Programme Management - Senior Officer

The Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR), based in Geneva, is responsible for the effective management, coordination and oversight of UNOPS operations across the region. The ECR region spans the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Caucasus, and Türkiye, where UNOPS works with partners to achieve sustainable impact in health, education, environmental management, housing, rule of law, good governance, economic development, and social inclusion. With a wealth of experience in procurement, infrastructure, project and grant management, UNOPS in the region directly implements projects, provides technical advisory services and capacity building to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in support of national governments.

On 24 February 2022, the military of the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, with strikes across the territory of Ukraine. Since then, Russia’s invasion imposes a severe humanitarian and socio-economic toll, global energy and food crisis, large-scale destruction of the country's infrastructure, and disruptions in the provision of critical services and degradation of social fabrics and communities’ ties, triggering one of the world’s most significant forced displacements. 

Severe attacks on energy and critical infrastructure facilities leave millions of people without electricity, water or heating supply, struggling to access water, food, health services, materials to repair homes, among others. The continued attacks cause substantial damage to the country’s economy and agricultural production, and also affect the poorest countries worldwide.

UNOPS support to partners spans the humanitarian-development nexus from emergency response to building back better, across the housing, health, education, transport, energy and mine action sectors, through infrastructure, procurement and technical assistance / project management interventions, with the ultimate aim of supporting the country on its EU accession and in its achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UNOPS Ukraine and Eastern Europe MCO (UEMCO) operates in Ukraine, Moldova, and Poland, supporting urgent humanitarian needs while building pathways for recovery and development. In Ukraine, UEMCO delivers large-scale infrastructure, energy, housing, education, and mine action projects in partnership with UN agencies, international financial institutions, the European Union, and bilateral donors. Its agile portfolio responds to fast-evolving needs with strong procurement and implementation capacity. In Moldova, UEMCO supports justice sector reform and is exploring opportunities to expand its role across public sector modernization and infrastructure. In Poland, UEMCO works with government and private sector actors to strengthen ties with UN procurement and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, leveraging Poland’s EU experience to support Ukraine’s future accession and integration.

The Programme Management Senior Officer will provide crucial support to UNOPS' mine action activities in Ukraine. The role involves stakeholder engagement, resource mobilization, project management support, monitoring and evaluation, and the preparation of various reports and documents. The Programme Officer will ensure UNOPS remains a key player in the mine action sector, contributing to the safe and effective clearance of explosive hazards and supporting affected communities.

1. Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key point of contact for UNOPS within the mine action sector in Ukraine.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with national authorities, international organizations, NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.

• Attend and actively participate in coordination meetings, workshops, and conferences related to mine action.

• Keep abreast of developments, policies, and priorities within the mine action sector in Ukraine.

• Ensure UNOPS' activities are aligned with national strategies and international standards.

• Proactively identify opportunities for collaboration and partnership.

1. Resource Mobilization Support

• Support the development of funding proposals and concept notes for mine action projects.

• Conduct research on potential funding sources and donor priorities.

• Assist in the preparation of donor reports and presentations.

• Contribute to the development of resource mobilization strategies.

• Maintain a database of potential donors and funding opportunities.

• Support the organization of donor meetings and site visits.

1. Project Management Support

• Provide support to project managers in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of mine action projects.

• Assist in the development of project work plans, budgets, and procurement plans.

• Track project progress and identify potential risks and challenges.

• Support the preparation of project reports and documentation.

• Facilitate communication and coordination between project teams and stakeholders.

• Ensure projects are implemented in accordance with UNOPS policies and procedures.

1. Monitoring and Evaluation Support

• Support the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation plans for mine action projects.

• Collect and analyze data on project performance and impact.

• Ensure accurate and timely reporting from projects, including verification of data and information.

• Conduct field visits to monitor project activities and assess progress.

• Prepare monitoring reports and identify areas for improvement.

• Support the evaluation of project outcomes and impact.

1. Preparation of Reports and Documents

• Prepare concept notes, briefing notes, reports, presentations, and other documents as required.

• Conduct research and analysis to support the preparation of high-quality documents.

• Ensure all documents are accurate, concise, and well-written.

• Maintain a database of reports and documents related to mine action activities.

• Contribute to the development of communication materials for internal and external audiences.

Required

• Master's degree in a relevant field such as international relations, development studies, political science, or a related discipline with 2 years of relevant experience is required

OR

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as international relations, development studies, political science, or a related discipline with 4 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• Certification in project management (e.g., PRINCE2, PMP)is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience in programme management, stakeholder engagement, resource mobilization, or monitoring and evaluation is required. 

• Experience in the mine action sector or humanitarian assistance is required.

• Experience in Ukraine or the region is required.

Desired

• Experience working with the UN system or other international organizations is desired.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. 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.

• 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 (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• 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.