Job Highlight

The Caribbean OCT and EU Engagement Specialist will be responsible for identifying, developing, and managing strategic partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, regional organizations, international organizations, private sector entities, civil society organizations, and academic institutions within the OCT Caribbean and with a specific focus on the EU.

Embedded in the Caribbean operations and in close coordination with UNOPS liaison offices, the Caribbean OCT and EU Engagement Specialist will play a critical role in the implementation of UNOPS engagement strategy in the Caribbean.

Role Purpose

The Specialist will focus on OCTs, Dutch-speaking Caribbean and EU-specific leads. Through targeted engagements and the development of a meaningful value offer, he will ensure alignment with UNOPS’ wider strategic priorities and the specific development needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

There might be two contract options to consider in this vacancy announcement:

Short-term / part-time opportunities on home-based retainer contracts or similar as per current organizational need. Full-time open-ended (no end date) contract home-based

Functions / Key Results Expected

This is currently a retainer role, and the incumbent will perform one or more of the following functions:

Strategic Positioning & Market Intelligence

Targeted Market Analysis: Conduct rigorous assessments of the socio-economic landscapes within the Dutch-speaking Caribbean and OCTs to identify untapped entry points for UNOPS interventions.

EU Synergy Mapping: Intelligence gathering on European Union funding cycles to align UNOPS' technical capabilities with EU regional priorities.

SIDS Advocacy: Design and promote tailored service offerings that directly address the unique vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States, focusing on climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure.

Relationship Management & Representation

High-Level Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate and manage a robust network of diplomatic, governmental, and private sector contacts within the Caribbean to solidify UNOPS as a partner of choice.

EU-Lead Cultivation: Act as the primary technical focal point for EU delegations and regional bodies, translating complex development needs into actionable project proposals.

Inter-Agency Collaboration: Promote and position the organization in regional forums to ensure that OCT-specific initiatives are synchronized with broader UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF).

Programmatic Alignment & Value Creation

Bespoke Value Propositions: Develop high-impact briefing notes and concept papers that articulate the UNOPS value offer specifically for the challenges faced by Caribbean partners.

Strategic Pipeline Oversight: Lead the end-to-end development of new business leads, ensuring every opportunity is vetted for financial viability and alignment with UNOPS’ strategic mandates.

Resource Mobilization: Formulate innovative financing strategies, including blended finance or multi-partner trust funds, specifically geared toward the scale and scope of OCT development projects.

Education Requirements

Required

A Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Public Administration, International Development, Political Science, Communications or International Relations. A combination of a Bachelor's degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Required

Experience Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in international development including demonstrated experience in: Developing and executing partnership and programme development plans; Project development and proposal writing; Acquisition of projects. Experience working with EU Government and/or Caribbean OCTs is required.

Desired

Establishing partnerships with UN agencies, international development organisations, governments, foundations, international NGOs or private sector organisations. Prior experience working in international organisations, international development, post-disaster and/or emergency contexts would also be an advantage.