Director, Brussels Partnerships Office

### General Information Position Title Director, Brussels Partnerships Office Job Category Leadership Duty Station(s) Brussels Seniority Level Executive Level ICS Level ICS 13 Contract Type Staff - IP - FTA Contract Level IP D-1 Posting Start Date 21-Sep-2026 Posting End Date 12-Oct-2026 Duration 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 partners, aligned with Partner Segment Strategies through functional reporting to the PFG Strategic Partnerships team. - Embed mission-led intent into partnership development to reinforce mission readiness - Champion strategic partnerships through active networking, a thorough understanding of partner decision-making processes and stakeholder landscapes, and effective communication of UNOPS value proposition, service offerings and capabilities - Propose and co-develop relevant information and external materials to promote and advocate for UNOPS with key partners in cooperation with the UNOPS Communications Group (CG) and PFG. 3. Key Partner Engagement and Representation - Engage senior officials within key partner organizations on the UNOPS strategic plan and business model, ensuring the UNOPS value proposition and drive for efficiency is integrated into key partner engagement. - Elevate UNOPS presence by representing the organisation in external meetings and forums relevant to key partners, identifying opportunities for partnership development and supporting UNOPS leadership in high-level engagements. - Serve as UNOPS lead and primary contact point for key partners, collaborating with teams across UNOPS to refine partnership frameworks and set engagement protocols that promote cross-regional coherence and quality in how partnerships are cultivated and maintained. - Lead and facilitate senior-level consultations with key partners to establish ongoing dialogue that deepens understanding of priorities, synergies, strategic partnership opportunities and risks including financial, political, operational and reputational. - Play a leading role in opportunity development by convening meetings with key partners at global headquarters, participating in local meetings and driving structured decision-making alongside regional and country leads and technical experts. - Actively monitor key partner portfolios, with a view to ensuring strategic alignment, value and balance. - Proactively identify key partner risks or delivery concerns and act as an escalation point, facilitating timely resolution in coordination with regional and country offices. - Lead the development and ongoing maintenance of global Framework Agreements and MOUs with key partners. - Ensure that lessons learned across the portfolio feed into the continuous improvement of key partner leadership, service offering development, and delivery quality. 4. People Leadership - Create, foster and role model a culture of trust, empowerment and accountability in the Brussels Partnerships Office. - Build engagement and foster a diverse and inclusive work environment, respectful of all, ensuring that the highest standards of conduct are observed. - Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, ab