Head of People Business Partnering at United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

Role Purpose

• The Head of People Business Partnering leads the global People Business Partnering function, ensuring it operates as a high-performing, business-aligned capability that directly enables service line delivery, operational excellence, organizational impact and strategic human capital management.
• In terms of service line delivery, the role acts as a critical integrator, ensuring that people strategies are embedded across the full lifecycle of services UNOPS provides to partners—from planning and pipeline development to execution. By establishing rigorous feedback loops and partner-facing insights, the role informs adjustments in service design and pricing, ensuring HR expertise directly supports the organization’s ability to deliver timely, cost-effective, and high-impact solutions.
• Simultaneously, the role serves as a high-level architect for people partnering and talent management, acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership to drive superior organizational performance. This involves developing strategies that enforce leadership accountability and depth, and translating global people policies into value-adding outcomes tailored to diverse operating contexts. The incumbent is accountable for positioning Regional People Partners as strategic advisors who enhance leadership effectiveness and organizational design, ensuring the global talent landscape is optimized for long-term impact.
• As steward of the People Business Partnering function at UNOPS, the Head of People Business Partnering plays a critical role in coordinating with the wider PCG leadership team to translate global people policies, programmes and initiatives into practical, value-adding outcomes tailored to diverse operating contexts. 

Functions / Key Results Expected

Strategic Leadership 

• Define and drive the global strategy for People Business Partnering, positioning it as a core enabler of service line delivery, operational performance, and sustainable growth.
• Ensure alignment between people strategies and UNOPS strategic priorities, service line objectives, and delivery targets
• Establish a clear operating model for People Partnering which enables scalability, consistency and impact across regions. 
• Lead, guide and hold Regional People Partners accountable for delivering high-impact, business-aligned partnering which enables service line success.
• Build the capability of the People Partnering function to operate as strategic co-owners of organizational performance, not solely HR advisors
• Establish performance metrics for People Business Partnering that measure contribution to delivery outcomes, workforce effectiveness, and organizational impact.

Service Line Performance

• With service line owners, establish a formal service viability analysis process, providing robust analysis of technical skills and talent availability before agreements are finalized.
•  As a member of the Practice owner’s team, position the People Business Partnering team to proactively advise on optimal organizational structures, talent acquisition, contractual modalities, and realistic resourcing timelines to ensure service delivery remains on the agreed timetable.
• Lead on advising on and supporting the structured onboarding of new partners and service line personnel, ensuring alignment with organizational standards and specific partner expectations.
• Lead on identifying systemic workforce risks across service and ensure proactive mitigation to protect delivery timelines and quality
• Collaborate with global leadership to tailor and package HR service line offerings that align with specific regional demands, ensuring UNOPS services are fit-for-purpose and contextually relevant.

People Partnering and Talent Management

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, architecting talent management strategies that enforce leadership accountability, build bench depth, and drive superior organizational performance
• Lead partnering with regional and country stakeholders on key talent management activities, including leadership development, talent acquisition, workforce planning, retention, performance management, and mobility, ensuring that People Partners deliver accurate, complete, and timely inputs in line with established standards and deadlines.
• Contribute practical advice and hands-on support to organizational change initiatives of varying scale, including workforce transitions and restructuring efforts, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, sound governance, and effective change management
• Enhance Practice owners' understanding of the impact and effectiveness of corporate talent management policies and processes by providing cross-regional insights and synthesizing feedback gathered by People Partners on their practical application and outcomes.
• Ensure consistent application of people-related standards, tools and approaches across regions to strengthen delivery capability and operational efficiency.
• Lead collaboration with Practice owners to define key measures and develop dashboards to track and report on productivity, efficiency, and delivery outcomes.

Policy Application and Operational Excellence

• Exercise delegated authorities to facilitate decision-making that is compliant with the UNOPS regulatory framework.
• Ensure consistent and pragmatic application of HR policies which support efficient operations while maintaining compliance and integrity.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for complex or high-risk workforce issues impacting delivery or organizational performance.
• Mitigate relationship risks by acting as a senior-level escalation point for HR service delivery issues within the region.
• Ensure People Partners exercise delegated authorities to facilitate decision-making that is compliant with the UNOPS regulatory framework.
• Contribute towards continuous improvement of policies and practices to better align with operational realities and service line needs.

Culture, Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness

• Champion a culture of performance, accountability, integrity and inclusion, aligned with UNOPS values and strategic priorities. Position leadership and culture as key enablers of sustainable development impact.
• Support end-to-end planning and implementation of the annual culture and engagement survey, coordinating with People Partners at HQ and regional levels to drive strong participation and facilitate timely communication of results across the organization. 
• Ensure meaningful discussions and structured action-planning sessions are conducted across HQ and regions following communication of the culture and engagement survey results
• Use insights from the culture and engagement survey to identify systemic engagement risks and culture trends, and apply these insights to drive improvements in organizational effectiveness and delivery performance. 
• Champion a values-driven, ethical culture across the People Partnering function

Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Establish systems to capture and leverage cross-regional insights to strengthen People Business Partnering effectiveness and service line performance.
• Contribute to the development and introduction of innovation to ensure UNOPS is continuously incorporating best practice approaches which enhance efficiency, scalability and delivery impact. 
• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for HR planning and knowledge building
• Plan, implement and organize strategic capacity building of personnel, partners and stakeholders
• Promote knowledge management and cross-regional learning among People Partners to strengthen organizational capacity

Skills

• Coaching, Leadership Development, Organizational Development, Stakeholder Management, Talent Management, Workforce Planning, Human Resources Operations, Strategic Thinking

Competencies

• Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.
• Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational 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 Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial-Organizational or Business Psychology, Behavioural Science, Organizational Development, Public Administration, or relevant social sciences with 12 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 10 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• Certification from a recognized coaching organization (e.g. ICF) is an asset.

Experience Requirements

Required

• Relevant experience  must include leading strategic HR Business Partnering functions in delivery-driven or complex, multi-stakeholder operational environments, providing strategic HR advice and coaching to senior leaders or implementing strategic HR initiatives, including talent and performance management, workforce planning, organization design and development, employee engagement, change management or related areas.
• Experience with aligning workforce strategies with business performance, delivery outcomes and organizational priorities is required.
• Demonstrable track record of enabling organizational effectiveness and delivery through people strategies is required.
• Experience using analytics to drive enterprise-level decision-making and performance improvement is required.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.