The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

UNOPS Development and Special Initiatives team works with UN partners and Member States. This portfolio offers support for various initiatives and priorities of the UN Secretary-General in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, it helps the UN Secretariat in implementing global programs in areas such as political affairs, climate, counterterrorism and peacebuilding, among others.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office (PBPSO) to implement the project activities for the UN-IFI Partnership Facility (formerly “HDPP-Facility”) on behalf of the PBPSO.

The Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office (PBPSO) under the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and UN Department of Peace Operations is tasked with developing partnerships between the UN and International Financial Institutions in conflict-affected settings, including partnerships with regional multilateral development banks in support of nationally-owned, locally-led and internationally-backed conflict prevention and peacebuilding strategies. The UN-IFI Partnership Facility, established under the Peacebuilding Fund in 2019, contributes to this function by financing policy exchanges and knowledge management, liaison, surge capacity and advisory support to UN field leadership.

The Security Council in its resolution 2805 (2025) and the General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/80/11 underlined the importance of partnership between the United Nations and International Financial Institutions for sustaining peace. The resolutions requested PBPSO to provide regular updates “on progress in advancing United Nations partnership with International Financial Institutions, including regional development banks and other relevant financing partners, including examples of innovation and good practice and the catalytic effect of the Peacebuilding Fund”.

The incumbent of the position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

The Knowledge Management Specialist leads the Facility’s knowledge management and capacity development functions and provides substantive support to strategic and systematic partnerships with the World Bank, the African Development Bank and peace finance partners. The role connects field practice with Headquarters policy by capturing and analysing lessons, developing accessible knowledge products and learning mechanisms, stewarding a community of practice, and supporting agreed partnership mechanisms, policy development and innovation. The Specialist also ensures that gender equality, women’s empowerment, youth inclusion and ethical use of digital technology are integrated, as relevant, across knowledge and partnership outputs.

1. Lead knowledge management strategy, systems and products

• Develop and implement the Facility’s knowledge management approach, workplan and editorial pipeline, aligned with the 2026-2027 results framework and annual priorities.
• Establish practical methods and templates to capture, validate, organize and disseminate good practices, lessons learned and emerging evidence from the Facility’s three-tier model of embedded capacities, surge deployments, and policy engagement.
• Lead or coordinate the preparation of high-quality knowledge products, including good practice notes, lessons-learned briefs, case studies, analytical summaries, guidance materials, presentations and contributions to monitoring reports.
• Maintain accessible repositories, taxonomies and quality standards for Facility knowledge, ensuring version control, confidentiality, usability and consistent messaging.
• Use stakeholder feedback and available evidence to improve the relevance, accessibility and use of the Facility’s knowledge offer.

2. Manage learning, capacity development and the community of practice

• Design and facilitate a regular programme of peer learning, webinars, clinics, workshops and knowledge exchanges for UN practitioners working on UN-IFI partnership and peace finance.
• Establish and steward a community of practice on UN-IFI partnership in conflict-affected settings, including member engagement, content planning, moderation and follow-up.
• Translate complex policy and operational experience into practical learning materials and capacity-development resources for Resident Coordinators’ Offices, UN field presences and Headquarters stakeholders.
• Promote systematic learning across the Facility’s three-tier support model and strengthen feedback loops between country-level practice and Headquarters policy.

3. Support strategic partnerships with the World Bank, African Development Bank and other MDBs

• Provide substantive support to implement agreed partnership commitments, workplans and mechanisms with the World Bank and African Development Bank, and contribute to engagement with other International Financial Institutions as assigned.
• Prepare background analysis, briefs, agendas, talking points, meeting records and follow-up trackers for partnership dialogues, joint learning events and policy processes.
• Coordinate inputs from UN entities, field colleagues and partners; identify opportunities, risks, emerging issues and lessons that can strengthen country-level collaboration.
• Document and disseminate partnership results and good practices, including examples of innovation and the catalytic contribution of the Peacebuilding Fund.

4. Support policy development, innovation and integrated peace finance

• Conduct applied research and analysis on UN-IFI partnership, engagement of multilateral development banks, innovative finance, private sector partnerships, digital technology and other emerging peace finance issues.
• Support collaborative assessments, joint analytical products and policy dialogue between practitioners and policymakers, ensuring that evidence from conflict-affected settings informs recommendations.
• Contribute to concept development, quality assurance and knowledge components of Facility initiatives under Output 3 and, as needed, knowledge-related aspects of embedded and surge support.
• Promote conflict-sensitive, inclusive and ethically grounded approaches, including gender equality and women’s empowerment, youth inclusion and responsible use of digital technology.

5. Monitoring, reporting and team support

• Contribute to results monitoring for the knowledge management offer, including collection and analysis of user feedback, product uptake and learning-event data against approved indicators.
• Provide substantive inputs to Facility workplans, progress reports, donor briefings, presentations and the annual UN-World Bank partnership monitoring process, as requested.
• Coordinate knowledge contributions from consultants, surge experts, embedded personnel and implementing partners and review deliverables for quality and consistency.
• Contribute to resource mobilization, communications and other Facility priorities, and perform other duties within the functional area as required.

Impact of Results

Effective performance strengthens the Facility’s ability to institutionalize lessons, equip UN practitioners with relevant knowledge and tools, implement strategic partnership commitments, and demonstrate results across the expanded integrated peace finance agenda. The role contributes directly to the effective delivery and use of knowledge products, mechanisms and policy dialogue under Output 3 and supports learning across Outputs 1 and 2 of the Facility’s results framework.

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in knowledge management, international relations, political science, economics, development studies, peace and conflict studies, public policy, communications, information management, social sciences, or related field with five (5) years of relevant experience is required. OR;
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) preferably in knowledge management, international relations, political science, economics, development studies, peace and conflict studies, public policy, communications, information management, social sciences, or related field with seven (7) years of relevant experience is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is considered progressively responsible professional experience in knowledge management, policy research and analysis, organizational learning, programme management, partnerships or a related field.

• Experience developing analytical or knowledge products for professional audiences is required.

• Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders and translating technical or policy material into clear, practical outputs.

Desirable

• Experience with the United Nations, International Financial Institutions or another international organization.

• Experience related to fragility, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, development finance or conflict-affected settings.

• Experience facilitating peer learning, communities of practice, workshops or capacity-development activities.

• Experience supporting institutional partnerships, joint workplans or policy dialogue with the World Bank, African Development Bank or other IFIs/MDBs.

• Experience with digital knowledge platforms, information architecture, content management, data visualization or user analytics.

• Experience mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment and/or youth inclusion in research, learning or programme outputs.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
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• 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. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive 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. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
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