The UNOPS Regional Office for Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya, supports African governments, UN partners and donors by providing infrastructure, procurement and management services projects. In the Africa region, UNOPS focuses on helping countries build resilience, improve public service delivery and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in fragile, conflict-affected contexts and growing rapidly.

The Multi-Country Office for Central Africa (CAMCO), based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, oversees operations in 11 Central African countries. CAMCO is responsible for the development, delivery, management and implementation of a portfolio of projects and programs spread across 11 countries — Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo and Rwanda — and includes 2 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe. This MCO manages a $600 million active project portfolio, with a strong focus on infrastructure, fund management, HR and procurement services. Over the years, it has established strong partnerships with international stakeholders,UN entities (including UN missions) and national governments in the region. The office provides technical assistance and capacity building in key development sectors such as rehabilitation and infrastructure construction in health, education, public works and governance. Its services also cover procurement, project management, policy consulting, peace and security, and environmental sustainability.public works and governance. Its services also cover procurement, project management, policy consulting, peace and security, and environmental sustainability.public works and governance. Its services also cover procurement, project management, policy consulting, peace and security, and environmental sustainability.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a United Nations operational entity that supports its partners in the implementation of peace, humanitarian and development projects. UNOPS provides project management, infrastructure and procurement services with a focus on efficiency, sustainability, quality, transparency and accountability.

Located in Kinshasa, DRC, the Projects Office covers four countries, under the multi-country office for Central Africa (CAMCO). Over the years, the office has developed strong working relationships with international partners, UN agencies, including UN missions, as well as Central African governments. It provides technical support and capacity building in strategic areas of development, including rehabilitation and infrastructure development in the health, education, public works, governance and public administration sectors; purchasing, project management and sector advisory services; peace and security; preservation and protection of the environment, among others.

Overview of the position

UNOPS CAMCO requires a retainer(e)expert(e) in fishing, fish farming and aquaculture to support projects covering aspects relating to the development of fisheries and aquaculture value chains, artisanal, inland or maritime fishing, fish production, food security, fish processing, cold chain, sustainable management of raquatic resources and the acquisition of goods, services, equipment and infrastructure specialized in these sectors.

Interventions in the fishing, fish farming and aquaculture sectors require specialized technical expertise to ensure that goods, services, equipment and infrastructure are technically appropriate, economically viable, adapted to the local context, compliant with the requirements of hygiene, safety and sustainability, and aligned with project objectives. This expertise is particularly important for defining needs, preparing technical specifications, evaluating offers, reducing post-catch losses, water quality, fish health, biosecurity, cold chain and the viability of infrastructure.

Objectives associated with the position

Under the supervision of Country Manager CAMCO, the expert(e)retainer in fishing, fish farming and aquaculture will provide remote technical support, upon request, to UNOPS CAMCO teams. He/she will advise on activity design, implementation, purchasing requirements, technical assessment, quality assurance, risk management and sustainability of interventions in the fisheries and aquaculture.

The retainer will be able to work on fishing infrastructure, landing stages, handling equipment, processing, storage, cold chain, safety equipment, community fisheries management, sustainable fishing practices, hatcheries, ponds, cages, fish feed, water quality, fish health, biosecurity, extension services and fisheries and aquaculture value chains.

1. Technical advice on equipment, inputs and food

The retailer will support the teams in:

The choice of fishing, safety, handling, conservation and processing equipment.

The choice of aquaculture equipment, including cages, tanks, pumps, aerators and water quality equipment.

Analysis of the quality of feed for fish, fry and aquaculture inputs.

Identification of risks related to quality, storage, transport, maintenance, biosecurity and the cold chain.

Adaptation of equipment to the capacities of beneficiaries and local conditions of use.

2. Prscattering and revision of technical specifications and TOR

The/the retainer will prepare or revise documents relating to:

Fishing equipment, nets, engines, light boats and safety equipment.

Insulated crates, coolers, scales, quality control kits and small processing equipment.

Hatchery equipment, cages, tanks, pumps, aerators and water quality equipment.

Feed for fish, fry and aquaculture inputs.

Training services, extension, technical assistance, quality control and support for beneficiaries.

3. Support for purchasing, technical evaluation and quality assurance

The retailer will contribute to:

Market analysis and purchasing planning.

Preparation of technical evaluation criteria.

Examination of offers, technical sheets, catalogs and conformity documents.

Analysis of food nutritional sheets, quality certificates and documents relating to fry.

Preparation of acceptance criteria, checklists, technical reports and compliance notes.

Formulating technical recommendations for processes

Mandatory

Bachelor (or equivalent) related to fishing, aquaculture, fish farming, fisheries sciences, aquatic sciences, natural resource management, environment, agri-food, rural development with at least 7 years of professional experience relevant or

Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above areas, with at least 5 years of professional experience in a related field is required can be accepted in place of the master’s degree.

Desired

Additional academic or professional training related to fishing equipment, aquaculture inputs, fish feed, the cold chain, the quality of fishery products, fish processing or the sustainable management of aquatic resources is desired

Mandatory

Desired

Experience in fishing equipment, aquaculture equipment, fish feed, fry, inputs, water quality, cold chain or fish processing.

Experience in preparing technical specifications, terms of reference, evaluation criteria, market analyzes or technical reports.

5 years of experience in projects financed by international donors, multilateral banks or United Nations organizations is strongly desired.

Experience in Central Africa, the DRC or in fragile and logistically complex contexts is an important asset.

Technical skills

• Good knowledge of equipment, materials, inputs and feed used in fishing, fish farming and aquaculture.
• Mastery of technical specifications for fishing equipment, safety equipment, aquaculture equipment, food, fry and inputs.
• Good knowledge of fish feed quality criteria: nutritional composition, proteins, particle size, conservation, packaging, storage and traceability.
• Good knowledge of fry requirements: species, size, health status, survival rate, transport, acclimatization and biosecurity.
• Ability to analyze the adequacy of equipment with needs, beneficiary capacities, maintenance, spare parts and operating costs.
• Knowledge of handling, conservation, hygiene, health safety, cold chain and reduction of post-catch losses.
• Ability to evaluate technical offers, product sheets, catalogs, guarantees, certificates, nutritional sheets and conformity documents.
• Ability to contribute to TORs, evaluation criteria, technical reports, compliance notes and project documents.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited summaries.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacations must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, foster an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledgment and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to add a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retailer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information we have a tenant contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.