Director, Knowledge, Innovation and Foresight, Copenhagen, Denmark

General Information

Position Title: Director, Knowledge, Innovation andForesight

Job Category: Leadership

Duty Station(s): Copenhagen

Seniority Level: Executive Level

ICS Level: ICS 13

Contract Type: ICA - IICA - Regular

Contract Level: IICA 4

Posting Start Date: 06-Jul-2026

Posting End Date: 19-Jul-2026

Duration: Ongoing

Job Highlight

This is a unique opportunity to lead and drive thoughtleadership, innovation and strategic foresight across UNOPS,shaping how the organization anticipates emerging trends, evolvesservice offerings, strengthens missions, and transforms insightinto high-impact partnerships and delivery solutions.

About the Group

The Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG) is responsible forstrengthening and expanding UNOPS partnerships and buildingknowledge, innovation and foresight capabilities through eightnon-programmatic, thematic missions, underpinning UNOPS ability toscale up and speed up delivery for impact - for the people weserve.

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.

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 missions relating to the sustainable development goals,enabling UNOPS to anticipate partner needs and emerging trends andrespond proactively to strengthen mission readiness. It bringsmission-led intent to partnerships and opportunity development, anddrives the horizontal integration of missions into policy framing,service offering refinement and service delivery. It providesexpertise and business partnering support to teams across UNOPS,and technical advice to partners.

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Organization Job Listings

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

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Director, Partnerships and Futures Group (PFG),the Director, Knowledge, Innovation and Foresight (KIF) leads andmanages a team of professionals with technical expertise inknowledge and innovation, foresight, and the following thematicmissions: triple planetary crisis; energy transition; small islanddeveloping states (SIDS) resilience and sustainability; qualityhealthcare; just digital transformation; social protection,equality, education and jobs; humanitarian, development and peacenexus; and food systems transformation.

The Director provides strategic leadership and direction,ensures coherence across the KIF function and drives theintegration of knowledge, innovation and foresight throughmissions, helping to align partnership development, opportunitydevelopment, service offering refinement and service delivery. Indoing so, the role strengthens UNOPS ability to anticipate andrespond to partner needs and emerging trends, driving missionreadiness and accelerating progress toward the SDGs.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Strategic Alignment and Direction

Define and lead the overarching strategic and operationalpriorities for Knowledge, Innovation and Foresight in alignmentwith UNOPS multi-year strategic plan.

Elevate knowledge, innovation and foresight capabilities withincorporate planning and standard-setting processes, working closelywith relevant groups and offices across UNOPS.

Contribute to shaping UNOPS organizational strategies andpriorities by advising the Director, PFG and participating insenior management discussions on current and future operations.

Mission Leadership

Provide strategic oversight and direction across the missions,supervising a team of technical experts, and ensuring coherence,quality and impact across all mission areas.

Strengthen UNOPS positioning and visibility across missionthematic areas, representing the missions collectively at seniorlevel and supporting mission leads in their role as UNOPS principalfocal points and thought leaders for assigned missions.

Work closely with the Head, Strategic Partnerships to ensuremission-led intent is embedded within partner segment strategies,key partner strategies, and partner-facing materials.

Oversee the integration of knowledge, innovation and foresightthrough missions, helping to align partnership development,opportunity development, service offering refinement and servicedelivery and reinforcing mission readiness.

Knowledge and Innovation

Set strategic direction and supervise a team of technicalexperts in the development and operation of knowledge andinnovation frameworks, systems, processes, tools and organizationallinkages across UNOPS.

Ensure knowledge and learning systems enable the codification ofservice offerings to support refinement and standardization,driving scale up and speed up of delivery for impact forbeneficiaries.

Ensure UNOPS knowledge and learning is positioned within thewider UN learning ecosystem, contributing to and drawing frominter-agency platforms and communities.

Ensure that internal knowledge and learning are linked withlong-term external perspectives and trends through foresight,supporting ideation and driving innovation.

Set strategic direction for innovation across UNOPS, ensuringthat innovation processes for ideation, testing and progression toservice offering and delivery are connected to mission thematicareas, knowledge, learning, and foresight.

Champion a culture of experimentation and learning across PFGand the wider organization.

Ensure innovation capabilities are built across UNOPS throughtraining, business partnering and communities of practice.

Foresight

Set strategic direction for foresight, supervising a foresightpersonnel and ensuring that horizon scanning, trend analysis andscenario planning inform UNOPS positioning, mission readiness andpartnership development.

Oversee the establishment and continuous improvement offoresight mechanisms that involve internal and external parties,including other UN agencies and external bodies.

People Leadership

Create, foster and role model a culture of trust, empowermentand accountability in the KIF team.

Build engagement and foster a diverse and inclusive workenvironment, respectful of all, and ensure that the higheststandards of conduct are observed.

Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zerotolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harassment,sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse. Ensureaccountability for actions and perform duties in accordance withprotection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPSpolicies, standards and commitments.

Promote teamwork, collaboration and diversity, by providingtimely guidance and supervision to the team, to enable them toperform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

Plan, recruit, manage and develop a flexible and diverseworkforce, with the skills and competencies needed to ensureoptimum performance.

Skills

Concept Generation, Design Thinking, Growth Strategies,Knowledge Management, Organizational Learning, Team 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 international development,business administration, public policy, economics, politicalscience, futures studies or a related discipline with 12 years ofrelevant experience OR
• Master's degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or relatedfields with 10 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• Formal training or certification in strategic foresight/futuresthinking, innovation management/design thinking, leadership andorganizational transformation, or knowledge management systems

Experience Requirements

Required

• Extensive senior leadership experience in international orsimilarly complex organizations with a strong track record inadvising senior decision-makers and leading interdisciplinary teamsof technical experts.
• Demonstrated experience of designing and implementinginitiatives in at least two of the following areas: knowledgemanagement and organizational learning, innovation, and/orstrategic foresight, including developing organizationalinfrastructure to support these functions and integrating thesecapabilities into operations across organizations.
• Proven experience overseeing complex portfolios and thematicareas, linking strategy to delivery and partnerships, andrepresenting organizations externally through partnerships,senior-level engagement, and thought leadership.
• 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: French

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Desirable

Language: Spanish

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Desirable

Language: Arabic

• 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.