fields. A Bachelor degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be acceptable in lieu of the advanced degree.


Experience

  • At least five years of progressively responsible professional experience in development cooperation or a related area including in an international working environment is required.
  • Knowledge of the SUN Movement Secretariat is desired.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
  • Having an appropriate management style that always strive towards motivating, directing and insipiring others to succeed and that acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit is required.
  • Field experience in multi-sector development or food and nutrition security programmes and policies is desirable.
  • Understanding of and significant experience in public administration structures at both the national and sub-national levels is desirable.
  • Prior experience in coordinating and managing the work of a team is desirable.
  • Knowledge of and practical experience in the development and impact of global and regional development initiatives, as well as a sound understanding and appreciation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  is desirable.

Languages

  • Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
  • Fluency in an other UN language is desirable.

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.
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: International Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: ICA -2
Contract duration: 1 year with possibility of extension subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability.

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.
  • 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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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