Coordinator for the Access Support Unit (ASU)

Organizational Context

The UNOPS Middle East Region supports operations across several countries, focusing on delivering sustainable solutions to complex development, peace, and humanitarian challenges. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt), UNOPS supports humanitarian response and early recovery, with a focus on access via the Access Support Unit (ASU). The ASU is an inter-agency project administered by UNOPS, aiming to improve humanitarian and development assistance delivery.

Job Purpose

The ASU Coordinator is responsible for the operational aspects of the Access Support Unit (ASU), under the guidance of UN leadership and reporting to UNOPS. This role is crucial for ameliorating the delivery of humanitarian and development assistance and advancing civilian protection by developing and implementing a sustainable access strategy. The Coordinator will oversee hands-on facilitation, advice, and support for the movement of humanitarian and development personnel and the access of essential goods and materials into and within the oPt, navigating complex access and movement restrictions.

Responsibilities

The ASU Coordinator will supervise the ASU's operations, monitoring the movement of people and access of goods, and engaging with coordination mechanisms. This includes managing ASU staff, liaising with relevant authorities (e.g., COGAT, CLA, Palestinian PMO, MoCA), and overseeing a 24/7 access hotline for real-time interventions. The role involves supporting the transition to new notification systems, providing advisories on personnel movement, advising partners on visa and permit procedures, and supporting negotiations to ease access restrictions. Additionally, the Coordinator will facilitate evacuations, advise UN and Humanitarian Country Teams on access positions, analyze access restrictions' impact, and provide information for reporting and advocacy. Oversight of fuel and essential item entry, monitoring "dual use" materials, and ensuring project planning, performance monitoring, and team management are also key duties.

Work Experience

Required experience includes team management, preferably in humanitarian/development and security contexts, and prior experience in access negotiations or civil-military coordination. Excellent project management, results monitoring, and stakeholder/team management skills are essential. Desired experience includes working in multicultural environments, the UN system, or dealing with access issues in similar contexts.

Skills

Crisis Management, Emergency Planning, Humanitarian Assistance, Negotiation, Operational Planning, Security Management

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