Events Coordination Officer, Level IICA – 2

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is recruiting an Events Coordination Officer – UNOPS IICA-2 position within the Private Partnerships and Philanthropy Section, Private Sector Partnerships Service.

UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions. UNHCR is almost entirely funded by voluntary contributions from governments and private donors.

Title: Events Coordination Officer

Duty Station: Copenhagen, Denmark

Duration: 01 October – 31 December 2022 (with possibility of extension)

Contract Type: UNOPS International Specialist, Level IICA – 2 (UNOPS Local ICA Specialist, Level LICA-10)

Closing date: 6th September 2022

Organizational Context

Based at UN City in Copenhagen, UNHCR’s Private Sector Partnerships Service (PSP) supports the Agency’s global collaboration with the private sector through its network of fundraisers and national associations in almost 30 operations in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Gulf region. The ambitious new PSP Global Strategy 2022-2025 has the vision to grow PSP into a service capable of generating $1bn annually.

Purpose and Scope

Events Coordination Officer is a critical cross-functional position working closely with the Senior Private Sector Engagement team and the heads of unit within Private Sector Partnerships and Philanthropy. The purpose of this assignment is to establish a substantive and constructive working relationship with international organizations acting as global platforms for public-private engagement, including by identifying synergies. The potential joint projects that can leverage UNHCR’s mandate vis-à-vis the private sector.

The incumbent will be a part of a small team whose mission is the delivery of professional, high-quality meeting and event management services: to plan and execute meetings and events (or parts thereof) and to provide services relating to meeting organization and assistance, and event management. The incumbent will assist in the effective planning and execution of UNHCR’s representation and visibility in high-level global platforms and events which are key to private sector engagement and for UNHCR’s positioning in the humanitarian and development arena. This will contribute to the achievement of PSP/PPH’s objectives as it will imply leveraging the capacities of high-profile events, networks and platforms with the aim of supporting the acquisition and the strengthening of long-lasting relationships with the private sector. The incumbent will also be expected to support the supervisor in developing and implementing strategies for engagement with several key organizations, acting as the point of contact with platforms for public-private partnerships.

Duties and responsibilities

1. High-level global platforms

• Act as coordinating lead/focal point for key private sector platforms such as – but not limited to – the World Economic Forum (WEF), UNGA and UNHCR Nansen Awards.
• Develop a strategic framework for UNHCR, and specifically PSP, with the abovementioned platforms, including identifying synergies, and concrete projects that potentially can be co-developed. This could involve liaising with other parts of the Division of External Relations (DER), as well close coordination with other UN agencies when required.
• Under the supervision of the Snr. Private Sector Engagement officer, lead the preparations for key high-level events or other initiatives being organized by such entities or co-organized with them.
• Ensure that opportunities are leveraged for UNHCR’s visibility and private sector engagement in high-level platforms, including working to guarantee that UNHCR senior leadership and the topic of forced displacement and the right to asylum feature prominently in relevant agendas and conversations.
• Support the planning and coordination of UNHCR’s participation in key events such as the Annual Meeting of the WEF in Davos, and the UN General Assembly, which are key to private sector engagement and donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Liaise with private sector partners, as deemed relevant, for their engagement in similar platforms or events to ensure that approaches are coordinated and that partnerships receive due visibility.
• Ensure that all logistical details for UNHCR’s participations in high-level events are effectively planned and executed, including drafting preparatory and background documents, presentations and talking points, content for digital screens, coordinating on outreach and invitations, overseeing event budgets, onsite stage/booth design, assessing the success through final surveys and evaluations, and finally compiling results as part of a final impact/ROI report.

2. Support to strategic planning and strategy development:

• Working closely with the supervisor, the incumbent will support on the development of strategic plans for engagement with key stakeholders in support of PPH’s objectives. This will include co-developing strategic plans for UNHCR’s engagement at key events and with key organizations such as the WEF, and Concordia. The incumbent will also manage and update the annual global events/PSP outreach calendar.
• Provide event management services to event organisers in the planning and execution of high-level meetings and events (virtual/ hybrid/ in-person).
• Manage external service providers in line with the established contractual relationships and agreed service levels and ensure efficient and high-quality service.
• Assist in the design, improvement and implementation of the corresponding support processes and workflows.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications.

Education:

• Bachelor university degree in business administration, political science/international relations, finance, media and communications, or a related discipline

Work Experience:

• Minimum 6 years of relevant experience (and 5 years for master’s degree holders) in project management, strategic planning, coordination of high-level events or related functions experience.
• Experience in private sector partnership event/project management, and/or in coordinating multiple stakeholders for the achievement of particular goals
• Experience with international organizations or NGOs. UN experience will be highly appreciated.
• Experience in coordinating large-scale events involving multiple internal and external stakeholders
• Knowledge of internal communications and proven practice of driving internal coordination mechanisms and plans
• Private sector marketing and event management experience will be highly appreciated
• Proven experience and a clear record of achievement with leading organisations in virtual/ hybrid/ in-person event management, hospitality services or related fields; preferably gained in a multicultural environment.
• Basic understanding of virtual meeting production options and knowledge of required audio-visual equipment.
• Excellent computer literacy, in particular MS Excel and Power Point, and event/ project management software or virtual meeting facilitation tools; ability to learn new software apps/tools quickly.

Key Competencies

• Proven negotiation skills with external suppliers, e.g., hotels, caterers, event/exhibition venues and other event related vendors.
• Excellent organizational, planning, project and time management and reporting skills. Ability to work flexibly, accurately, independently with little supervision and to meet agreed deadlines.
• Planning and organizing competencies with ability to both multi-task and prioritize workload.
• Ability to work in a high paced environment and meet tight deadlines including quality output
• Excellent knowledge of English; working knowledge of another UN language is appreciated.
• Exposure to UN system and private sector is an added advantage.

Location

The successful candidate will be based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Conditions

This position is initially up to the end of the year with possibility of extension. It is a full-time role starting from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday (40 hours per week).