About UN University (UNU)
The United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization within the United Nations System. UNU engages in policy-relevant research, capacity development, and knowledge dissemination in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The work of UNU contributes to solving pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.
For the past five decades, UNU has been a source of impartial research on sustainability, human security, and economic development. With hundreds of researchers working at institutes in 12 countries, UNU's expertise spans the full breadth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, generating policy-relevant knowledge to effect positive global change. UNU collaborates closely with other UN entities and leading research institutions across the globe. For more information, please visit http://unu.edu
United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)
UNU-INWEH, headquartered in Richmond Hill (Greater Toronto Area), Canada, is one of 13 research and training institutions that comprise the think tanks in the UNU system. UNU-INWEH’s vision is a world free of water, environmental and health problems where sustainable development, environmental health, and human security are assured for all. Its mission is to help resolve pressing water, environmental, and health challenges that are of concern to the United Nations, its Member States, and their people. UNU-INWEH pursues its mission through critical analysis and synthesis of existing bodies of scientific discovery; targeted research that identifies emerging policy issues; application of on-the-ground scalable science-based solutions to grand water, environmental and health challenges; and global outreach.
Responsibilities
Contingent upon the level of appointment, the incumbent is expected to:
1. Academic Programme and Partnerships Coordination
- Coordinate the overall implementation and day-to-day management of the Academic Partnerships and joint capacity building programmes.
- Support the development and execution of strategic plans, annual work plans, programme activities and relevant events and symposiums.
- Coordinate educational offerings, including webinars, online courses, workshops, training programmes, and learning events.
- Oversee participant recruitment, registration, engagement, and follow-up and tracking to ensure a high-quality learning experience and reporting.
- Organize and coordinate advisory board meetings relevant to specific initiatives and stakeholder consultations.
2. Academic Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain partnerships with universities, research institutions, international organizations, private sector partners, and donors.
- Coordinate collaboration among participating institutions and partners to advance joint objectives.
- Manage relationships with experts, lecturers, mentors, and partner organizations contributing to capacity building activities.
- Facilitate internships, research placements, fellowships, and other relevant learning opportunities for students and early-career professionals.
- Represent the UNU-INWEH at academic conferences, workshops, and external meetings, as appropriate.
3. Knowledge, Learning, and Capacity Development
- Coordinate the development and dissemination of educational content, learning resources, and knowledge products.
- Support the design and implementation of mentorship, career development, and professional skills-building initiatives.
- Foster interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange among students, researchers, practitioners, and experts.
- Identify emerging trends, innovations, and opportunities to strengthen the academic educational and research portfolio.
- Promote diversity, inclusion, and equitable participation across all capacity building activities and academic engagements.
4. Communications, Resource Mobilization, and Reporting
- Coordinate communications and outreach activities, including digital engagement, newsletters, social media, and promotional campaigns.
- Monitor programme performance and impact, including the collection and analysis of participation and outcome data.
- Prepare reports, presentations, briefing notes, and other materials for partners, donors, and stakeholders.
- Support fundraising and resource mobilization efforts through the preparation of concept notes, proposals, sponsorship packages, and donor reports.
- Contribute to the visibility, sustainability, and long-term growth of the academic partnerships through strategic engagements.
5. Perform other duties as assigned by the Director.
Key performance indicators
- Timely and quality implementation of the UNU-INWEH work programme
- Quality and level of engagement with policy stakeholders within and outside the UN System
- Quality and extent of research output, serving academic and policy audiences
- Quality and level of engagement in leadership activities of the institute
- Quality and level of engagement with partners, related networks and working groups
- Quality and level of engagement with other researchers, teams, consultants, and partners
- Increased sustainable donor support to UNU-INWEH including excellent donor relationships and diversified funding sources
- Performance and well-being of the personnel in the Research Unit and the institute
Competencies
Values:
- Inclusion — take action to create an environment of dignity and respect for all, regardless of age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, geography, grade, language, nationality, racial identity, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, social origin or any other aspect of identity
- Integrity — act ethically, demonstrating the standards of conduct of the United Nations and taking prompt action in case of witnessing unprofessional or unethical behaviour, or any other breach of UN standards
- Humility — demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to learn from others
- Humanity — act according to the purposes of the United Nations: peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet
Behaviours:
- Connect and collaborate — build positive relationships with others to advance the work of the United Nations and work coherently as One UN
- Analyse and plan — seek out and use data from a wide range of sources to understand problems, inform decision-making, propose evidence-based solutions and plan action
- Deliver results with positive impact — hold oneself and others accountable for delivering results and making a positive difference to the people and causes that the United Nations serves
- Learn and develop — pursue own learning and development and contribute to the learning and development of others
- Adapt and innovate — demonstrate flexibility, agility and the ability to think and act in novel ways
