Capacity Building Specialist [Lead Trainer] – Lumpsum contract, Multiple positions
Job categories: Programme Management
Vacancy code: VA/2024/B5004/28433
Level: ICS-10
Department/office: GPO, NYPO, Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio
Duty station: Home-based
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA-2
Duration: Initial contract until 31 December 2024 (possibility of extension until 31 December 2025, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds and necessity of services) – Lumpsum contract
Application period: 23-Jul-2024 to 05-Aug-2024
Deadline: 5 August 2024
Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.
Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
Background Information – Job-specific
UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors, and United Nations organizations.
New York Portfolio Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.
Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP). It provides Services to partners’ programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.
UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations to implement the activities for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is an initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which responds to a broad consensus across nations, cultures, and religions that all societies are interdependent, bound together in their development and security, and in their environmental, economic and financial well-being. The Alliance seeks to forge collective political will and mobilize concerted action at the institutional and civil society levels to overcome the prejudice, misperceptions, and polarization that militate against such a consensus. UNAOC hopes to contribute to a coalescing global movement which, reflecting the will of the vast majority of people, rejects extremism in any society.
The complex, demanding dialogue of civilizations, cultures, and religions is necessary, possible, and fruitful. It is a critical tool against isolation, mistrust, and confrontation, and it is also the most powerful incentive for understanding and tolerance. History has shown that dialogue is not a simple process. If we fail to teach and cultivate it, the situation can give way to a monologue or to mutism, which is conducive to conflict and violent extremism.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was created to serve as a soft-power political tool of the United Nations Secretary-General for conflict prevention and conflict resolution. It is a coalition against extremist forces, a movement to advance mutual respect for cultures, traditions, and religious beliefs, and a platform to bridge divides and overcome prejudice, misconceptions, misperceptions, and polarization. The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was intended to promote collective action in society as a means of addressing the threats that emerge from the hostile perceptions that foment violence, overcoming cultural and social barriers, reducing tensions, and improving relations between societies and communities with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, and combatting violent extremism.
During its more than fifteen years of existence, UNAOC has pioneered a range of approaches and activities across its five priority areas, namely, Youth, Education, Media, Migration, and Women as peace mediators. The impact of many of its projects on the ground has been significant and measurable, particularly those implemented with civil society organizations (CSOs) and youth-led organizations. Nonetheless, the context of the current global challenges is more complex than ever before. The multidimensional nature of the scope of today’s conflicts requires a new approach to conflict resolution and conflict prevention. Around the world, there has been a rising wave of violent extremism conducive to terrorism, growing intolerance, hate speech, xenophobia, and discrimination, posing a threat to international peace and security. These new approaches are reflected in the UNAOC Action Plan. It builds on and develops existing UNAOC programming activities and suggests new focus areas that strengthen the Alliance’s ability to fulfill its mandate in a more effective and measurable way. The Plan further suggests new approaches for institutional development and political advocacy that should provide a viable framework for the way we respond to the current global challenges. Institutionally, the plan reaffirms the important role played by all stakeholders, including state and non-state actors, in developing and implementing national plans and regional strategies to promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue, the mainstay of the Alliance. The framework aims to expand and consolidate the global scope of UNAOC in Africa, Asia, Europe, MENA, and Latin America.
This is a position in UNOPS for supporting the implementation of UNAOC. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full administrative and financial responsibility.
Guided by the principle that youth are key actors in achieving peace and preventing violent extremism, as stated in the UN Security Council Resolutions 2250, 2419, and 2535, and the United Nations Secretary General’s Plan of Action on Preventing Violent Extremism, UNAOC develops educational programming to enhance the ability of young civil society leaders to foster mutual respect, understanding and long-term positive relationships between peoples of different cultures and religions. One of those initiatives is Young Peacebuilders which is a peace education programme that UNAOC implements in different regions of the world to offer peace competence development to young civil society leaders. Learning objectives include, among others:
- Learn about other cultures and worldviews within and beyond the group to foster intercultural cohesion and collaboration.
- Learn about stereotypes and how to critically analyze them to reduce their prevalence.
- Understand different perspectives in identity-based conflict and gain tools to develop solutions at the local, national, and regional levels and transform conflicts peacefully.
- Identify push and pull factors creating conditions conducive to violent extremism.
- Develop competencies to use different forms of media or expressive arts to create alternative narratives, reduce polarization, and promote social inclusion.
- Reflect on how to increase meaningful youth engagement in their region.
- Learn how to successfully design and run a project.
- The aim is to support the growth of networks of young peacebuilders who are equipped with the tools to address stereotypes, prejudice, social exclusion, and polarization (both within and between their communities and countries) to build more inclusive and peaceful societies in their communities and globally.
Programme components:
- Part 1: online phase (3-4 months). Participants access the course through an online collaborative platform provided by UNAOC. UNAOC and other trainers facilitate the first few modules of the curriculum, giving an opportunity to participants to get to know each other prior to their first in-person meeting. They also start getting exposed to tools and concepts, engage in discussion, and start reflecting on their individual and joint action.
- Part 2: face-to-face workshop (7-8 days). All participants travel to complete an intense in-person training, including a field visit. They also work on their action plans.
- Part 3: implementation phase (3-5 months). Participants stay connected through the online platform, improve their action plans, and report on the implementation of their interventions. This part consolidates the network and follow-up mechanisms, ensuring the members of the group continue to support each other after the end of the programme.
- Part 4: final symposium (2-4 days). Participants are invited to participate in a symposium in a still to be determined country in the target region, during which they share their experience, lessons learned, achievements, and recommendations with a broader audience of practitioners, policymakers, media, and the general public. They also engage with this audience on topics related to intercultural dialogue, peace, and security.
UNAOC plans to implement YPB in different regions to grow and strengthen the global movement of young peacebuilders. The first edition focused on West Africa, the second, third, and fourth editions on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and the fifth, sixth editions, and seventh editions on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Currently, we are launching the eighth edition of Young Peacebuilders, focusing for the first time on the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
Within the framework of the 8th edition, UNAOC is seeking a Lead Trainer. The incumbent will work remotely and tentatively start on October 1, 2024. Evaluation of qualified candidates will include an assessment exercise, followed by a competency-based interview. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full administrative and financial responsibility.
Functional Responsibilities
In close collaboration with the responsible UNAOC Programme Manager, as well as the other Lead Trainers, the incumbent will:
- Design curriculum: develop content and educational materials for seven online modules, a face-to-face workshop, the implementation phase, and a symposium to meet the session’s proposed objectives and the learning needs of participants (tentatively by the end of October 2024).
- Facilitate the online modules on the interactive learning platform and ensure engagement by posting assignments, motivating participants, responding to questions, leading online discussions, etc. (tentatively December 2024 – February 2025).
- Facilitate the face-to-face workshop at a location to be determined (tentatively April 2025) and participate in debrief sessions with UNAOC.
- Mentor and guide the participants through implementing their action plans (tentatively May-September 2025).
- If required, be able to attend the final symposium (tentatively October 2025) at a location to be determined).
- Submit a post-training report summarizing the workshops conducted, lessons learned, and recommendations.
- Support logistics if requested.
Monitoring and Progress Controls
Milestone 1: Selection of youth participants, design curriculum, and facilitation of online modules.
Payment: 35%
Due date: Initial due date 31 December 2024 with possibility of adjustment to 20 March 2025 (subject to project extension)
Milestone 2: Facilitation of face-to-face workshop, mentoring of participants’ projects, organization of the final symposium, and submission of a final report.
Payment: 65%
Due Date: Initial due date 31 December 2024 with possibility of adjustment to 10 December 2025 (subject to project extension)
Education/Experience/Language requirements
*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in preferably (peace) education, conflict and development studies, political science, international relations, social and humanitarian sciences, law, public administration, or a related field.
- A first-level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and 2 years of work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
Required experience:
- Five (5) years of relevant experience in peace education and/or designing/facilitating learning trajectories for multicultural youth is required.
Desirable experience (the following experience is optional candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply):
- Experience in online training, intercultural and interfaith dialogue issues, media/communications as a medium for generating positive narratives, and other relevant peacekeeping themes.
- General knowledge or understanding of peacebuilding, youth-led organizations, capacity development, and/or international UN policy frameworks related to these fields.
- Exposure to the South Caucasus and Central Asia region is considered an asset.
- Ability to use a gender and intercultural approach.
- Ability to work in a team.
Language requirements
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
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.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)
- 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: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) Lumpsum – A Lumpsum contract is issued to engage an individual to produce a defined output or product within a specific time frame (e.g. a document, an evaluation, or to conduct a training course) in which case payment for those services will be made as a lump sum upon completion and handover of the product.
Contract level: IICA 2 (ICS 10)
Contract duration: Initial contract until 31 December 2024 (possibility of extension until 31 December 2025, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds and necessity of services).
Duty station: Home based
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 Information
- Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
- UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
- Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
- We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
Terms and Conditions
- 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.