The UNOPS Middle East Region (MR) provides strategic leadership, performance oversight, and support to UNOPS operations across Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the State of Palestine. MR is responsible for positioning UNOPS as a key development partner in the region through high-level engagement with regional bodies, UN coordination mechanisms, development banks, donors, and intergovernmental organisations. By fostering strategic partnerships and promoting operational excellence, the region supports country teams in delivering sustainable solutions to complex development, peace, and humanitarian challenges

UNOPS supports both humanitarian response and early recovery in Gaza. Currently, UNOPS support in Gaza focuses on key humanitarian enablers, including on access, via the Security Council-mandated UN 2720 Mechanism and the Access Support Unit (ASU), humanitarian fuel and energy, and mine action. Operations are envisaged to continue in the coming period with a focus in line with the UNOPS mandate: (i) infrastructure construction and rehabilitation, (ii) procurement and (iii) project management.

UN-Habitat is leading the implementation of a 5.5-year EU funded Project: “Quality Urban Development and Sustainable Interventions – Rehabilitation for Revitalization (QUDSI-R4R)” in partnership with local technical and academic entities. The Project aims to improve socio-economic conditions for Palestinians in the Old City of Jerusalem by rehabilitating towards revitalizing historic sites as a catalyst for Palestinian integrated urban regeneration. The activities of the project focus on strengthening the old city’s Palestinian intergovernmental coordination; Rehabilitation and maintenance as well as business development and sustainability of key areas in the Old City; as well as professional capacity building for individuals who work in the Old City’s regeneration, advancing their professional development in several core competencies capable of unlocking new commercial opportunities in the economic sector. In parallel, the project also includes an interconnected track of Technological Empowerment and Innovation directed to Palestinian youth”

Funded by the European Union, UN-Habitat- is seeking a candidate to fill the position of Community and Stakeholder Engagement Associate under the overall guidance and the direct supervision of the Project Manager.  As this position is related to QUDSI-R4R project in the occupied Palestinian territory with an expected duration of five and half years, the Service Contract extension will be conditioned to satisfactory performance evaluation as well as availability of funding under the project.

Since 2003 UN-Habitat has supported the government and people of the State of Palestine through the Special Human Settlements Programme for the Palestinian People that was established to improve the human settlements conditions, with focus on spatial planning, land management and housing issues, addressing the urbanization challenges, supporting the building of a Palestinian state, humanitarian action and peace-building, in the areas where there are acute humanitarian and development needs

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. The post is located in the Special Human Settlements Programme for the Palestinian People.

The Community and Stakeholder Engagement Associate role is to serve as the vital link between the organization and the project-based stakeholders and their communities. This role exists to foster trust, build meaningful relationships, and ensure that community voices are heard, respected, and reflected in the organizational decisions and project initiatives.

Also, this role is focused on relationship building through establishing direct connections with community leaders and members, local organizations, as well as their networks, in addition to advocacy and representation of activities, through acting as a voice for the community needs and concerns and ensure that they are addressed within the project organizational planning. Furthermore, the role requires direct engagement through different activities, where the advocate will design, implement, and support the creation of outreach activities, events, and partnerships, in addition to providing a clear path of communication between the organization/project and the community. Thus, this role exists to build bridges between the organization and the project stakeholders as well as the  community, ensuring that engagement is not transactional but transformational.

Summary of Key Results:  

The Community and Stakeholder Engagement Associate provides practical support to community outreach, engagement, and communication activities under the QUDSI-R4R project, under the supervision of the Project Manager, with a focus on day-to-day implementation in Jerusalem’s Old City.

1. Community Outreach, Engagement, and Partnerships

• Support community outreach and engagement activities targeting residents, youth, tenants, shopkeepers, and other local stakeholders in the Old City.

• Maintain regular communication with community members to support trust-building and information sharing.

• Assist in organizing meetings and consultations with families, residents, business owners, and community groups.

• Support coordination with local institutions, community organizations, and stakeholders relevant to project activities.

• Collect and document community feedback, concerns, and observations to support project follow-up.

• Support inclusive engagement approaches in coordination with gender and youth focal points.

2. Events, Visibility, and Communication Support

• Support planning and organization of community-based activities, including workshops, events, consultations, and public meetings.

• Assist with outreach and communication activities that support project visibility, including social media and online content, in coordination with the Project Management Team.

• Support basic data collection related to community participation and engagement activities.

• Assist in preparing simple community surveys and summarizing results for internal use.

• Support coordination of community learning activities, trainings, and awareness sessions, including activities with schools and local institutions.

• Assist in preparing community-focused stories, short articles, and content for public communication materials.

3. Operational and Logistical Support

• Support operational and administrative aspects of community activities, including coordination of small procurements, recruitments, and activity-related follow-up.

• Coordinate logistical arrangements for workshops, trainings, events, and field activities, including venues, materials, scheduling, and on-site support.

• Maintain organized records, attendance lists, and documentation related to community engagement activities.

Perform other project-related duties as assigned by the Project Manager to support smooth project implementation.

Required

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social studies, sociology, business administration or any other community-related field. 

Desired

• A master’s degree with strong communication, relationship building and cooperation, advocacy skills, along with prior experience in community engagement or nonprofit work.

Required

• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive professional experience in community and stakeholder engagement, partnerships development, or related fields.  Human rights issues knowledge and background, specifically relating to advocacy, youth, handicapped and women.

• Strong knowledge of the Jerusalem context, especially the old city and its sensitivities, is a must.

• Ability to use information technology as an effective tool and resource, including excellent working knowledge of MS Office-Word, Excel, Power Point.

Desired

• Familiarity with UN procedures; and UN-Habitat in particular is an asset.

• A committed, passionate self-starter with creativity and innovative thinking skills

• Ability to work in team and meet deadlines.

• Results-oriented, flexible and problem-solving skills

• Excellent working knowledge on communicating, reaching out and dealing with unique communities

• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and to work under pressure.

• Excellent networking and partnering competencies, resource mobilization and negotiation skills would be an advantage.

• Sound judgment, excellent analytical skills, strong networking and interpersonal skills, ability to plan, organize and coordinate work and to cope with a demanding workload is expected. 

• Valid Jerusalem Driver License is an asset. 

• 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.