External Relations Consultant (UNHLM on TB)

UNOPS hosts the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership Secretariat (STBP) in Geneva, Switzerland. The vision of the Stop TB Partnership is to realize the goal of elimination of Tuberculosis (TB) as a public health problem and, ultimately, to obtain a world free of TB by ensuring that every TB patient has access to effective diagnosis, treatment and cure; stopping transmission of TB; reducing the inequitable social and economic toll of TB; and developing and implementing new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic tools and strategies. The Stop Partnership is uniquely positioned to support the development and further implementation by partners of the current and future Global Plan, acting as a coordinator and catalyst for the range of partners engaged in the fight against TB.

Founded in 2001, the Stop TB Partnership's mission is to serve every person who is vulnerable to TB and ensure that high-quality treatment is available to all who need it. Stop TB partners include international and technical organizations, government programmes, research and funding agencies, foundations, NGOs, civil society and community groups and the private sector. We recently published the Global Plan to End 2023 -2030 which provides a blueprint of priority actions required and a detailed estimate of financial resources needed to end TB.

A key moment for the global TB community will take place in September 2023 when the President of the UN General Assembly is expected to convene a United Nations High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on TB, as a follow up to the 2018 UNHLM on TB. Many of the key processes leading up the UNHLM on TB will take place in New York, since the UN High-Level Meeting is being organized under the direction of UN Member States via their UN Missions to the UN. The latest updates on the UNHLM can be found on our website.

The incumbent will focus on two broad areas of work: supporting Stop TB in its role for the preparation of the UNHLM 2023 on TB as well as other advocacy and communication activities related to engagement with G20 and member states as well as  strategic planning work for the Stop TB Partnership. 

The incumbent will report to the Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership and will work from the United States of America.. 

Because of the UNHLM 2023, the work will require frequent presence in the UNOPS New York office for UNHLM related work, visits to country missions in New York and to the United Nations office in New York. The incumbent will also be required to travel to Stop TB Partnership office in Geneva and to elsewhere in the world for related meetings and events.

UNHLM 2023 related

• Support partnerships and externals relations work in New York and Washington DC by establishing and building relationships with key UN partners, including the UN Secretariat, UN Missions and their Health Attaches, Office of the President of the General Assembly (PGA), and other key partners, and support Stop TB leadership’s engagement with these actors.
• Support developing a strategy and work plan for New York outreach and events (e.g. UN Mission Briefings, High-Level Missions, meetings with UN PGA and UN leadership) in the lead up to the UNHLM on NY
• Support the development of advocacy materials and messages, letters, talking points, presentations, and other tailored advocacy materials to support engaging Stop TB’s advocacy networks and civil society partners to engage UN Missions and UN leaders leading up to the UNHLM on TB.
• Support the organization of meetings and side-events with stakeholders from governments, Permanent Missions to the UN, NGOs, and other external actors, including organizing Briefings for UN Missions, and supporting High-Level Missions from the Stop TB Partnership and our/or our Board members to meet with Ambassadors and other leaders.
• Support the engagement of TB Affected Communities and Civil Society with their UN Missions, including advising them on how to engage their Ambassadors, supporting their visits to NY, and organizing in-person or virtual bilateral meetings between UN Missions staff and TB stakeholders in countries.
• Support tracking of and engaging with relevant events in the lead up to the UNHLM on TB to ensure TB is prioritized within the global health agenda for relevant UN events, and ensuring TB is represented in key meetings.
• Provide support to edit or draft reports, presentations, op-eds, speeches, speaking points and other documents upon request relating to TB overall as well as the UN HLM on TB, as well drafting regular written updates on TB and UNHLM to share with partners and donors.
• Support collecting intel and conducting advocacy for key processes and negotiations leading up to and during the UNHLM on TB, including influencing the development and priorities of of a UNHLM on TB Modalities Resolution and the UNHLM on TB Political Declaration on TB, and tracking member states positions and advising on influencing strategies.

Advocacy and communication planning for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries engagement 

• In collaboration with Executive Directors Office (EDO), Executive Director (ED) and Deputy Executive Director (DED) plan an advocacy and communication campaign for a robust engagement with ASEAN countries to expand the work on prevention of TB and airborne infectious diseases

• Lead communication activities to increase the knowledge, visibility and engagement of ASEAN members as well as other countries and TB and Pandemic Preparedness and Response (PPR) communities at large

• Prepare talking pointss, fact sheets and draft articles/op eds on the topic

• Work closely with the Public Relations (PR) agency and the other members of the Stop TB teams to lead on any media engagement on the initiative

Support the development of the Operational Strategy (OS) for Stop TB Partnership 2023-2027

• Work close with the selected consulting team to support the development of the new OS especially by ensuring the strategy components are fully aligned, clearly described and KPIs are well defined

• Ensure that OS is well presented, communicated and shared with partners and stakeholders

Impact of results:

• Supporting the achievement of a successful UN High-Level Meeting on TB including the adoption of an ambitious UN Political Declaration on TB by member states.
• Support development and finalization of the future STBP Operational Strategy. The purpose of all Stop TB Partnership advocacy work is to drive political and financial commitment to end TB as a public health problem.
• Support a robust identity and role of Stop TB Partnership Secretariat in global, regional and national health and TB advocacy
• Support the mobilizations of advocates to increase the visibility of TB as a political issue among UN Missions, UN institutions, and UN leadership, which results in grater action and resources for TB
• The UN High-Level Meeting on TB Targets understood, owned and achieved achievement by key priority countries' governments

Education

• Masters degree in the humanities, pubic policy,  political science, international development, public health, business or a related field is required;  A Bachelors degree in any of the above disciplines, with an additional 2 years of experience may be accepted in lieu of a Masters degree asset

Experience

• A minimum of 7 years  of experience in advocacy, and/or external relations, and/or partnerships is required

• Experience of working with development partners, especially stakeholders in the United States of America associated with development assistance or United Nations work is an asset.

• Experience engaging with diplomatic processes and working with governments and diplomats is an asset.

• Experience supporting advocacy and communication engagement and outreach with UN forums is an asset

• Track record in the development and successful delivery of advocacy or lobbying campaigns related to public health/development is desirable  

• Experience in international development and multilateral institutions is an asset.

• English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is a bonus.

1. Contract type :International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level : ICS 11 / IICA 3
3. Contract duration :  1 year

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.
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Working with us
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At UNOPS, we offer a range of short- and long-term opportunities in various environments and duty stations – from Denmark and Kenya to Mexico, Switzerland, Myanmar, Senegal, Uganda, and many more.


Diversity
With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labor force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to maintain our gender-balanced workplace. We encourage qualified underrepresented groups as per UNOPS Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy to apply for our vacancies.



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

• This is a homebased position, preferably based in Washington DC or New York
• 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.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and it is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or disability.
• 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
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, 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 recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.