Senior Programme Manager - Climate Action

The Senior Programme Manager will lead the successful implementation and management of the Climate Action Programme at UNOPS. This role involves programme and project management expertise, technical knowledge of climate action, and coordination across practice groups and office teams to align with UNOPS strategic priorities and the Climate Strategy.

Responsibilities

• Translate the 5-year Programme Implementation Plan into coherent and actionable annual plans, including work plans, KPIs, and resource mobilization strategies.
• Manage the full lifecycle of the programme from planning and design to implementation and completion.
• Set timelines, manage budgets, allocate resources.
• Integrate the workstreams within the programme and ensure that CAP is integrated within relevant practice units and country offices.
• Supervise data collection and reporting for the Environmental Inventory and other required public reporting.
• Advise the Chief Climate Officer on system requirements for supporting data collection, monitoring and reporting.
• Lead, mentor, and motivate the Climate Action Programme team, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, client-orientation, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee recruitment, performance management, and capacity development of programme staff and consultants.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external project stakeholders.
• Support the Chief Climate Officer to connect UNOPS with the broader climate agenda including partnerships.
• Coordinate with technical experts, contractors, and partners to ensure deliverables are met on time and within budget.
• Develop and support the programme's communication strategy, ensuring visibility of UNOPS' climate action results and lessons learned in collaboration with the communications team.
• Proactively identify and manage risks and issues that could impact programme success, find solutions and report progress to senior leadership.
• Provide specialised knowledge in decarbonisation of operations, including scope 3 emissions and reporting.
• Prepare high-level briefing notes, policy papers, and technical inputs for the Chief Climate Officer's engagements with Member States, the UN system, multilateral financial institutions, and private sector partners.
• Act as a technical resource to the regions to support their delivery of reduction targets.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Environmental Science, Climate Change or related discipline with 9 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience is required.
• Relevant experience in climate science, international climate policy, intergovernmental agreements on climate change, and engaging with the scientific and policy communities on climate change is required.
• Leadership experience of change management, preferably in an international context, is required.
• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Fluent proficiency in English is required.
• Fluent proficiency in French is desirable.
• Fluent proficiency in Spanish is desirable.

Skills

• Climate Science
• International Climate Policy
• Intergovernmental Climate Agreements
• Climate Change Engagement
• Programme Management
• Project Management
• Change Management
• Leadership in International Context
• Multicultural Environment Experience
• Development Context Experience
• Humanitarian Experience

Languages

English, French, Spanish