Business Transformation and Change Advisor At UNOPS

Background Information – Job-specific

Background Information – UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Role of the Change and Transformation Unit

The role of the Change and Transformation Unit (CTU) is to work across UNOPS, to design and implement effective, sustainable solutions, to make a difference where it matters most.

CTU supports new possibilities for UNOPS by helping teams to innovate, finding new ways of working and developing/designing nimble organizational models. Our expertise, tools and processes ensure greater participation in change; we pay as much attention to people and processes, as we do to structures and technology.

Our team brings experience, energy and partnership to a full range of change management and transformation advisory services including: organization design, organizational development, design and implementation of corporate transformation programmes, facilitating changes to behavior and ways of working, human centered design and change leadership

Our team are all experienced change management consultants who can provide support around change leadership, managing change at all levels, coaching people leaders and/or managing change projects.

Role of the Business Transformation and Change Management Advisor

The Business Transformation and Change Management Advisor reports to the Head of Change and Transformation and supports the organization to adopt new ways of working, through how we work, how we embrace digital technologies and how we embed innovation. The role will enable the appropriate and consistent application of the UNOPS change management approach and its associated methodologies and tools.

The successful candidate will have strong experience of leading organizational transformation, with a focus on the future of work, digital adoption, organizational change, employee enablement and internal communications campaigns.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Change and transformation visioning

• Work with senior stakeholders to define and lead organizational transformation initiatives.
• Collaborate with project sponsors/stakeholders to ensure the business case for change is clearly defined and documented.
• Assess change drivers and translate them into viable programmes/projects with clear vision and objectives.
• Lead the continuous development and application of the UNOPS change management approach and methodology to identify potential risks, anticipate points of resistance and develop specific plans to mitigate or address concerns.
• Ensure the availability of relevant tools, information and knowledge for the change programme, through supervision of data collection, research, analysis and presentation of information from diverse sources.

2. Change implementation

• Manage and oversee Change Management projects (incl. project stakeholder management, project management, project documentation, workshops, post-implementation follow-up as needed).
• Lead the development of actionable and targeted change management plans including communication plan, sponsor roadmap, training plan and resistance management plan.
• Identify and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor change progress.
• Manage and lead the identification of risks; highlight impacts associated with the change, development of mitigation plans; and facilitate informed discussions about change related risks to key stakeholders.
• Advise internal clients on issues that may impact the achievement of the desired change outcomes including establishing solid working relationships with the key stakeholders
• Provide support and advice to senior leaders and other key stakeholders to increase understanding of how people experience change and the process of transition.
• Provide information and advice to key stakeholders to keep them up to date with progress, issues and developments in the change programme, providing appropriate briefings to enable informed decision making regarding the planned approach.

3. Team leadership

• With CTU leadership, plan and allocate resources to achieve goals and ensure the cost effective and appropriate use of resources in accordance with UNOPS standards of ethics, integrity and accountability framework.
• Promote teamwork and collaboration by providing the team with clear direction, objectives and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

4. Knowledge management

• Contribute to the ongoing update of UNOPS Change Management framework and body of knowledge to ensure the organization is incorporating best practice approaches.
• Lead/organize training events and design/set training agenda to build capacity of stakeholders on Change Management. Determine and make available sufficient and expert resources for training events.

Impact of Results

The effective and successful performance by the Business Transformation and Change Management Advisor reinforces the visibility and image of the UNOPS as an effective service provider in project services and management and strengthens its competitive position as a partner of choice in sustainable development and project services.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. 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 people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

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

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. 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 needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field is desirable.
• A combination of Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.
• Professional Change Management certification (i.e. PROSCI, APMG or similar) is an asset.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience working in change management, management consulting, organizational development or business transformation.
• This should include at least 3 years of experience managing transformation and change programmes, in an international context.
• Experience working with digital transformation and adapting to digital trends such as automation / new technologies and cloud-based solutions is an asset.
• Operational field experience, within UNOPS or within a similar international organizational environment, is an asset.

Language:

• Full working knowledge of English is essential.
• Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset.

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.