Corporate Strategy Specialist

Corporate Strategy performs a number of functions in relation to the organizations statutory governance and oversight. It is primarily responsible for managing the development of the quadrennial UNOPS strategic plan on behalf of the Executive Director and the quadrennial midterm review of the UNOPS strategic plan in accordance with the policy on strategy setting. As of 2023, the Unit is also responsible for managing the development of the Annual Report of the Executive Director, including the key input via external thematic evaluations. In addition, it is substantively engaged in various UN reporting and engagement with the Executive Board. It is also responsible for providing substantive secretariat to the Audit Advisory Committee; as well as for providing coordination, advice and analysis on strategy and oversight matters, and other substantive executive support.

With the approval in June 2023 of the restated strategic plan, 2022-2025, UNOPS is embarking on a multi-year journey to implement its strategic objectives. CS is expected to support the organization in this regard. Its engagement in strategy deployment will particularly be reinforcing implementation based on review and reporting of performance against the expanded results framework adopted by the Executive Board along with the strategic plan.

Functional Responsibilities:

Under the guidance of the Director, Corporate Strategy, the Corporate Strategy Specialist will be responsible for a number of inherent United Nations activities enabling the organization’ statutory governance and oversight, including:

• Contribute to the analysis and drafting for development of the UNOPS strategic plan and midterm review, including the expanded results framework with focus for impact and targets for contributions and management results.
• Contribute to strategy deployment reinforced by the expanded results framework, including design, implementation and analysis behind biannual contribution reviews and annual impact review, and relevant regional and country-level planning.
• Contribute to the preparation of the Annual Report of the Executive Director (AR), including identification of strategic, operational and management risks, challenges and lessons learned, and coordination of relevant annexes.
• Support enhancement of models for quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, including automation of real-time portfolio information, as well as formats for internal reporting on impact for the most vulnerable people and country-level contributions.
• Support coordination of external thematic evaluation with external service providers and internal stakeholders, to further substantiate UNOPS contributions to impacts and inform internal learning.
• Support the provision of substantive secretariat for the Audit Advisory Committee (AAC), including coordination and preparation of meeting agendas, minutes and annual reporting; and as relevant support preparation of information and reports in relation to strategy implementation, results-based management and external thematic evaluations.
• Coordinate the performance monitoring of implementation of all oversight recommendations made to UNOPS, including for quarterly management reviews and external reporting; and facilitate continuous improvement of processes and tools to manage and track oversight recommendations.
• Contribute to the establishment and refinement of policy and standards for corporate strategy, strategy deployment and strategic evaluation.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement procedures and IT tools for corporate performance monitoring informing decision-making and relevant internal and external reporting on performance.
• Coordinate relevant United Nations statutory reporting and requests for substantive information, including the potential to leverage reporting, e.g. via UN INFO to substantiate UNOPS contributions to impacts.
• Support the maintenance of current records of Executive Board decisions and other information of central relevance for a coherent interphase on statutory governance and oversight.
• Provide other substantive executive support within the scope of the role as outlined above as requested.

Education/Experience/Language requirements:

Education Requirements: 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in political science, social science, business or public administration, or related field is required.
• Applicants with a bachelor degree with additional two years of relevant working experience may also be considered.

Experience Requirements: 

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in organizational governance, coordination and reporting; strategy development and deployment; organizational monitoring and reporting; or management advisory services is required.
• Experience with coordination in an organizational governance and reporting context is required.
• Experience with business intelligence, analysis and corporate reporting is required.
• Experience in change management, management consulting or related is desirable.
• Experience with United Nations system frameworks and approaches for monitoring and reporting on programmatic / implementation activities is desirable.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is a strict requirement.
• Fluency in either French or Spanish would be an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=28511#3