Marine Cargo Inspection Specialist

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

According to UN OCHA, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains the worst in the world. Nearly five years of conflict and severe economic decline are driving the country to the brink of famine and exacerbating needs in all sectors. An estimated 80 per cent of the population – 24 million people – require some form of humanitarian or protection assistance, including 14.3 million who are in acute need. Severity of needs is deepening, with the number of people in acute need a staggering 27 per cent higher than last year. Two-thirds of all districts in the country are already pre-famine, and one-third face a convergence of multiple acute vulnerabilities.[1]

In order to address the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, the restoration of regular commercial cargo flows into the country is essential. UN Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) decided that “Member States shall take necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer from or through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned”.[2] In order to facilitate the unimpeded flow of essential commercial items to Yemen, the UN has been requested by the Government of Yemen to provide a monitoring and inspection service to inspect commercial cargo entering Yemen’s territorial waters in compliance with UNSCR 2216 (2015). 

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) was requested to operationalise and manage a mechanism to oversee the monitoring and inspection services on behalf of the UN and the concerned Member States. UNVIM is an independent mechanism, executed by UNOPS and reporting to OCHA.

The United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM) was established in Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti, in January 2016.  As of November 2019, UNVIM has issued clearances to more than 1,100 vessels discharging over 21.1 million metric tonnes of commercial cargo to Yemen’s Red Sea ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Isa.

[1] UN OCHA https://www.unocha.org/yemen/about-ocha-yemen

[2] UN Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015), https://www.undocs.org/S/RES/2216%20(2015)

Role objectives:

This role requires the Cargo Inspector to:

• Verify and Inspect containerized cargo.
• Verify and Inspect bulk or break-bulk cargo.

Expected output:

• From vessel manifest, conduct initial screening and physical verification of the cargo whilst offshore in accordance with national legislation and international law.
• Perform cargo inspections of seagoing vessels to detect and identify the presence of illicit and prohibited goods such as arms and related materiel of all types to include weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts for the aforementioned and if suspected/detected recommend re-routing of vessels to port for further inspection.
• Work as part of a rapid response team in a dynamic/high risk environment.
• Analyze vessel documents that set forth cargo and draft surveys/inspection reports detailing work undertaken.
• Coordinate with the appropriate authorities (member states officials) for permission to inspect the cargo both at sea and if required in port.
• Supervise the loading/unloading of shipments and detail any discrepancies, compiling reports on findings swiftly and accurately.
• The inspection team will be required to adhere to our client’s procedures and protocols, including data protection and security measures.
• Perform other tasks as directed by the Project Manager.

Work Experience

• Example: Minimum 5 years working in a marine environment is required, and 2 additional years when combined with a Bachelor’s Degree.
• Thorough knowledge of the International Maritime Laws including Laws of the Sea is required.
• Progressively responsible experience in inspection operations with well know entities. (required)
• Thorough knowledge of the overall structures of various types of ships and engineering practices is required.
• A high level of computer literacy in Microsoft Office suite of programs is required
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills, including ability to collaborate with port authorities, and government officials on a wide array of logistics is required
• Proven ability to work in difficult conditions and in stressful and high risk environments using a keen attention to detail is required
• Dedication, pro-active/creative thinking, flexibility and an aptitude to work in team-oriented structures is required
• Solid Supply Chain academic qualifications with a focus on inspection and related operations.(preferred)
• Additional experience in international peacekeeping, humanitarian or emergency operations is desired.
• Tact and diplomacy but with a firm approach to carry out directives.
• Experience in Middle East is desirable
• Fluency in English (essential) and Arabic (desirable).

• Commercial Shippers must have attained and awarded Chiefmate Licence for merchant mariners.
• Naval/Military Officers must have Ship’s Command Certificate and reached the rank of at least a Captain (or equivalent).

• 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.
• Djibouti is a family duty station
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• 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.