Deputy Director, Infrastructure & Project Management (a.i) Vacancy Type Internal candidates only
Organizational Context
The Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) at UNOPS provides policy, standards, and support for Project Management, Infrastructure, and Financial Management Services. It leads the design and implementation of a project, programme, and portfolio management system, focusing on sustainable infrastructure and local capacity building to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. IPMG translates policy into practice globally.
Job Purpose
The Deputy Director (a.i.) provides critical day-to-day operational support to the Director of the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) during a significant structural reorganization. This role acts as a key operational anchor and change management support, ensuring continuous service delivery while guiding the workforce through restructuring uncertainties. The incumbent oversees routine operations, fosters cross-team coordination, resolves bottlenecks, and acts as the Director's delegate on operational matters, enabling the Director to focus on strategic alignment and corporate relations. The position is temporary, lasting six months, to ensure business continuity and steady leadership during this transitional phase.
Responsibilities
The Deputy Director (a.i.) is responsible for direct operational oversight and management of daily workflows across IPMG's teams and practice areas, ensuring targets are met amidst organizational changes. This includes proactively identifying and resolving operational bottlenecks, acting as the first point of escalation for internal team challenges, and supporting agile resource allocation for business continuity. The role also involves providing strong, empathetic leadership to guide the team through restructuring, managing morale, reducing anxiety, and fostering resilience. Key duties include ensuring transparent communication about the overhaul, translating restructuring decisions into operational impacts, and maintaining process continuity. Furthermore, the Deputy Director drives cross-practice collaboration to ensure a cohesive service offering and maintains communication with regional hubs to ensure integration with HQ operations. The incumbent advises the Director on operational insights, risk assessments, and strategic recommendations, and identifies and mitigates operational, reputational, and delivery risks.
Work Experience
Required experience includes progressively responsible leadership in operational management, programme delivery, or corporate strategy. Demonstrated experience in operationalizing and improving operating models, organizational structures, management processes, or delivery-support mechanisms within international project-based organizations is essential. Experience supporting and leading teams through significant organizational change, restructuring, or crisis periods, along with managing day-to-day operations across multi-disciplinary teams, is also required. A strong background in advising senior leadership on operational risks and resource management is necessary.
Skills
Change Management, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Interpersonal Communication, Operations Management, Problem Solving, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Planning, Transition Management, Empathy.