The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is seeking a highly experienced and dedicated Technical Advisor specializing in Social Development to support its mission-driven projects globally. This home-based, international position offers a unique chance for seasoned professionals to contribute to impactful initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UNOPS’ Strategic Plan 2022-2025.
About UNOPS and Its Mission
UNOPS plays a pivotal role in supporting peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects across the globe. Its core mission is to assist countries and communities in building better lives, fostering peace, and achieving sustainable development. With eight mission hubs worldwide, UNOPS emphasizes internal coordination, knowledge sharing, and leveraging expertise to accelerate progress toward the SDGs.
The organization’s objectives include strengthening partnerships, enhancing institutional capacity through external expertise, and improving strategic foresight by collecting data, evidence, and insights. These efforts are aimed at increasing effectiveness and ensuring that UNOPS support is innovative, inclusive, and sustainable.
Role Focus and Key Responsibilities
The Technical Advisor (Social Development) will provide high-level technical expertise to two of UNOPS’ critical mission hubs focused on Healthcare, Social Protection, equality, education, and employment. In 2025, the primary focus will be on strengthening knowledge management, analyzing past interventions, and identifying future opportunities to advance social development within these thematic areas.
This role is instrumental in helping UNOPS understand what strategies and approaches work best, what gaps remain, and how to scale up impactful solutions. By supporting the hubs’ efforts in social inclusion, gender equality, community engagement, and addressing inequalities, the advisor will contribute to shaping effective policies and programs.
Objectives for 2025
The Advisor’s work will support multiple strategic objectives:
- Deepen understanding of effective social development interventions within the humanitarian-development-peace nexus and food systems.
- Enhance knowledge-sharing platforms, including producing case studies that analyze successful and less successful initiatives.
- Conduct foresight analyses to anticipate future social challenges and opportunities.
- Facilitate innovative thinking and idea generation to develop scalable approaches, ensuring social inclusion and equity remain central.
- Promote cross-regional engagement, peer learning, and collaboration among different UNOPS hubs.
- Strengthen partnerships by identifying external expertise and potential collaborators.
- Collect and analyze data to inform strategic decision-making and future planning.
Core Functional Responsibilities
Under guidance from superiors, the Technical Advisor will undertake a range of specialized tasks:
- Technical Guidance: Offer expert advice on integrating social development principles into projects related to the nexus of humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts, with a focus on social inclusion, community participation, and inequality reduction.
- Knowledge Management: Support the development of case studies, documenting lessons learned from various interventions, and analyzing these insights to inform future strategies.
- Foresight and Opportunity Identification: Conduct social trend analyses to anticipate future demands, challenges, and opportunities, especially within food systems and social protection sectors.
- Innovative Solutions: Organize workshops and brainstorming sessions to develop new, scalable approaches that leverage social development opportunities.
- Cross-Hub Collaboration: Foster knowledge exchange and peer learning across the two designated hubs, encouraging collaborative problem-solving.
- Partnership Engagement: Assist in engaging external experts and partners to enhance the social development impact of UNOPS projects.
- Reporting & Documentation: Prepare comprehensive reports, briefing notes, and case studies that capture lessons learned and strategic recommendations.
- Additional Tasks: Support other relevant activities that enhance the organization’s social development initiatives.
Candidate Profile and Qualifications
Ideal candidates will have extensive experience—at least seven years—in providing social development advisory services within humanitarian, development, or peacebuilding contexts. They should possess:
- A Master’s degree in sociology, social policy, anthropology, development studies, or related fields; a Bachelor’s degree with additional relevant experience will also be considered.
- Demonstrated expertise in applying social development principles, conducting social analysis, facilitating community engagement, and developing case studies.
- Experience working on food systems transformation, social inclusion, gender equality, or related areas is highly desirable.
- Proven ability to analyze trends, identify opportunities, and develop innovative approaches.
- Experience working with the UN or other international organizations is an asset.
- Fluency in English; knowledge of other UN languages (e.g., French or Spanish) is advantageous.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and strategic thinking skills, with a track record of working effectively in diverse cultural settings.
Contract Details and Application Process
This is a six-month initial contract, with the possibility of renewal for an additional six months, contingent upon performance and funding. The position is home-based, allowing flexibility and the opportunity to work globally without relocation.
Candidates are invited to submit their applications between May 21 and May 28, 2025, through the UNOPS online recruitment portal. The application should include a cover letter highlighting relevant experience in social development and a comprehensive CV.
Conclusion
This role offers an exceptional platform for experienced social development professionals to influence global initiatives that promote social inclusion, equality, and sustainable development. Working with UNOPS provides a chance to engage in meaningful projects that make tangible differences in communities worldwide.
If you are passionate about driving social change, possess the expertise to analyze and develop innovative solutions, and are eager to contribute to the SDGs, this opportunity might be your next career milestone.
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