Regional Director, Europe and Central Asia

Europe and Central Asia (ECR) Region
The ECR Regional Office oversees and enables efficient and effective delivery of support to partners in the ECR region in line with UNOPS’ corporate strategy. The region has several hundred regular UNOPS personnel who work in diverse and complex environments.
UNOPS portfolio in ECR consists of projects in many countries located in the Europe and Central Asia region managed out of country and multi-country offices - in Austria (AUMCO), Serbia (RSMCO) and Ukraine (UACO). 
Through high-quality implementation of its diverse multi-sectoral projects, ECR effectively supports national partners in achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while currently contributing through its activities to 15 out of 17 SDGs. Key sectors for ECR are health, environment, infrastructure, rule of law and economic development. 

About the Role

They provide overall supervisory guidance to UNOPS Country Offices and Multi-Country Offices to support their delivery results and targets.

Reporting to the Deputy Executive Director (Delivery and Partnerships) who provides broad supervision and guidance, the Regional Director also serves as an advisor to the Deputy Executive Director and Senior Managers on corporate strategic planning, organizational development and management and regional business development strategic priorities, engagement and representation.

Based in Geneva, the Regional Director also serves as UNOPS Representative to Switzerland.

*** This recruitment process is being facilitated by SRI Executive. If you are considered for the role, you may be contacted by them in the near future.***

• Corporate function and services
• Regional leadership 
• Representation and inter-agency partnership
• Knowledge management and innovation

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field is required.
• A Bachelor degree (or equivalent) combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience can be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree (total of 17 years of experience).

• A minimum of 15 years of experience that combines strategic and managerial leadership in public affairs, management, business development planning and operations in a large international and/or corporate organization.  
• Proven ability to manage, supervise and lead a team.
• Experience establishing partnerships with UN agencies, international development organizations, governments, foundations, international NGOs or private sector organizations is desirable.
• Experience in the UN system organizations and/or a developing country is desirable.

• Excellent knowledge of English is essential.  
• Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Contract type: Fixed-term appointment
Contract level: D2 / ICS-14
Contract duration: 2 years initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

• 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.