Result of Service

The work of the consultant would help in preparing strategic guidance and technical material on private sector and technology, partnerships in CT/PVE-related areas, and it will contribute to fostering a common understanding of current trends, opportunities and challenges faced in cultivating partnerships with private sector and technology, foundations which are critical actors in addressing and prevention of terrorism and violent extremism

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) was established by the General Assembly in June 2017 (A/RES/71/291). The Office has five main functions: (a) provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates across the United Nations System; (b) enhance coordination and coherence across the Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the Strategy; (c) strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance to Member States; (d) improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts; and (e) ensure that due priority is given to counter-terrorism across the United Nations System and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the Strategy.

The Office’s Special Projects and Innovation Branch’s External Partnerships Sections (EPS) is responsible for forging partnerships with the private sector, academia, civil society organizations, regional and sub-regional organizations, and all other relevant stakeholders to implement a “whole-of-society” approach to CT and P/CVE initiatives.

There is a growing recognition of the important private sector’s contribution in preventing terrorism and a strong demand from various public and private sector actors for greater understanding of their role and ways to complement governmental counter-terrorism actions. This includes an understanding of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, especially the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 75/291 which stresses the importance of the role of the business community among other stakeholders in the efforts to enhance dialogue and broaden understanding, in promoting pluralism, tolerance and coexistence and in fostering an environment which is not conducive to incitement of terrorism, as well as in countering terrorist narratives.

This consultancy is to provide an expert advice on development of strategy and partnerships with private sector and technology, and on coordination and fundraising activities with the private sector and technology in CT/PVE area.

Result of Service

The work of the consultant would help in preparing strategic guidance and technical material on private sector and technology, partnerships in CT/PVE-related areas, and it will contribute to fostering a common understanding of current trends, opportunities and challenges faced in cultivating partnerships with private sector and technology, foundations which are critical actors in addressing and prevention of terrorism and violent extremism.

DELIVERABLES AND OUTPUTS

Under the supervision of the Chief of EPS, who will provide guidance on intra-office and inter-entity coordination, the Consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables and outputs:

1.Develop the Private Sector Resource Mobilization Strategy in line with UNOCT’s resource mobilization strategy and facilitate its implementation across the office and programme offices in the field

• Develop the Private Sector Resource Mobilization Strategy and facilitate its implementation across the office including programme offices;
• Research and advise on risks and mitigation measures, due diligence and vetting of private sector and business community actors in CT/PVE area;
• Contribute to the creation of guidelines for conducting risk assessments of partnerships with private sector and business community actors;
• Identify and research potential private sector donors, mapping out donor interests, priorities, funding windows, and actions that should be taken to mobilize funds, and develop relationships with donors, including new and innovative funding mechanisms in close collaboration with the Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations Section.

2. Provide expertise and knowledge on best practices related to building partnerships with private sector and technology in CT/PVE area

• Carry out and complete a needs assessment to inform the type of knowledge tools and guidance needed to enhance engagement with the private sector;
• Contribute to documents, frameworks, tools and other materials on effective partnership with private sector and foundations in CT/PVE area through the provision of expertise, technical inputs and advice on key strategic issues;
• Manage the centralized UNOCT Private Sector Database and prepare it for handoff to designated focal point in UNOCT upon completion of consultancy;
• Offer advice and technical expertise on the development of guiding principles and criteria for formalizing partnerships, including through memoranda of understanding and other collaboration arrangements.

3. Provide support to UNOCT programmes in mainstreaming private sector engagement across different programmatic activities

• Conduct and complete a mapping of existing UNOCT collaboration with the private sector, and identify mechanisms to streamline private sector in UNOCT programmatic activities;
• Provide support and advice to UNOCT programmes when engaging with private sector and when relevant to fundraising, coordinate closely with Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations Section;
• Provide support to UNOCT programmes with mapping, assessments and other activities to ensure meaningful private sector involvement across different stages of the programme cycle.

4. Provide technical advice on strategies, communication, outreach and relations with private sector and technology

• Provide guidance and substantive inputs for the preparation of documents, strategies, implementation plans, reports and other related written outputs;
• Provide advice and support towards organization and facilitation of events and sessions with relevant stakeholders, experts and practitioners from private sector, technology in CT/PVE; contribute towards advancing and facilitating new partnerships, operationalization of communities of practice, through the provision of technical guidance and advice on key themes, priorities, action points and approaches;
• Coordinate the development and maintenance of the Private Sector Community of Practice on the Connect & Learn Platform;
• Provide expert guidance in creating training materials on fundraising with private sector under guidance of EPS and RMRDSS Chiefs.
• Under the supervision of EPS Chief, provide guidance on the creation of the Private Sector Community of Practice community in collaboration with Connect & Learn Coordinator and in close coordination with relevant colleagues

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or above) in law, business administration, management, economics or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
At least 7 years of established expertise on private sector partnerships in counter-terrorism or speaking engagements on the subject at international or regional events is required.
Previous experience in moderating expert group meetings is required.
A minimum of seven years of experience in conceptualizing, developing and advising on partnerships and fundraising with the private sector and technology is desirable.
Experience in facilitating partnerships in counter-terrorism and technical expertise in due diligence and vetting of private sector actors is desirable.

Experience in formalizing partnerships through memorandum of understanding or any other arrangements is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Additional Information

Supervisor: Leila Ezzarqui, Chief of External Partnerships Section
Contract Duration: 1 October 2023 to 31 January 2024
Work Arrangement: Homebased
Travel is not applicable

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.