Director, Brussels Partnerships Office

2 years initially, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

Job Highlight

Lead UNOPS strategic engagement with key partners, driving high-impact partnerships which strengthen positioning, portfolio growth, and mission delivery.

About the Group

The 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.

Job Specific Context

The Brussels Partnerships Office (BPO) serves as UNOPS partnerships hub in Brussels, strengthening strategic engagement with key partners that include the European Union (EU) and EU Member States. The office works to deepen collaboration with European institutions by driving partnership and opportunity development, portfolio management and strategic communications. BPO provides partner intelligence, facilitates connections with key stakeholders, and assists teams across UNOPS in managing EU
- and member state-funded programmes. Through these efforts, the office helps position UNOPS as a trusted partner for delivering humanitarian, development and peacebuilding initiatives, while also contributing to joint UN engagement in Brussels to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Role Purpose

The Director, Brussels Partnerships Office provides senior leadership within their office location, modelling UNOPS values and fostering a high-performing, inclusive team culture. As a senior representative of UNOPS, the role carries significant responsibility for conduct, integrity and the professional reputation of the organization.

The Director, Brussels Partnerships Office is responsible for managing and deepening relationships with assigned key partners, driving partnership development, partner engagement, and opportunity development to scale up and speed up delivery for impact
- for the people UNOPS serves. The role is central to reinforcing UNOPS reputation as a leading resource for expanding partners' implementation capacity.

Reporting to the Director of Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG) the role is based in one of several UNOPS offices globally and leads a local partnerships team.

The Director, Brussels Partnerships Office is accountable for driving growth in the volume and value of the portfolio of engagements of the office's key partners, bringing thematic mission-led intent to partnerships and opportunity development, and improving the identification and conversion of opportunities. The role drives increases in partner satisfaction with the quality and delivery of UNOPS services.

Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Strategic Alignment and Direction

• Contribute to PFG strategy and planning, providing insights and recommendations drawn from key partner relationships to inform PFG direction and continuous improvement.
• Provide timely analysis and reporting on key partner portfolios, including risks, opportunities and lessons learned, to support informed decision-making by PFG leadership.
• Support the Director, PFG in advising regional and country office personnel on partner engagement, contributing to organizational capability building for partnership development.

2. Key Partner Strategy and Positioning

• Develop and implement strategies for key partn