Director, Global Portfolios

Global Portfolios Group

The Global Portfolios Group (GPG) coordinates UNOPS’ strategy for supporting governments, United Nations agencies, and partners in delivering and implementing their unique global and inter-regional portfolios of projects and programmes which contribute towards achievement of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

As a newly formed function, GPG builds on existing capabilities within UNOPS and is composed of UNOPS’ current global portfolios which are centrally managed across offices in Geneva, Vienna and New York as follows:

• Geneva Office (GVA) specifically supports a number of hosted programmes with a global remit, including the StopTB Partnership, Scaling Up Nutrition, RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the Platform on Disaster Displacement, Global Executive Leadership Initiative, ATscale Global Partnership, and Cities Alliance based in Brussels. 

• Water and Energy Cluster (WEC), based in Vienna and reporting into GVA, which manages global initiatives on climate change, sustainable water management, and environmental protection. 

• New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) includes the Peace and Security Cluster (PSC) and the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC), and is responsible for providing a range of important operational support services to the UN Secretariat and the whole UN system in New York and around the world. SDC supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations through Grants Management Services (GMS), UNOPS Technology Support Services (UNTSS), and Development and Social Initiatives (DSI), while PSC supports partners in the area of mine action and explosive hazards.

About the Role

Reporting to the Deputy Executive Director (DED) for Delivery and Partnerships, the GPG Director provides strategic guidance and oversight to the GVA and NYPO Directors.

The GPG Director works with the GVA and NYPO Directors to ensure continuous alignment of goals and effective delivery of projects and services which meet the specific needs and expectations of clients and partners while adhering to organizational rules and standards across the global portfolios.

Based in New York, the GPG Director works in concert with HQ Directors, Regional Directors and Directors of Hosted Partnerships to ensure that appropriate levels of ongoing management, policy, operational, and partnerships development support are continuously provided to the global and hosted portfolios.


*** 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.***

Summary of functions:

1. Strategic Alignment and Direction

2. Global Portfolios Functional Leadership

3. People Leadership

4. Representation and Inter-Agency Partnership

5. Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Define overarching strategic and operational priorities for the Geneva (GVA) Office and New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) in line with UNOPS multi-year strategic plan.

• Provide guidance and inputs across GPG’s end-to-end strategy formulation activities. Ensure global portfolios are able to identify common challenges and opportunities, synergize efforts and resources where feasible, and leverage cross-cutting capabilities to deliver the distinct range of services offered by each global portfolio to meet the complex and multi-faceted needs and expectations of clients and partners.

• Raise visibility of global portfolio priorities in standard-setting and corporate-planning activities driven by UNOPS’ Management and Policy functions. Work with Directors of Finance, Infrastructure and Project Management, Procurement, People and Culture, IT, Risk and Compliance, and Shared Services Centre (SSC) to ensure that centrally-managed policies, processes and procedures enable global portfolios to deliver services effectively and efficiently.

• In consultation with GVA and NYPO Directors, work with the Partnerships and Liaison Director, as well as Regional Office Directors, to identify and drive collaboration opportunities at global, regional and country levels.

• Contribute to the formulation of UNOPS’ overall strategies and policies by providing relevant advice to the Deputy Executive Director (DED) for Delivery and Partnerships. Participate in senior management deliberations on current and future operations.

• Delegate authority and leadership to GVA and NYPO Directors to establish and cascade strategic goals and objectives across their global portfolios.

• Monitor the performance of the global portfolios. Oversee progress towards annual objectives and make decisions to ensure the delivery of results as planned and according to clients’ and partners’ expectations. Recommend major changes and/or alignments in operations to the DED-Delivery and Partnerships to enhance and/or maintain efficacy.

• Provide the Executive Director, DED-Delivery and Partnerships, and other members of the global leadership team with timely and accurate management reports as well as strategic advice and proposals related to the Global Portfolios function, thereby ensuring implications, opportunities and risks of business decisions are fully considered and aligned with UNOPS’ purpose.

• Continuously evaluate overall global portfolio activities and initiatives to ensure alignment with UNOPS strategic plans, frameworks and standards of accountability, ethics and integrity.

• Work with direct reports to plan, recruit and develop a flexible workforce with the competencies needed to drive optimal performance while ensuring gender and geographical diversity.

• As a member of UNOPS global leadership team, role-model UNOPS values and behavioral competencies.

• Promote teamwork and collaboration across GPG, ensuring team members have clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable them perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

• Foster a positive work environment that is respectful of all. Ensure appropriate focus on team well-being, empowerment, diversity and inclusion and that the highest standards of conduct are observed.

• Represent UNOPS in senior inter-agency and external meetings/ bodies including Hosted Entities’ Boards and Steering Committees to promote the organization, contribute to policy discussion, and identify potential areas for UNOPS partnership and engagement.

• Collaborate with internal and external partners, colleagues and stakeholders to keep abreast of evolving trends, advocate UNOPS services and build partnerships/ alliances to maintain/ enhance UNOPS visibility in project services in development cooperation.

• Build and maintain public/ media relations to actively engage interest/ support in promoting and communicating UNOPS achievements, competencies and interest in global development.

• Represent UNOPS at key global events (including media and public relations events) and meetings to speak on the organization's goals, priorities  and capabilities. Build and maintain alliances to promote and/or advocate UNOPS’ position as a partner of choice in sustainable development.

• Oversee the successful implementation of policies, standards and tools to effectively manage global portfolios and enhance/ maintain UNOPS competitive edge as a provider of effective project services for sustainable results.

• Lead the ongoing research, development and implementation of best practice and innovative approaches to maximize performance and sustain achievements.

• Drive knowledge sharing and strategic communications with corporate functions, ensuring collaboration and continuous feedback through communications networks and other channels, as appropriate.

• Lead the planning, implementation and organization of strategic capacity building of personnel, partners and stakeholders for strategic business development and engagement.