Management Specialist (Change and Solution Design) , Multiple positions

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

The Strategy and Transformation Group

The Strategy and Transformation Group (STG) was established in 2024 and reports to the UNOPS Chief of Staff. STG role is to formulate corporate strategy based on beneficiary, partner and organizational needs and internal capabilities, and supporting the design and implementation of transformation initiatives and other organizational changes in alignment with that strategy.

• Undertake hypothesis-based consulting, applying methodologies such as design thinking, root cause analysis, business model design. Develop concept notes, proposals and plans.
• Partner with initiative owners across the transformation and change portfolio, to identify connections and drive holistic solution development.
• Develop  trust and effective relationships with senior stakeholders. Manage effective stakeholder engagement throughout the solution design and implementation process
• Perform quantitative and qualitative analysis to support the design, development and roll out of organizational design initiatives. 

• Manage hands-on or provide advisory support to the UNOPS transformation and change initiatives with regards to managing the people-side of change. This will include proficiency in utilising best practice approaches to change management, incl.e.g.:
  stakeholder assessment and engagement planning and delivery, communication strategy and delivery, change readiness and change impact assessment, capability development strategy, establishment of effective feedback loops and clear change measures.
• Partner with UNOPS leaders, managers, initiative leads and other change managers, to develop and roll out effective change management plan(s), to realize the benefits of organisation-wide initiative(s) whilst minimizing change disruption.
• Develop pragmatic solutions to accelerate the adoption of change, which are reflective of the needs and realities of UNOPS stakeholders at HQ, regional and country level. Initiate timely corrective action where necessary.
• Design and facilitate stakeholder workshops to deliver key change management products and increase the capacity for change management within project teams and the wider organisation.
• Contribute towards the efforts to develop enterprise change management capability.
• Conduct post-implementation monitoring and follow-up, for well embedded change.

• Operate as an integral member of project teams. Where relevant, take ownership over the delivery of specific work packages and/or deliverables.
• On the needs basis, project manage initiatives, ensuring effective planning, driving progress, monitoring delivery and tracking benefits realization.
• Establish solid working relationships with the project board and other key stakeholders, advising on issues that may impact the achievement of the desired change outcomes.
• Contribute to oversight, advice and direction of the portfolio and project management activities.
• Provide support to strengthen project governance structures and processes.
• As relevant, produce and update project documentation including business cases, project plans, risk analysis, stakeholder analysis and communications plans, reports etc.

• Supervise, mentor and develop team members - in a matrix team setting.
• On specific initiatives, provide clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable team members to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently. 
• Foster teamwork, collaboration and a positive work environment and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.
• Plan and develop a flexible workforce with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance, and ensure gender and geographical diversity and inclusion. 

• Contribute to the ongoing update of UNOPS Change Management framework and tools, consulting toolkit and body of knowledge to ensure the organization is incorporating best practice approaches for managing internal change initiatives. 
• Support the development of the UNOPS change capability, leveraging learning techniques, talent management, innovation and knowledge management approaches.

• An advanced degree preferably in Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Political Science, International Relations, or other related fields.
• A combination of Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.
• Professional Change Management certification (i.e. PROSCI, APMG or similar) is an asset.
• Project Management certification (i.e. PRINCE2, MSP, MoP, PMI) is an asset.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement - ICA
Contract level: International ICA2 - ICS10
Contract duration:  Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• 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. For more information on a retainer contract 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.