UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, 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.

Global Portfolios Office (GPO), New York Portfolios 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) (https://www.unops.org/sustainable-development) supports diverse partners with their 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 that are headquartered in New York.  The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), Innovation Cell (IC) to implement project activities supporting the area of emerging technologies in conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding.

Responding to the Secretary-General’s call for the United Nations to leverage emerging technologies and innovative practices, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) established an Innovation Cell in 2020. This team has been pivotal in leading experimentation and pilot projects, both at headquarters and within special political missions.The Innovation Cell has significantly advanced inclusivity in peace and political processes through AI-driven digital dialogues in countries such as Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Guinea, and Bolivia. Additionally, it has spearheaded the creation of an environmental database using open-source satellite data, fostering transboundary dialogues on climate change and its intersections with peace and security, while staying attuned to global technology trends and their strategic implications.

To contribute to the Innovation Cell’s pioneering efforts in harnessing open-source earth observation data, the incumbent will collaborate with the open-source earth observation innovation expert and the focal point in the Innovation Cell, focused on three objectives for 2024:

• Advancing DPPA’s open-source dashboard Geoguard: Enhancing this platform to cover expansion based on needs, focusing on user engagement, training, and developing predictive models for environmental phenomena and conflict drivers.
• Providing Technical Direction: Offering guidance to DPPA’s open-source earth observation initiatives for enhanced political analysis and transboundary cooperation, responding to ad-hoc requests to apply open-source tools effectively.
• Staying Ahead of Emerging Technologies: Keeping abreast of new developments in open-source earth observation technology, such as AI-enhanced computations, relevant for peace and security use cases. This involves convening scientific, academic, and peace and security exchanges, and providing quarterly updates on emerging geospatial technology trends.

• Outreach Documentation: Development and implementation of a outreach plan targeting end-users and stakeholders. This would involve creating communication materials that clearly articulate the project’s objectives, progress, and benefits.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Translation of complex technical data processes into user-friendly SOPs. These documents should be designed to facilitate sustained and efficient operation of open-source environmental tools and platforms by end-users with varying levels of technical expertise.
• Research Analysis Reports: Comprehensive reports analyzing how open-source environmental innovations can be integrated with other current and emerging data innovations. These reports should offer insights into potential synergies, opportunities for enhancement, and any challenges.
• Predictive Modeling Research Contributions: Active participation in academic convenings and exploratory research related to predictive modeling. Contributions might include preliminary research findings, literature reviews, or summaries of discussions from academic events.
• Information Management Outputs: Efficient management and organization of project-related information. This could include database management, information retrieval systems, and ensuring that data is up-to-date and accessible to team members.
• Communication Materials: Creation of various communication outputs such as presentations, briefing notes, and informational brochures to support the project’s visibility and understanding among different audiences.
• Meeting and Workshop Participation: Active involvement in meetings and workshops, both internal and external, with detailed minutes and action items that contribute to the project’s momentum.

• Feedback and Evaluation Contributions: Assisting in gathering and analyzing feedback from end-users and stakeholders to evaluate the effectiveness of the project’s outputs and to identify areas for improvement.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

Expected deliverables:

1. First draft of workplan of the strategic outreach
2. First draft of stakeholder list
3. Draft public-facing product/article on predictive modeling research
4. Draft public-facing product/article on research
5. Workshop report (water and conflict)
6. Workshop report (mobility and climate)
7. Workshop report (train-the-trainer)
8. Final report of information management, standard operation procedures.

Payment Plan:

• 12.5% paid upon the completion and acceptance of every deliverable; by the 26th of every month.

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in geospatial information, remote sensing, international relations, public policy, political science or other related geoscience field is required.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

b. Work Experience:

Required: 

• A minimum of two years of experience in open-source geospatial data, innovation, mapping, data visualizations and/or communications preferably in a UN’s work in peace and security and/or humanitarian affairs is required.
• Proven experience utilizing geospatial software (database management, spatial analysis, mapping, web services development or programming languages) is required.

Desired experience: 

• Experience translating ideas into concept notes, proposals, grants, and other key deliverables is desirable.
• Presentation experience, especially to UN audiences, is a plus.
• Experience with team and/or project management is desirable.

c. Language:

• Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required.
• Proficiency and demonstrated drafting ability in English.