Deputy Director

About UNOPS

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a United Nations body responsible for infrastructure, procurement and project management. Our mission is to deliver practical solutions, making projects happen and responding where needs are greatest. For three decades, UNOPS has  helped people improve their living conditions and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

About UNOPS in Guatemala

UNOPS activities in Guatemala started 27 years ago, in 1997. Since then our main partners are public institutions and our focus of contributions has always been characterized by strengthening the local institutions by intervening in a variety of sectors and projects of varying complexities. From accompanying the peace process following the armed conflict, promoting productive activity in regions of extreme poverty, to modernizing the state in terms of reducing infrastructure gaps, procurement, and more recently, supporting efforts in transparency and efficiency of public institutions, in line with the priorities of the government and the well-being of Guatemalans.

As of 2024 the new elected government identified UNOPS as its partner of choice to support the implementation of the 2024-2028 Government Plan, by strengthening government institutions leading to the adoption of a Fair Public Management approach, that allows the transition towards the modernization of the country's health procurement and infrastructure systems.

The first milestone of this new era is the signature of a major programme with the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance of Guatemala (MSPAS). The programme aims to collaborate with the enhancement of the various mechanisms of access to medicines, medical equipment, and supplies by implementing alternative procurement channels for up to USD 943M, following the best practices in public procurement and strengthening institutional capabilities. 

Quite advanced are also the negotiations of another programme with the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing of Guatemala (MICIVI) which is focused on health infrastructure, roads infrastructure, community infrastructure and public administration infrastructure. UNOPS is also supporting other Ministries and institutions with the implementation of relevant public infrastructure projects.The abovementioned portfolio makes Guatemala one of the biggest UNOPS country operations in the world.

It must be noted that the political context in Guatemala is very complex, changing and fragile, therefore requiring UNOPS to be constantly engaging with high-level government representatives, UNRC and UNCT, as well as other international and civil organizations in the country. The projects UNOPS is being asked to support are quite strategic for the country and therefore have high visibility and exposure. 


About the Deputy Director Role

The Deputy Director of UNOPS in Guatemala plays a critical supporting role to the Director, ensuring effective execution of strategic initiatives and maintaining operational continuity. This position is central to advancing the strategic planning, close coordination with senior stakeholders, portfolio development, and program oversight to ensure impactful delivery.  

The Deputy Director will mainly focus on:

(i) Strategic Leadership and Representation

• Support the Director in high-level engagements with national authorities, including the President, Ministers, oversight bodies, legislators, and ambassadors.

• Facilitate coordination with national institutions, multilateral organizations, and international partners, reinforcing UNOPS' commitment to government priorities.

• Act as the principal backup to the Director, assuming leadership responsibilities as required and during absences to maintain operational continuity and mitigate risks.

• Provides strategic support to the Director in coordinating initiatives that strengthen institutional capacity and sustainable development, with a clear focus on transparency and fair public management.

(ii) Strategic Programme Management & Portfolio Development

• Lead the Project Management Office (PMO): Oversee the PMO as the central hub for project management excellence, ensuring standardized management processes, knowledge sharing, and resource coordination to drive consistent, efficient, and high-quality project delivery across all phases.

• Lead the infrastructure unit as the technical excellence hub for infrastructure projects across all project stages.

• Oversee assigned projects and programs in alignment with UNOPS' standards, ensuring transparency, efficiency, and impact.

• Support the development and management of strategic partnerships with national institutions, multilateral organizations, and international partners to drive portfolio growth and ensure alignment with governmental priorities and national development goals.

• An Advanced University degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) combined with ten (10) years of relevant experience OR 

• A First level University degree (Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent) combined with twelve(12) years of relevant experience is required.

• A minimum of  ten (10) years of experience that combines strategic and managerial leadership in international development, business development, operations and/or program management in a large international and/or corporate organization is required.    

• At least two (2) years of senior leadership experience including supervising senior professional staff and managing financial sustainability of operations is required.

• Relevant experience at UNOPS is a distinctive advantage.

• Experience partnering with the public sector on developing, implementing and/or evaluating  projects and programs of high national relevance is a distinctive advantage.

• Experience managing a country office is desirable. 

• Experience working in developing countries is desirable.

• Experience in hardship or post conflict environments is desirable.

• Certifications in Project Management are desirable but not mandatory (eg. PMI, Prince, or similar). 

• Fluent in Spanish and English are required.

• 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. 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.

• 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.