Portfolio Officer

he Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG) is responsible for strengthening and expanding UNOPS partnerships and building knowledge, innovation and foresight capabilities through non-programmatic missions, underpinning UNOPS ability to scale up and speed up delivery for impact - for the people we serve. 

PFG works across the range of UNOPS partner segments - including UN agencies, international financial institutions and multilateral/regional development banks, donors, partner country governments, vertical funds and multilateral initiatives, south-south cooperation, and the philanthropic and private sectors - to deepen engagement, expand implementation capacity and accelerate progress toward the SDGs. 

PFG collaborates closely with HQ groups and geographic offices on partner segment strategies, partner leadership, and opportunity development, ensuring that partner engagement is coherent, intelligence-driven and aligned with UNOPS strategic priorities to strengthen UNOPS positioning and visibility.

PFG leads the development of knowledge, innovation and foresight through eight thematic missions relating to the sustainable development goals, enabling UNOPS to anticipate partner needs and emerging trends and respond proactively to strengthen mission readiness. It brings mission-led intent to partnerships and opportunity development, and drives the horizontal integration of missions into policy framing, service offering refinement and service delivery. It provides expertise and business partnering support to teams across UNOPS, and technical advice to partners.

PFG has personnel based in UNOPS headquarters in Copenhagen and in locations close to key partners: Beijing, Brussels, Manila, Riyadh, Tokyo, and Washington.

The Knowledge, Innovation and Foresight (KIF) team within the Partnerships and Futures Group furthers UNOPS capabilities and positioning across eight thematic missions: triple planetary crisis; energy transition; small island developing states (SIDS) resilience and sustainability; quality healthcare; just digital transformation; social protection, equality, education and jobs; humanitarian, development and peace nexus; and food systems transformation. This role supports the KIF team and advances UNOPS missions through secretariat support that provides coordination, analysis, reporting and information flow across the organization.

The Portfolio Officer provides coordination, reporting and analytical support to the secretariat function for UNOPS thematic missions within the Knowledge, Innovation and Foresight (KIF) team. The role supports effective communication and information flow, maintains records and knowledge products, and prepares reports and analysis that contribute to the smooth functioning of the missions and to strengthening UNOPS knowledge, innovation and foresight capabilities.

1. Coordination and Secretariat Support

• Organize and schedule meetings, workshops and events for the missions, prepare minutes and track follow-up actions.
• Coordinate with mission leads, foresight colleagues and the knowledge and innovation team within KIF to support information flow and the smooth functioning of the missions.
• Draft and disseminate internal and external communications, including correspondence, newsletters and announcements, and maintain contact lists and distribution groups.
• Support the onboarding of new personnel and consultants working with the missions.
• Support the setup and maintenance of online collaboration platforms and communication channels.

2. Reporting and Document Management

• Collect and compile data and information from the missions for reporting purposes.
• Prepare regular progress reports, presentations and other documents.
• Format and edit reports and other documents to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Maintain a repository of key documents, reports and knowledge products relating to the missions.

3. Research and Analysis

• Conduct research on topics relevant to the work of the missions as required.
• Analyze data and information to support the work of the missions.
• Provide other coordination, reporting and analytical support as required.

4. Teamwork  

• Contribute to a culture of trust, collaboration and accountability by working effectively with colleagues and delivering on commitments.
• Foster positive working relationships and support a diverse and inclusive environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. 
• Demonstrate respect for others and uphold UNOPS standards of conduct, including zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and sexual exploitation and abuse. 
• Act in accordance with UNOPS policies, values, and protection mechanisms, and promptly raise concerns through appropriate channels when issues arise.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in international relations, political science, economics, development studies, social sciences, statistics or related fields with 2 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 0 years of relevant experience is required

Required

• Experience in office management, budget management, project coordination, and/or front office support.

• Experience of working in multicultural environments.

Desired

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts.

• Experience of working in UN system organizations.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.