Head of Strategy and Results

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. 

Cities Alliance, which is hosted by UNOPS, is a global partnership for the promotion of cities in poverty reduction and sustainable development. Headquartered in Brussels and supported by a Secretariat, it is a unique partnership with a diverse membership including – global organisations of local authorities, national governments, international non-governmental organisations, foundations, knowledge networks and multilateral organisations – which have come together to strengthen both impacts and coherence in urban development. Cities Alliance is a global leader, with a strong track record in grant making, that supports strategic city planning, slum upgrading strategies and national policies designed to make cities more inclusive and sustainable. Through UNOPS, the Cities Alliance operates a Multi-Donor Fund supported by an efficient, flexible grant-making mechanism with global reach.

The Head of Strategy and Results reports to the Cities Alliance Director. The Head of Strategy and Results has primary responsibility to strategically orient the Cities Alliance, define its business model, communicate its identity and achievements, and mobilise resources and partner relationships to reach organisational effectiveness and growth. The Head of Strategy and Results is also responsible to connect strategy to effective management by ensuring alignment of the external view with internal execution: this includes leading the ability of the organisation to mobilise resources and partners, plan, implement, report on its performance and results, evaluate, and manage quality and risks.

• Develops strategic policy choices related to mandate, business model and financing; 

• Leads on the development of gender as a corporate strategic driver and its integration into all business development efforts

• Leads the design and drafting of the strategic plan for approval by the Management Board and Assembly and subsequent updates and revisions; 

• Oversees development of Annual Work Plans ensuring alignment with the Results Framework and Strategic Plan;

• Develops, adapts and maintains Risk Management Framework and the reporting of this;

• Ensures Quality Assurance mechanisms for the organisation.

• Provides leadership to the M&E team, promote teamwork and supervise and empowers staff to define and execute M&E strategies and plans;

• Provides guidance on the portfolio alignment to the Result Framework, on its pace of delivery against the agreed targets set in the plans and on emerging programmatic opportunities.

• Manages the design of the Corporate Results Framework and Scorecard;

• Manages corporate independent evaluations, supervises ad hoc evaluations where appropriate, and suggests corrective course of actions;

• Establishes secretariat goals and metrics to motivate and assess performance and monitor strategy and plans implementation;

• Ensures and supervises corporate reporting on developmental results and performance of the organisation.  

• Leads an expanded Business Development Team including gender and partner government secondees to the organisation when the funding relationship with these governments requires strengthening

• Provides leadership to the BD team, promote teamwork and supervise and empowers staff to define and execute strategies and targets for Cities Alliance business development;

• Ensures regular landscaping, screening and identification of business opportunities; 

• Ensures targeted communication to and management of donors;

• Ensures general alignment and cross-support to the Country and Regional offices as the Global Window in mobilisation of resources;

• Leverages Cities Alliance experience and reputation and consolidate the organisational niche, specialities and unique value for stakeholders and beneficiaries; 

• Oversees member relations, strategic partnerships, policy and practices, and services offered by the Secretariat.

• Provides leadership to the Communication team, promote teamwork and supervise and empowers staff to define and execute Cities Alliance communications strategy;

• Oversees communication and messaging strategies that bring clarity to the CA mission, vision and value proposition;

• Advises on communication components in programme and project formulations to integrate, and ensure coherence of, advocacy and communication strategies into all aspects of CA programme;

• Oversees website content social media activities and publication activities, including outreach materials, content provision, design and production.

• Provides specific support to the Director in strengthening the functional engagement with UNOPS, and in particular PLG, in aligning business development initiatives with UNOPS business development efforts, as well as strengthening the partnership with other UN agencies/multilateral partners 

• Together with the Director, engages with partners and members to ensure sound governance and good Board relations

• Advise the Director on key emerging institutional priorities and to develop the positioning of the organisation to respond to these to enhance the functioning of the organisation 

• Works with the Director on forecasting business development trends, opportunities and challenges to position the organisation to ensure ongoing sustainability.

The effective and successful performance by the Head of Strategy and Results directly impacts on the positioning, sustainability, coherence and value proposition of the organisation and achievements of its strategic objectives. This also reinforces the reputation, visibility and image of the Cities Alliance as an effective developmental organisation, strengthens its sustainability and impact, and allows for organisational growth.  

• Advanced university degree (Master or PhD level) in urban studies, project management, public administration, political and social science or another relevant discipline is required.
• A combination of Bachelor’s degree in any of the above disciplines with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in programme management, business development, monitoring and evaluation or related areas; of these, at least 5 years must be at senior management level in an international organization
• Previous experience in UN system organisations and in a developing country is desirable. 

• Full working knowledge of English is essential.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment (FTA - UN Staff)
Contract level: P5 - ICS12
Contract duration: Initial appointment of 12 months, renewable upon satisfactory performance and available funding.

• 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. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority 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.