Senior Manager, Investigation (Workplace Conduct & SEAH)

The Internal Audit and Investigations Group (IAIG) provides independent assurance and oversight to strengthen UNOPS’ governance, risk management, and internal controls, while ensuring accountability through impartial investigations of misconduct. Our internal audit function delivers assurance engagements across field offices and HQ units, advisory reviews of functions, processes, and cross-cutting themes, and targeted project audits - both financial and operational. We also offer ad hoc advisory services to management on strategic matters. Our investigation mandate covers credible allegations involving UNOPS personnel, including fraud, corruption, mismanagement, abuse of authority, sexual or workplace harassment, retaliation against whistleblowers, and violations of UNOPS regulations, rules, or administrative instructions. Through these core functions, IAIG helps safeguard organizational integrity, promote ethical conduct, and enhance operational effectiveness—ensuring that UNOPS delivers its mandate with transparency, fairness, and accountability.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Director, Internal Audit & Investigations, the Senior Manager, Investigation (Workplace Conduct & SEAH) is responsible for leading UNOPS’ workplace conduct and SEAH investigations portfolio, overseeing complex and sensitive investigations to ensure their timely, impartial and legally sound conduct.

The role leads and develops a dedicated investigations team, upholds rigorous investigative standards, and provides expert advice on institutional risks and corrective measures, contributing to organizational accountability, safeguarding and the prevention of misconduct.

1. Workplace Conduct and SEAH Investigation Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Provide strategic leadership for the Workplace Conduct & SEAH investigative portfolio, including monitoring caseloads, establishing priorities, determining investigative strategies and methodologies, and ensuring the timely delivery of investigation services.

2. Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Manage and supervise the Workplace Conduct & SEAH investigations team, including work planning, case allocation, performance management, coaching, quality assurance, and the professional development of investigators.

• Provide functional supervision and quality assurance for personnel responsible for donor reporting and external disclosures relating to Workplace Conduct and SEAH investigations.

• Foster a culture of professionalism, ethical conduct and adherence to IAIG investigative guidelines and international best practices, setting standards of professional conduct and performance across the Workplace Conduct and SEAH investigations team.

3. Investigative Oversight & Case Management

• Lead and oversee complex and sensitive workplace conduct and SEAH investigations, including defining investigation plans, directing investigative activities, managing interviews, assessing evidence, and ensuring investigations are conducted in accordance with UNOPS policies, applicable UN standards, IAIG investigative guidelines and victim-centred methodologies.

• Oversee investigations into allegations of retaliation referred to IAIG, including conducting preliminary assessments where appropriate, coordinating with relevant stakeholders, and ensuring investigations are conducted in accordance with applicable UNOPS policies and procedures.

• Review allegations within the Workplace Conduct and SEAH portfolio, provide technical guidance to the IAIG intake function, advise on preliminary assessments, and recommend investigation, referral or closure, ensuring consistency and quality of case management.

• Prepare and review investigation reports, ensuring the quality, legal sufficiency, procedural integrity and consistency of investigation products, findings and recommendations.

4. Institutional Advisory & Risk Management

• Advise the Director, Internal Audit & Investigations, senior management, and other stakeholders on investigation strategy, institutional risks, corrective measures and policy matters relating to workplace conduct, abuse of authority, harassment, retaliation, and SEAH.

• Monitor and analyze investigation trends, identify systemic risks, and recommend institutional measures to strengthen accountability, safeguarding, and misconduct prevention.

• Identify and escalate risks arising from investigations that may affect the safety and well-being of UNOPS personnel and the communities it serves, advising the Director, Internal Audit & Investigation, on appropriate risk mitigation and safeguarding measures.

5. Policy Development, Prevention & Stakeholder Engagement

• Contribute to the development, implementation and continuous improvement of IAIG investigative policies, procedures, methodologies and guidance relating to workplace conduct and SEAH investigations.

• Promote organizational awareness and prevention of workplace misconduct and SEAH through engagement with relevant stakeholders, including People & Culture (HR), the Ethics Office, regional and country team management, and external partners, identifying emerging risks, trends and lessons learned.

• Represent IAIG in engagements with UN entities, donors, implementing partners, and other external stakeholders on Workplace Conduct and SEAH matters, liaising as appropriate with Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), Chief Executive Board (CEB) networks, and other oversight bodies in accordance with applicable disclosure frameworks.

6. Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Contribute to the development and introduction of innovation to ensure UNOPS is continually incorporating best practice approaches in fraud investigation.

Required:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, social sciences, international relations, human rights, or a related area.

• A first-level university degree in combination with 2 years’ additional experience in conducting criminal and/or administrative investigations (in addition to the 7 years required below) may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Desirable:

• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or equivalent professional qualification from an internationally recognized body is an advantage. Specialized training in survivor-centered or trauma-informed investigative approaches is desirable.

Required:

• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in professional investigatory work, law enforcement/criminal investigations, or related fields.

• Experience conducting investigations into sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, or related workplace conduct matters is required.

• Experience with managing investigations and with international investigations is required.

Desirable:

• Experience with UN policies, procedures and operations 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.