Head of Risk Unit

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. 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.   

The Risk and Compliance Group (RCG) brings together key Second Line of Defence functions at UNOPS Headquarters and is responsible for establishing and maintaining a robust and integrated risk management framework across UNOPS, promoting a culture of risk awareness and accountability, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, rules, policies, and standards.

The Head of Risk Unit plays a critical role in leading the development, implementation, and monitoring of UNOPS' risk management framework, ensuring its effectiveness in identifying, assessing, treating, and monitoring key risks across the organization.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment:

The Head of Risk Unit is responsible for leading and managing the Risk Unit within RCG. This includes providing strategic direction and technical expertise in the development and implementation of UNOPS' enterprise risk management (ERM) framework, methodologies, and tools. The incumbent will oversee the identification, assessment, and analysis of strategic, operational, programmatic, and project-level risks, and will support the development and monitoring of risk mitigation strategies. The Head of Risk Unit will also contribute to fostering a risk-aware culture within UNOPS and will provide regular reporting on the organization's risk profile to senior management and relevant governance bodies. The Head of Risk Unit manages the personnel and resources in the Risk Unit. The Head of Risk Unit may be tasked with oversight of additional cross-functional areas, in line with evolving organizational priorities and risk governance needs.

Under the direct supervision of the Director of RCG, the Head of Risk Unit will be responsible for the following:

Strategic Leadership and Management:

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Risk Unit, ensuring alignment with UNOPS' overall strategic objectives and the RCG's mandate.

• Lead the development and execution of the Risk Unit's work plan and budget, ensuring efficient and effective resource allocation.

• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate the performance of Risk Unit personnel, fostering a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative team environment.

• Contribute actively to the overall strategic planning and management of the Risk and Compliance Group supporting cross-functional integration and innovation in risk and compliance practises

Risk Management Framework Development and Implementation:

• Lead the continuous development, implementation, and improvement of UNOPS' enterprise risk management (ERM) framework, policies, procedures, and tools, in line with best practices and relevant international standards.

• Ensure that the risk governance framework is being effectively adopted across UNOPS

• Lead ongoing evaluation on whether the risk governance framework and  process is sufficient to meet the evolving business needs and new risks

• Develop and maintain methodologies and guidelines for risk identification, assessment (qualitative and quantitative), analysis, evaluation, treatment, monitoring, and reporting.

• Oversee the implementation of risk management processes across UNOPS' business units, regions, and projects.

• Ensure the integration of risk management considerations into core organizational processes, such as strategic planning, programme/project design, and decision-making.

Risk Identification, Assessment, and Analysis:

• Oversee the systematic identification and assessment of strategic, operational, programmatic, and project-level risks across UNOPS.

• Develop and maintain risk registers and risk profiles at different organizational levels, ensuring they reflect the evolving risk landscape

• Conduct or oversee risk analysis, including the assessment of likelihood and impact, and the identification of interdependencies and emerging risks.

• Facilitate risk assessment workshops and discussions with relevant stakeholders.

Risk Treatment and Monitoring:

• Support the development and implementation of risk treatment plans and mitigation strategies, ensuring clear ownership and accountability.

• Monitor the effectiveness of risk treatment measures and track progress against agreed targets.

• Provide guidance and support to functional units and project teams in the development and implementation of risk mitigation actions.

• Establish and maintain mechanisms for the regular review and updating of risk treatment plans.

Risk Reporting and Communication:

• Develop and deliver regular insightful and actionable reports on UNOPS' risk profile, key risks, and risk management activities to the Director of RCG, senior management, and relevant governance bodies (including the Executive Board and the Audit and Advisory Committee).

• Prepare ad-hoc risk reports, dashboards and briefings as required.

• Communicate risk-related information effectively to different stakeholders across the organization.

• Contribute to the ongoing development of risk awareness and training materials, supporting a culture of shared responsibility for risk

Risk Culture and Capacity Building:

• Promote a strong risk-aware culture within UNOPS through communication, training, and awareness-raising initiatives.

• Develop and deliver risk management training and capacity-building programs for UNOPS personnel at all levels.

• Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing on risk management best practices across the organization.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders across UNOPS, including regional offices, project centres, and functional units.

• Collaborate with other units within RCG (e.g., Cyber-Security, Compliance, Due Diligence, Internal Control, Compliance Review Committee(s)) to ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to risk and compliance management.

• Represent UNOPS in relevant inter-agency forums and external engagements related to risk management.

• Collaborate with Agencies sharing the same Executive Board (UNDP and UNFPA) on risk management, reporting to the Board and establishing best practices. 

• Liaise with the Internal Audit and Investigations Group and other oversight bodies on risk-related matters.

Knowledge Management and Best Practices:

• Stay abreast of developments and best practices in risk management methodologies, tools, and techniques.

• Contribute to the development and dissemination of risk management knowledge and lessons learned within UNOPS.

• Foster a learning culture by facilitating knowledge-sharing initiatives, communities of practice, and capacity-building efforts across UNOPS

• Promote the use of artificial intelligence, digital tools and data analytics to enhance risk management capabilities.

Impact of Results:

The effective performance of the Head of Risk Unit will significantly contribute to:

• Strengthening UNOPS' overall risk management capabilities and resilience.

• Enhancing the organization's ability to achieve its strategic objectives by proactively identifying and managing potential threats and opportunities.

• Improving decision-making through the integration of risk considerations into planning and operations.

• Fostering a culture of risk awareness and accountability across UNOPS.

• Protecting UNOPS' assets and reputation.

• Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, rules, policies, and standards.

• Increasing stakeholder trust and confidence in UNOPS' ability to manage risks effectively.

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in risk management, business administration, finance, economics, or a related field. 

• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.   

• Certifications: Relevant professional risk management certifications (e.g., CRM, CRISC, PMI-RMP) are an asset.

Contract type: Staff
Contract level: P5
Contract duration: Fixed-term staff contract - One year 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. 

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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. 

• 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.