Deputy Programme Director

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors, and United Nations organizations. 

New York Portfolio Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP). It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS DSIP has been requested to support The Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP). This is a hosted entity.

The Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) was launched by world leaders at COP27 and aims to accelerate global progress to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation, through a voluntary and focussed partnership of countries that are making a strong contribution to this agenda through national action and international collaboration. The importance of the target in the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use of halting and reversing forest loss by 2030 has now been emphasized by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement in the outcome of the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement.

To achieve its mission the FCLP members intend to:

1. Maintain high-level political attention on forests and climate;
2. Provide their combined political support to accelerate and scale implementation of a prioritized number of Policy Action Areas;
3. Support implementation of the participating countries' self-determined national goals and encourage all countries to be even more ambitious over time; and
4. Demonstrate impact and be answerable for commitments made.

The FCLP’s strategic direction is determined by the Steering Committee, composed of ministers from FCLP member countries, on behalf of their leader. The initial Steering Committee comprises Colombia, Costa Rica, DRC, France, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Norway, UK and USA, and is Chaired by the United States and Ghana. 32 countries are now members of the FCLP, which together make up 35% of the world’s forests and over 60% of GDP.

The FCLP is supported by the Secretariat, which is managed and operates under the oversight of the Secretariat Board. Personnel work remotely. 

Leadership

• Represent the FCLP and FCLP Secretariat on behalf of the Programme Director in meetings and to external partners, including internationally and at senior levels, as determined by the Programme Director. 
• Provide vision and inspiring leadership to Secretariat sub-teams. 
• Lead and manage the FCLP Secretariat sub-teams, ensuring that the agreed work plan is delivered to a high quality and within budget.
• Lead and manage a diverse FCLP sub-teams including staff, consultants and secondees, ensuring effective division of labor and managing the teams to deliver high impact results.
• Report to the Programme Director regularly, and as required, on progress and strategy, thereby supporting transparency and accountability of the FCLP Secretariat to its members.
• As required by the Programme Director, report directly to members on progress and strategy on areas of responsibility. 
• Create an environment that promotes diversity and inclusion and a culture of respect towards colleagues at all levels.
• Take part in regular Senior Leadership Team meetings, contributing to the creation and development of a healthy working environment for all team members. 

Strategy and Political Ambition

• Coordinate delivery of the two-year (2025 and 2026) FCLP Strategy leading up to COP31 in Australia, which includes key milestones for COP30 in Belém, approved by the Steering Committee, including policy working groups.
• Ensure the Secretariat is effectively resourced and working in partnership with relevant international organizations to support delivery and ambition of members. 
• Facilitate the delivery of specific initiatives, supporting co-leads of the respective workstreams to maximize impact. 
• Ensure that the Secretariat focuses its work on the priorities in the approved work plan and strategy.   
• Design and deliver political ambition events for ministers and leaders at UN Climate Change Conferences and other events as needed (e.g. CBD COPs, UNGA, etc.).
• Ensure that an effective communications strategy is in place so that the work and the added value of the FCLP is understood, recognised and valued internationally.
• Provide advice on strategic direction to the Programme Director.

Partnership Management and Governance

• Ensure quality and integrity of Secretariat services
• Ensure that the FCLP governance and procedures (e.g. on transparency and decision-making) are fit for purpose, facilitating updates as needed by the Steering Committee, and ensure that these procedures are followed.
• Oversee and direct the Secretariat sub-teams to support the Programme Director in their reporting to FCLP Steering Committee and co-chairs, ensuring that they are convened regularly with a clear agenda and high-quality papers, to enable effective decision-making. 
• Organize meetings of the Steering Committee, the Secretariat Board and member countries at the sherpa and ministerial level. 
• Ensure that the FCLP member countries remain engaged in and informed about the work of the partnership and are actively involved in delivery and decision-making. Ensure that voices from FCLP members both from the Global North and the Global South are included in the FCLP agenda and priorities. 
• Establish effective consultation arrangements with partners and non-state actors about the work of the FCLP, including indigenous peoples and local community representation organizations, the scientific community and other stakeholders.

Secretariat Operations Management

• Provide cross-cutting support to the Programme Manager to develop the Secretariat Workplan and Budget, including resources managed by financial delivery partners, for approval by the Steering Committee, and ensure quarterly reporting.
• Provide cross-cutting support to the Programme Manager to develop and implement an internal operations manual and internal control framework, including rules and procedures for staff, decision-making, financial management.
• Support the Programme Director’s oversight of the budget and ensure transparency and alignment with FCLP objectives and compliance with UNOPS requirements, following agreed procedures for financial decision-making and reporting, including to donors. 
• Support the Programme Director in their work with the Steering Committee on resource mobilization to ensure the Secretariat has the financial resources needed to deliver its work plan, based on an approved resource mobilization plan, mobilizing resources from governmental and philanthropic donors and other sources of funds as appropriate.

A work plan will be developed based on the UNOPS PER cycle and serve as the overarching document to monitor progress and record performance. 

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

• 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 

• 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.