Knowledge Management Specialist

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.

Through its 2018-2021 Strategic Plan adopted in September 2017, UNOPS has made Knowledge Management one of its key priorities and displays a clear ambition to focus knowledge management on efforts to harness expertise for integrated service offerings and specialized solutions, based on realized or anticipated demand towards specific goals and operational contexts. As such, UNOPS Strategic Plan specifies that the baseline for the UNOPS knowledge management strategy will be that past and future demand will help focus investments for reuse and innovation of expertise, especially with regards to institutional capabilities.

To achieve organization-wide knowledge management, UNOPS has launched a corporate initiative during the last quarter of 2017, to be pursued through 2018 and 2019. It especially poses the needs for the knowledge management activities to be integrated into UNOPS existing structures and workplans so that it becomes inherent in UNOPS core business. To achieve that, a 2-year work package has been established under the UNOPS Executive Office for Knowledge Management and is resourced with team members from across UNOPS through 2019 in order to manage, coordinate and implement UNOPS knowledge management ambitions through concrete and tangible outputs, including processes, tools, learning and development and a knowledge sharing culture. The corporate knowledge management initiative is led by a Knowledge Management Advisory Board comprising of UNOPS Senior Management members, including IPMG Director and ICT Director, that will provide the sponsorship and strategic direction and meet as a minimum once every quarter.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Knowledge Management Advisory Board, the Knowledge Management Specialist will co-ordinate, implement and monitor the corporate Knowledge Management initiative. This will include the coordiation of a multidisciplinary team comprising of specialists across all UNOPS practices, as well as of the various activities within the scope of the corporate Knowledge Management initiative. The Knowledge Management Specialist will work towards developing knowledge management tools, and strengthening the knowledge-sharing culture that connects country-level, regional and Headquarter expertise through the establishment of a knowledge-sharing platform and creation of knowledge products. 

As an integral part of the KM Team, s/he will work in close collaboration with UNOPS colleagues across business units and regional offices, along with Country Office focal points and subject matter experts on the development of explicit and tacit knowledge platforms and initiatives, ensuring successful knowledge-sharing/management strategy implementation.

The specific tasks include:

• Plan and elaborate knowledge-sharing/management needs assessments for UNOPS business units, country and regional offices; 
• Develop a corporate Knowledge Management strategy and work plan;
• Act as the KM focal point and coordinate UNOPS’ corporate Knowledge Management team; plan, organize and lead regular meetings;
• Drive and monitor the implementation of knowledge management activities within allocated work package;
• Coordinate and facilitate a corporate skills mapping initiative to enable knowledge networks, in collaboration with PCG;
• Conceptualize, coordinate the development, review, roll-out and promotion an online knowledge sharing platform, products, and initiatives; this may involve coordination of small value procurement activities, and consultation with both HQ and the field;
• Ensure that KM considerations are embedded in initiatives across UNOPS as relevant; with a focus on learning and development;
• Support the implementation of a corporate enterprise project management system in the interest of knowledge capture and sharing with regards to engagements and projects;
• Develop and partner with diverse stakeholders for knowledge sharing;
• Organise and participate in global dialogues regarding effective knowledge sharing and facilitate country and regional-level participation and inputs in these discussions;
• Establish and cultivate strong knowledge networks and communities of practice for effective knowledge sharing;
• Facilitate cross-project learning and best practice transfer through documentation and dissemination/sharing of lessons learned;
• Provide guidance and orientation to UNOPS personnel on Knowledge Management systems and resources in HQ and field offices;
• Keep informed about best practices in knowledge management and ensure these practices are adopted by UNOPS;
• Coordinate, review and/or prepare KM related contents, communication and reports;
• Follow-up of an annual work package budget for corporate Knowledge Management in coordination with IPMG;
• Provide research and data collection on knowledge management upon request;

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Setting standards, personal and development objectives in Performance Evaluation Review;
• Ongoing assessment of task completion, which meets quality expectations;
• Successfully meeting deadlines based on workplan;
• Completing progress reports as requested.

Education

• Candidates must hold a Master’s Degree in relevant discipline.
• A first-level University degree or Bachelor's or equivalent in a related field of study with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of Master’s Degree requirement.

Experience

• A minimum 5 years of progressive professional experience in knowledge management and/or communication, and coordination of large initiatives involving multiple stakeholders is required;
• Experience in the development and production of Knowledge Products or in managing knowledge sharing mechanisms is required;
• At least 2 years of experience in UNOPS is required;
• Technical proficiency in project management will be considered an asset;
• Previous working experience in developing countries in an international environment will be considered an asset.

• Fluency in English required; 
• Fluency in French and/or Spanish is considered a valuable asset.

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.