Home Vacancies, March 2025 Ops/QA Officer (Internal PSC/UNMAS Ethiopia programme only)

Ops/QA Officer (Internal PSC/UNMAS Ethiopia programme only)

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Organization: UNOPS

Deadline: 13-Mar-2025

Job Description

 Background Information – PSC

Peace and Security Cluster

The UNOPS Peace and Security Cluster (PSC) is a principal service provider in the field of mine action with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), UNDP, UNICEF, Governments of mine-affected countries and other mine action partners.  It is led by the Director, who has overall authority and accountability for the performance PSC on behalf of its clients.  The Director is responsible for administering and providing oversight of the day-to-day management of the Project Field offices, both according to the client requirements and in line with UNOPS rules and regulations.

Background Information UNMAS

Established in 1997 by the General Assembly, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) serves as the United Nations focal point for mine action and supports its vision of “a world free of the threat of landmines and unexploded ordnance, where individuals and communities live in a safe environment conducive to development, and where mine survivors are fully integrated into their societies.”

UNMAS coordinates and collaborates with fourteen UN departments, agencies, programmes and funds to ensure an effective, proactive and coordinated response to the problems of landmines and explosive remnants of war, including cluster munitions.

UNMAS establishes, manages, and provides strategic direction to mine-action coordination centres in countries and territories as part of peacekeeping operations and humanitarian emergencies or crises. In these situations, UNMAS may plan and carry out mine-action projects, support and coordinate the work of local and international mine-action service providers, and set priorities for mine clearance, mine-risk education and all other aspects of mine action.

 Background Information – Job-specific

Recent assessments indicate widespread explosive ordnance contamination in Northern Ethiopia including Tigray Afar and Amhara regions, especially in areas that have seen intense fighting. While the full extent and impact of the contamination is yet to be established, the fighting is believed to have contaminated vast swathes of land with explosive remnants of war (ERW). Moreover, explosive remnants of war (ERW) continue affecting the life of civilians, in recent months. ERW is spread across residential areas and internally displaced persons sites, in communal locations and amongst rubble, posing an immediate risk to life, the delivery of humanitarian aid, inhibiting safe movement, and preventing access to basic services. The project aims to reduce the immediate and long-term impact of explosive ordnance on civilians and humanitarian operations in northern Ethiopia through coordination and explosive ordnance risk education.

As lead of the mine action area of responsibility, ensuring MA contributes to improving the safety of at-risk communities by establishing a humanitarian mine action sector, capable of effectively delivering on the objectives of the Humanitarian Response Plan. The Mine Action Response Programme defines and implements specific activities in accordance with emerging humanitarian needs and through needs-based prioritization, involving an analysis of the explosive ordnance threat, IDPs movement, survey data, and the wider humanitarian response.

 Functional Responsibilities


*** PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS VACANCY IS ONLY OPEN TO INTERNAL CANDIDATES FROM THE PSC/UNMAS ETHOPIA PROGRAMME ***

Under the supervision of the Senior Operations Advisor, the Ops/QA Officer will carry out the following tasks:

1. Operations – Design and planning

Support the Senior Operations Specialist  in providing input to the HPU on programme and project design documents from an operational and technical standpoint, such as:

  • Workplan (e.g. nature of threat, technical personnel and equipment requirements, etc.)
  • Concept of Operations
  • Input into the documents above is from the operational and technical aspects encompassing mine action pillars (e.g. clearance, explosive ordnance risk education, victim assistance, advocacy and stockpile destruction)
  • Ensure that implementation plans have viable timelines, are assigned appropriate resources, and that implementation options reflect the knowledge of the context, as well as UNOPS’ mechanisms and policies; key implementation documents include: UNMAS / UNOPS Project Agreements, Solicitation documents used to contract third-parties (i.e. contractors and grantees), Human resources plan
2. Operations – Implementation and monitoring 
Ensure operations are conducted in accordance with UNOPS policies and standards, such as:

  • Financial and procurement rules
  • Contract and grant management policies
  • Project management standards
  • Health, safety, social and environmental standards
  • Gender parity and mainstreaming policies
  • Information management systems and standards
  • Organizational design standards and human resources policies

Ensure operations are conducted in accordance with mine action technical standards, such as:

  • International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) and corresponding National Technical Specifications and Guidelines (NTSGs)
  • International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG)
  • Modular Small Arms Control Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC)

Oversee, coordinate, and monitor mine action operations and performance (both operations conducted in-house and those conducted through third-party contractors and grantees), including:

  • Ensure third-party contracts and grants comply with agreed terms, conditions, and mine action standards, including implementation plans, SOPs, task orders, and accreditation processes
  • Review all performance reports and populate internal monitoring and reporting mechanisms (i.e. grant and contract management plans) to inform the monthly payment process
  • Oversee the delivery of Explosive Hazard Awareness Training to humanitarian personnel
  • Conduct technical assessments, including surveying and marking, spot tasks and limited area searches while collecting accurate information regarding the presence of EO
  • Implement the program quality management and information management system
  • Advise the Senior Operations Specialist on potential technical and operational issues that may impact the achievement of programme / project outcomes and appropriate solutions
  • Participate in Boards of Inquiry as relevant
  • Ensure operational plans are effective and reviewed regularly
3. Stakeholder management

  • Support the Regional Mine Action Area of Responsibility within the Protection Cluster by coordinating, participating in, or contributing to its activities
  • In support of the Senior Operations Specialist, manage relationships with the HPU and other direct UNOPS stakeholders, particularly around operational and technical issues
  • In support of the Senior Operations Specialist, and upon request from the HPU, engage national mine action authorities and/or relevant Government ministries for purposes of coordination as requested, specifically relating to review/implementation of National Technical Standards and Guidelines and/or International Mine Action Standards and other relevant international standards as well as treaty implementation/obligations
4. People management

  • Mentor and advise operations personnel in planning, execution and delivery of allocated projects, ensuring incorporation of best operational processes.
  • Promote teamwork, collaboration and diversity by providing the Operations team with clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.
  • Directly lead national and international UNOPS personnel in a multicultural team, ensuring a
  • professional, ethical and well-managed operations team.
  • Foster a positive and enabling work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.
  • Ensure that regular performance reviews are conducted and any issues are immediately addressed.
5. Knowledge building and Knowledge Sharing

  • Organize, facilitate and/or deliver training and learning initiatives for personnel on administration-related topics
  • Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in human resources
  • Collect feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively

 Education/Experience/Language requirements


*** PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS VACANCY IS ONLY OPEN TO INTERNAL CANDIDATES FROM THE PSC/UNMAS ETHOPIA PROGRAMME ***

Education

  • Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) combined with five (5) years of relevant experience OR
  • A First Level University degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) combined with seven (7) years of relevant experience
  • Military or Police experience with at least eleven (11) years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree
Certifications
  • Level 3 NEDEX certification (Neutralization and Destruction of Explosive Devices as part of military and/or civilian training by an international establishment (for example, the Center for Development of Post-Conflict Actions for Demining and Depollution – CPADD – and/or Danish ChurchAid – DCA) is required

Experience

Relevant experience is defined as experience in the neutralization and destruction of explosive devices (OED) or demining and humanitarian clearance.

  • A minimum of 2 years of experience as a Level 3 EOD (NEDEX) trainer is required

Language

    • Proficiency in English (speaking, reading and writing) is required
    • Knowledge of a second UN or regional working language is desired

 

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