Director, Partnerships and Futures

Organizational Context

The Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG) within UNOPS strengthens partnerships and builds knowledge, innovation, and foresight capabilities. It operates through non-programmatic missions to enhance UNOPS' ability to deliver impact. PFG engages with diverse partners, including UN agencies, governments, and the private sector, to deepen engagement and accelerate progress toward SDGs. It collaborates with HQ and geographic offices to ensure coherent, intelligence-driven partner engagement aligned with UNOPS strategic priorities.

Job Purpose

The Director, Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG) provides strategic leadership and direction for the group, fostering collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. This role is crucial for strengthening UNOPS' capabilities to implement its 4-year strategic plan, aiming to scale up and accelerate delivery for partners and beneficiaries. Reporting directly to the Executive Director and supporting Deputy Executive Directors, the Director is accountable for driving portfolio growth in volume and value, ensuring strategic alignment, and enhancing UNOPS' demand-readiness for partner needs. Key objectives include increasing partner satisfaction with service delivery and ensuring PFG significantly contributes to UNOPS' overall strategic direction and positioning.

Responsibilities

The Director provides organizational leadership and strategic direction, advising senior management on global trends, risks, and opportunities in partnerships, knowledge, innovation, and foresight. This includes translating UNOPS' mandate into a strategic vision and multi-year plan, advocating for the role of these functions in sustainable development, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Functional stewardship involves leading the development and evolution of strategies for partnerships, knowledge, innovation, and foresight across UNOPS, ensuring quality and effectiveness, and promoting devolved decision-making. Strategic partnerships oversight includes developing partner segment strategies for growth, ensuring mission alignment, and contributing to portfolio committees. Key partner leadership involves developing strategies to strengthen relationships and representing UNOPS at high levels. The role also guides the advancement of missions, drives the integration of knowledge, innovation, and foresight, and promotes a culture of experimentation and learning. People leadership includes role-modeling values, driving talent pipelines, fostering teamwork, and promoting a positive, inclusive work environment.

Work Experience

Required experience includes strategic leadership, partnership development, and organizational positioning within large UN system organizations, with a strong background in development or humanitarian contexts. Proven experience in portfolio growth, opportunity development, market intelligence, and leading multi-year strategy development and implementation is essential. Experience in building high-level partnerships, advising senior leadership, and leading cross-functional teams is also required. Experience in innovation, future studies, or knowledge management is desirable.

Skills

Business Relationship Management, Growth Strategies, Key Account Development, Knowledge Management, Market Intelligence, Strategic Partnerships, Partner Development, Strategic Thinking

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