Regional Management and Oversight Senior Advisor

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

The Regional Management & Oversight Senior Advisor provides strategic advice to the GPO Director on financial stewardship, operational excellence, workforce management, compliance, and overall performance. The role supports performance improvement and knowledge sharing across GPO, and coordinates and monitors the implementation of strategic corporate initiatives. The incumbent also supports the monitoring and updating of the business plan, leads the Operations Management Group, and coordinates improvement and knowledge-sharing initiatives across GPO.

1. Strategic Advisory

• Facilitate the development of cross-regional strategies and policies through advice to the Director and senior management, including advising on current and future business operations and strategy development and planning.
  
  

• With the Director and in collaboration with the team and partners, develop the multi-year strategic plan and the annual business plan, including proposing targets, standards and results expected to ensure timely and partner-oriented services.
  
  

• Evaluate overall GPO activities and initiatives to ensure alignment with organisational strategic plans, frameworks and standards of accountability, ethics, inclusion, safeguarding and integrity, and to ensure that portfolio delivery and business development are mutually reinforcing.
  
  

• Keep abreast of organisational changes to make recommendations on cross-regional strategy and approaches to business development, management of the cross-regional project portfolio, and delivery of sustainable results.
  
  

• With the Director, plan and allocate resources (human, financial and administrative) to achieve goals and ensure the cost-effective and appropriate use of resources in accordance with UNOPS standards of ethics, integrity and accountability framework.

2. Operational Performance Oversight and Coordination

• Review and endorse proposed targets in terms of process excellence, workforce management excellence and financial stewardship.
  
  

• Monitor and oversee performance across GPO; provide guidance and support in relation to actions required to achieve targets.
  
  

• Monitor and oversee internal controls across regions; provide guidance and support in relation to actions required to achieve sufficient levels of controls.
  
  

• Oversee cross-regional performance and execute appropriate controls, with particular focus on cost recovery, attribution of costs, and other high operational risks.
  
  

• Coordinate with relevant UNOPS HQ units to ensure prioritisation, alignment and coherent interactions with GPO; actively engage with internal stakeholders and HQ units to ensure that GPO portfolios and offices perspectives are reflected in HQ-led initiatives.
  
  

• Provide cross-functional quality assurance of the implementation of applicable corporate frameworks and commitments across GPO identifying systemic gaps, inconsistencies and areas requiring corrective action, and escalating material issues to the Deputy Director and relevant technical functions.
  
  

• On behalf of the Director, participate in and report on relevant coordination meetings, working groups, task forces, etc.
  
  

• Coordinate and maintain regular communication with GPO portfolios and offices regarding their needs and requests for support.
  
  

• Coordinate the preparation of substantive briefs for the Director on GPO opportunities and challenges.

3. Performance Improvement

• Drive and support world-class performance, organizational excellence and continuous improvement, and nurture a high-performance management culture.
  
  

• Make evidence-based recommendations to the Director on matters related to performance and efficacy of GPO operations.
  
  

• Recommend to the Director changes to structural arrangements within and between entities across GPO, including cross-functional integration and coordination, in accordance with UNOPS standards on organisational structures.
  
  

• Develop and implement a performance monitoring and quality assurance system to provide oversight of GPO performance measures, corporate commitments and improvement initiatives, drawing on data and technical inputs from relevant specialist functions.

4. Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Actively engage with UNOPS HQ Practice Groups and GPO portfolios to capture and provide a synthesis of best practices and lessons learned, and to ensure harmonisation of practices across GPO.
  
  

• Facilitate and encourage the sharing of information, knowledge and best practices across GPO.
  
  

• Contribute to the planning, implementation and organisation of strategic capacity building for personnel, partners and stakeholders for strategic business development and engagement, in coordination with the relevant technical and function leads.
  
  

• Act as the learning focal point for GPO.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Finance, Political Science, International Relations, International Development, Social Sciences or a related discipline with 12 years of relevant experience, OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in the above mentioned fields with 10 years of relevant experience is required.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in management and advisory/coordination roles

• A minimum of 3 years experience working in project and programme management, international development, postdisaster and/or emergency contexts is required.

• Proven ability to collaborate with and oversee diverse and senior teams

Desired

• Field work experience is desirable.

• Experience in an international organization is an asset.

• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and change management is desirable.

• Demonstrated understanding of development issues and current donor and sectoral trends is an asset.

• Strategic planning experience is an asset

• Chartered Accountant (CA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or equivalent is desirable.

• PRINCE2® Foundation and/or Practitioner Certification or equivalent is desirable

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies 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, fostering 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 acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer 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 on a retainer 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.