National Mine Action Capacity Development Expert (NMAC)

Host entity: UNMAS

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Administration, Communication, advocacy, public information, Project management, programme development, strategy

Application deadline: 23/08/2026

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) works to protect civilians, enable humanitarian access, and support peace and development by coordinating and delivering mine action. In Ukraine, UNMAS provides standards-based advisory and project support to strengthen nationally owned mine action coordination, quality management, information management, training and operational coherence.

Assignment context

This UN Volunteer assignment is part of the UNMAS Ukraine Programme which is a time-bound project financed through the Multi-Partner Trust Fund/Ukraine Community Recovery Fund (MPTF/UCRF). The project supports Ukrainian national mine action institutions to strengthen coordination, prioritisation, quality management, information management, monitoring, reporting and evidence-based implementation in response to the extensive contamination caused by the ongoing armed conflict.

Key counterparts include the National Mine Action Centre (NMAC), the Centre for Humanitarian Demining (CHD), the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU), the State Special Transport Service (SSTS), the Mine Action Office/National Mine Action Platform (Demine Ukraine), mine action operators, United Nations entities and other relevant partners.

The National UN Volunteer Expert will be hosted by UNMAS and embedded at the National Mine Action Centre in Chernihiv. The assignment is established to strengthen national mine action institutions including inter-institutional coordination and information exchange, guiding the development of national priorities related to quality management, accreditation, training, tasking, reporting and information management.
The duties detailed in this Description of Assignment are designed to complement and support UNMAS’s programme in Ukraine. This volunteer role is not a substitute for UN staff positions, nor shall it replace existing staff or staff functions. The volunteer is strictly prohibited from carrying out core UN staff functions.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the UNMAS Senior Mine Action Adviser or designated UNMAS representative, and in close day-to-day coordination with the designated National Mine Action Centre (NMAC) counterpart, the National UN Volunteer Expert will:
• Provide advice and support to the NMAC to enhance effective coordination across the sector maintaining contact with designated national counterparts and building national capacity to ensure effective systems to support information exchange and follow-up among CHD, NMAC, SESU, SSTS, the Mine Action Office/National Mine Action Platform, mine action operators and other relevant partners, within their respective mandates.
• Provide advice on and support to coordination of NMAC priorities relating to quality management, accreditation, certification, training, tasking, reporting and information management and organise and support bilateral and multi-stakeholder coordination meetings as necessary, contributing to transparent and consistent implementation across relevant institutions.
• Establish and ensure effective coordination mechanisms and processes are in place and functioning including structured issue logs, action trackers, contact lists, decision records and other coordination tools required to monitor progress and follow-up.
• Provide advice and guidance on identifying and managing duplication, gaps, bottlenecks, dependencies and unresolved issues and bring them to the attention of NMAC and UNMAS, with practical recommendations for follow-up by the competent institution.
• Coordinate routinely with the CHD-based specialist to ensure consistent information exchange, joint follow-up and visibility of inter-institutional issues.
• Ensure that decisions, requests and follow-up actions are communicated accurately and promptly across relevant institutions and that outstanding issues are assigned and tracked to completion.
• Support preparation and consolidation of concise briefs, progress updates, meeting records, stakeholder summaries and other coordination materials for NMAC and UNMAS.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality, impartiality and professional discretion when handling institutional, operational and partner information.
• In all activities, promote the values of volunteerism, contribute to national capacity development and knowledge transfer, and complete UNV and host-entity reporting and learning requirements.

Skills and experience

- At least 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in information management, geographic information systems, data management, database administration, data quality, systems interoperability or a related field. Demonstrated experience analysing complex information-management arrangements, coordinating multiple institutional data owners, developing data standards and quality-control procedures, and producing analytical information products is required. --Strong practical knowledge of databases, data-validation methods, spreadsheet tools and relevant information-management or GIS software is required.
-Demonstrated ability to provide senior technical advice and work effectively with government counterparts is required.

Additional assets:
- Experience with mine action information management, GRIT, IMSMA or comparable humanitarian or government information-management systems; experience designing interoperability arrangements, data-exchange protocols, dashboards or geospatial products; knowledge of International Mine Action Standards and applicable national mine action standards; and prior experience in Ukraine or another conflict-affected setting.
- Prior United Nations experience is an asset, not a requirement.
- Candidates should demonstrate an affinity with mine action, national capacity development, information integrity, volunteerism as a mechanism for sustainable development, and the values of the United Nations.

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Living conditions

As it is a national UN Volunteer's assignment, the UN volunteer shall organize his/her accommodation by themselves.

Chernihiv is a regional duty station in northern Ukraine with basic accommodation, banking, communications, food and medical services available, although services may be more limited than in Kyiv. The security environment remains affected by the ongoing armed conflict, including the risk of missile and drone attacks, air-raid alerts, disruptions to utilities and restrictions on movement. Official travel to Kyiv and other authorised locations may be required.

The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with the possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. This is a full-time contract.

Allowances:
• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) USD 2615 (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Danger and hardship differential for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as “E”.
• USD 350 entry lump sum, one-time payment.
• USD 120 Exit lump sum for each month served, paid on completion of contract.

Medical and life insurance:
• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV-provided medical insurance coverage.
• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum.

Leave entitlements:
• Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment.
• Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period.
• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.
• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.