Partnerships Specialist (Policy and Quality), Copenhagen, Denmark

General Information

Position Title: Partnerships Specialist (Policy andQuality)

Vacancy Type: Internal candidates only

Job Category: Partnerships

Duty Station(s): Copenhagen

Seniority Level: Mid Level

ICS Level: ICS 10

Contract Type: ICA - IICA - Regular

Contract Level: IICA 2

Posting Start Date: 06-Jul-2026

Posting End Date: 12-Jul-2026

Duration: Ongoing

Job Highlight

Drive the development of UNOPS partnership policy, qualitystandards, and agreement frameworks to enable high-impact globalpartnerships, strengthen organizational compliance, and acceleratestrategic growth across the UN system and beyond.

About the Group

The Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG) is responsible forstrengthening and expanding UNOPS partnerships and buildingknowledge, innovation and foresight capabilities throughnon-programmatic missions, underpinning UNOPS ability to scale upand speed up delivery for impact - for the people we serve.

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

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PFG collaborates closely with HQ groups and geographic officeson partner segment strategies, partner leadership, and opportunitydevelopment, ensuring that partner engagement is coherent,intelligence-driven and aligned with UNOPS strategic priorities tostrengthen UNOPS positioning and visibility.

PFG leads the development of knowledge, innovation and foresightthrough eight thematic missions relating to the sustainabledevelopment goals, enabling UNOPS to anticipate partner needs andemerging trends and respond proactively to strengthen missionreadiness. It brings mission-led intent to partnerships andopportunity development, and drives the horizontal integration ofmissions into policy framing, service offering refinement andservice delivery. It provides expertise and business partneringsupport to teams across UNOPS, and technical advice topartners.

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

Role Purpose

The Partnerships Specialist (Policy and Quality), reporting tothe Chief, Strategic Partnerships, is responsible for partnershippolicy and the technical quality standards that support partnerleadership and engagement across UNOPS. The role coordinates UNOPSpolicy and guidance on partnership agreements and modalities,advises offices on partnership agreements, and ensures alignmentwith UNOPS policy and legislative framework. It sets and monitorstechnical quality standards for partner-related and partner-facingproducts, and provides capacity development support to personnelinvolved in partner leadership and engagement. The role worksclosely with key partner leads, geographic offices and HQ groupscontributing to UNOPS scale up and speed up ambitions bystrengthening the policy frameworks and quality standards on whichpartnership development depends.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Partner Policy, Compliance and Agreements

Manage UNOPS policy and guidance on partnership agreements andmodalities, developing and updating guidance material, policies,processes and resources on the UNOPS Policy and Process Portal.

Conduct consultations, analyze and draft revisions to UNOPSpartnership policies and standards under legal guidance, liaisingwith internal stakeholders on continuous improvement.

Advise UNOPS offices on establishing new complex partnershipagreements at global, regional, and country levels in support ofUNOPS scale up and speed up ambitions and Strategic Plan.

Coordinate internally with other HQ groups to ensure newagreements or revisions are aligned with UNOPS policies andlegislative framework.

Serve as the focal point in UNOPS for advice and guidance tocolleagues on entering into framework, collaborative or teamingagreements with partners, and on supporting the solicitation, duediligence and contract modality processes.

Monitor existing global partnership agreements to ensureagreements are up to date and obligations are communicated toregional offices and other relevant offices

Manage knowledge products related to partnership policy,including guidance material, the Delegation of Authority Annex,templates, process overviews, agreement trackers and lessonslearned.

Develop solutions and enablers with other HQ units that unlocknew partnership modalities for scale up and speed up bystrengthening UNOPS value proposition and ability to respond topartner needs.

Serve as a member of the Portfolio Oversight Committee (POC)Secretariat, supporting the end-to-end submission process andfacilitating escalation to the Executive Office, Legal Group, andFinance Group where POC intervention is required.

Partnership Quality Standards

Set and monitor technical quality standards for partnerleadership and engagement, including for partner-related andpartner-facing products such as concept notes and proposals.

Work closely with Strategic Partnerships Advisors, Key PartnerLeads, Partner Leads and other partner-facing personnel to ensurequality standards are understood, applied and continuously improvedacross UNOPS.

Provide capacity development support for technical qualitystandards including guidance notes, advice and training topersonnel involved in partner leadership and engagement.

Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

Organize, facilitate or deliver training and learninginitiatives for personnel on partner policy and technical qualitystandards.

Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks andcommunities of practice by synthesizing lessons learned anddisseminating best practices in the area of partner policy andquality standards.

Collect and productively utilize feedback, ideas and internalknowledge about processes and best practices.

Teamwork

Contribute to a culture of trust, collaboration andaccountability by working effectively with colleagues anddelivering on commitments.

Foster positive working relationships and support a diverse andinclusive environment where all individuals are treated withdignity and respect.

Demonstrate respect for others and uphold UNOPS standards ofconduct, including zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment,sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and sexual exploitation andabuse.

Act in accordance with UNOPS policies, values, and protectionmechanisms, and promptly raise concerns through appropriatechannels when issues arise.

Skills

Capacity Development, Knowledge Management, Partnerships,Quality Assurance, Report Writing, Stakeholder Management,Strategic Thinking

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinkslong term and externally in order to positively shape theorganisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implicationsof future decisions and activities on other parts of theorganisation.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively todifferences and encourages others to do the same. Upholdsorganisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards oftrustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit.Collaborates and supports the development of others. For peoplemanagers only: Acts as positive leadership role model,motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizingappropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on allpartners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds andmaintains strong external relationships and is a competent partnerfor others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for selfand/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total taskaccomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Seesopportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understandsthat responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on ourbeneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment.Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances orrequirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior.Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursuescontinuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmaticdecisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculatedrisks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner.Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needsof others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge.Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinionand finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in economics, internationaldevelopment, business administration, public policy, developmentstudies or related fields with 7 years of relevant experienceOR
• Master's degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or relatedfields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• Formal training or certification in policy development,partnerships, contract management or quality assurance.

Experience Requirements

Required

• Progressive experience in partnership development, policydevelopment or quality assurance within international or similarlycomplex organizations.
• Proven experience developing and managing policies, guidanceand knowledge products related to partnership agreements orcomparable institutional frameworks.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and partner-facingpersonnel on complex agreements, due diligence and contractmodality processes.
• Experience setting and monitoring technical quality standardsand providing capacity development support including guidance,advice and training.
• Experience of working in multicultural environments.

Desired

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts.
• Experience of working in UN system organizations.

Language Requirements

Language: English

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Required

Language: Arabic

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Desirable

Language: French

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Desirable

Language: Spanish

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Desirable

Language: Chinese, Mandarin

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Desirable

Language: Russian

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Desirable

Additional Information

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process requestcandidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnightCopenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.Applications received after the closing date will not beconsidered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited toproceed to the next stage of the selection process, which mayinclude various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employmentopportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range ofnationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities,sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain andstrengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive workingenvironment where all personnel are treated with respect and haveequal 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 andwelcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenousand racialized communities, individuals of diverse genderidentities and sexual orientations, and persons withdisabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at theirbest during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted andrequire support or reasonable accommodation to complete anyassessment, please inform our human resources team upon receivingyour 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. Touphold these standards, background checks are conducted for allfinal candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history ofsuch conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS,candidates acknowledge and consent to these verificationprocesses.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint acandidate at a lower level than the advertised level of thepost.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatorycourses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time,before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatorycourses may be required during your contract. Please note that youwill not receive any compensation for taking courses andrefreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please clickhere.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their dutiesin accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies andInstructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks.In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UNcore values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on allpotential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on theresults of such checks.