This role offers an opportunity to shape analytics and reporting in UNOPS from a financial performance perspective. The Head of Analytics & Reporting will drive business intelligence to support financial sustainability, serving also as a resource for data and reporting solutions in an international environment.
About the Group
UNOPS’ Finance Group serves as a strategic partner and fiduciary advisor, ensuring transparent, accountable, and effective resource management across UNOPS.
The Group defines financial strategy in alignment with organizational goals. It establishes finance policies, systems, and processes, and leads corporate budgeting to enable full cost recovery and ensure long-term financial sustainability.
Throughout the project lifecycle, the Finance Group provides expert guidance, oversight, and tailored financial solutions. Responsibilities include delivering comprehensive financial and corporate performance reporting, strengthening financial capacity across the organization, and continuously enhancing resource planning and allocation.
Additionally, the Finance Group prepares and oversees the implementation of finance-related policies. This ensures upholding the highest standards of financial stewardship and supports UNOPS in achieving operational excellence and fiscal responsibility.
Job Specific Context
The Finance Group (FG) is a critical and strategic business function in UNOPS. It serves as an authoritative and integrated partner in the organization on strategic financial planning and budgeting, business strategy and practices, financial analysis and risk assessment, financial management services, and long-term organizational treasury and investments.
As the steward of resources of a self-financing UN entity, FG is accountable for timely cost recovery and reporting to partners. It maintains the integrity and transparency of financial management of resources in accordance with the highest standards of ethics and organizational/international accountability frameworks. It also ensures accurate and transparent financial reporting to governing bodies, clients, partners, and stakeholders.
Role Purpose
Under the supervision of the Head of Budgeting, Analytics & Reporting, the Head of Analytics & Reporting is responsible for leading analytics and business intelligence for financial performance and portfolio reporting, developing financial performance models based on organizational foresight and long-term planning, and championing innovation and finance literacy across UNOPS. The Head of Analytics & Reporting will also serve as a resource within Finance Group to support enhanced use of available data and reporting solutions.
Functions / Key Results Expected
1. Analytics & Business Intelligence
Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of advanced data analytics and business intelligence products to support organizational decision-making and performance monitoring.
Oversee the creation of data models, dashboards, and reports, ensuring data integrity, accessibility, and relevance for senior management and the wider organization.
Conduct in-depth analysis of multi-source organizational data to identify trends, opportunities, and risks in financial and portfolio performance, translating complex findings into clear, actionable strategic recommendations.
Drive the adoption of data-driven practices across the organization, providing expert guidance, training, and tools to internal stakeholders on business intelligence and analytical methodologies.
Explore, identify and incorporate relevant data sources for decision-making and advancement of UNOPS goals.
2. Modelling & Foresight
Spearhead the development of quantitative and qualitative models (e.g. forecasting, simulation, predictive) to project future trends, assess potential scenarios, and inform long-term strategic planning for financial performance of UNOPS operational activities.
Lead financial foresight initiatives, including horizon scanning, risk analysis, and scenario planning, to anticipate potential financial challenges and opportunities across UNOPS regions.
Integrate econometric, statistical, and machine learning techniques into modelling practices to improve the accuracy and robustness of predictive outputs.
Present model assumptions, methodologies, and findings to executive leadership and technical committees in a clear, concise manner, facilitating the integration of foresight into organizational strategy and resource allocation.
3. Corporate Services & Support
Champion financial literacy across the organization by facilitating exchanges and harvesting experiences from field colleagues in order to develop and prepare self-service tools for improved financial management, including on behalf of Finance Group.
Serve as a resource for the wider Finance Group in supporting the conception and development of reporting, dashboards, etc. for enhanced automation and improved use of available data and reporting solutions with a view to efficient resource use, stronger controls, and more risk-enabled approaches.
Support team leadership in continuously improving UNOPS financial performance reporting, including facilitating performance discussions between stakeholders, and promote further improvement and integration of organizational planning and review processes.
Provide input to support team and FG leadership participation in inter-agency and external meetings/bodies dealing with financial and related reporting. Serve as custodian for UNOPS financial and related reporting as part of UN system requirements.
Inform team leadership in order to facilitate senior management decision-making through monitoring and analysis of UNOPS financial performance, and making appropriate recommendations.
Collaborate with UNOPS internal and external partners, colleagues and stakeholders to keep abreast of evolving finance and operational trends, development and needs, share ideas for improvements and align services according to needs.
4. Team Leadership
Establish the annual work plan for the Analytics, Budgeting and Management team in collaboration with the CFO and stakeholders.
Set objectives, performance measures, standards and results expected.
Monitor implementation of the team's annual work plan, oversee progress and ensure delivery of results as planned and according to expectation.
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.
Plan, recruit and develop a flexible workforce with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimal performance and ensure gender and geographical diversity.
Foster a positive work environment, respectful of all, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed.
5. Knowledge Management & Innovation
Stay abreast of best practices and emerging technologies in data science, artificial intelligence, and strategic foresight, recommending and championing the adoption of innovative tools and techniques.
Document, standardize, and institutionalize best-in-class analytical methodologies and modelling frameworks to ensure consistency and quality across the organization.
Contribute to the UNOPS body of knowledge by authoring papers, presenting at professional forums, and actively participating in global knowledge networks relevant to analytics and foresight.
Mentor and coach junior staff and colleagues on advanced analytical methods, fostering a culture of continuous learning and data literacy.
Skills
Analytics, Business Intelligence, Business Strategy, Financial Forecasting, Financial Modeling, Leadership, Stakeholder Management
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.
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. Acts as a 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 a 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 UNOPS' impact on UNOPS' 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
- A Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Business Administration or other numerical fields with 9 years of relevant experience is required, OR a Master's degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience.
Experience Requirements
Required
- Relevant experience includes work in financial analysis and reporting in a large international organization or business corporation or related areas. This experience should be progressive. Managerial experience at the international level is required.
Desired
- Experience working in a UN organization is desired. Experience with inter-governmental and/or inter-agency activities is desired.
Language Requirements
Language: English
- Proficiency Level: Fluent
- Requirement: Required
Additional Information
- UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
- UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
- Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
- UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. UNOPS' workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS strives to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
- UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. UNOPS is committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcomes diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
- UNOPS is committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform UNOPS' human resources team upon receiving your 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. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
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. Refresher courses or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers.
- 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.
