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Global Lead – Capacity Development and Operations Management - Job Opportunity at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Bonn, Germany
Full-time
Senior
Posted: June 14, 2025
On-site
USD 85,000 - 120,000 per year. This estimate is based on UN P-4 level positions in Germany, which typically offer competitive international organization salaries with comprehensive benefits packages. The salary would be tax-free for international staff and includes various allowances for housing, education, and other expenses typical of UN system compensation.

Benefits

Opportunity to work with the world's leading organization for gender equality and women's empowerment, providing unparalleled professional development in international development
Access to UN Women's global network of country and regional offices, offering extensive networking opportunities and career mobility
Involvement in high-impact grant-making operations supporting civil society organizations worldwide, providing meaningful work that directly contributes to ending violence against women
Leadership role in a Management team position, offering executive-level experience and strategic decision-making responsibilities
Comprehensive UN benefits package including international health insurance, pension scheme, and educational allowances for dependents
Professional development opportunities through UN Women's competency framework and continuous learning programs
Multilingual work environment fostering cross-cultural competencies and international expertise
Zero-tolerance policy environment ensuring safe and respectful workplace conditions

Key Responsibilities

Lead strategic financial and operational planning for a multi-million dollar global fund, ensuring optimal resource allocation aligned with organizational goals and donor expectations
Design and execute comprehensive operational and compliance systems that strengthen grant-making operations and ensure fiduciary integrity across a global portfolio
Oversee the complete grant lifecycle management from call for proposals to compliance monitoring, ensuring alignment with UN Women's financial rules and accountability standards
Develop and implement a comprehensive capacity development strategy for civil society organizations, particularly women's rights organizations, to strengthen their institutional resilience and program effectiveness
Lead digital transformation initiatives to modernize operational processes, enhance financial reporting systems, and reduce administrative burden through innovative technology solutions
Manage and mentor a diverse team of 13 personnel across multiple levels, fostering a culture of results-oriented delivery and inclusive collaboration
Serve as operational liaison with UN Women divisions and coordinate Secretariat contributions to internal and external audit exercises, reinforcing organizational accountability and transparency
Provide strategic advice on partner risk management and operational decision-making, ensuring timely delivery of grant-making processes and partner support

Requirements

Education

Master's degree or equivalent in International Development, Business Administration or in the field of social sciences or other relevant field

Experience

At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in project or operations management

Required Skills

Grant making and grants management, especially in the areas of women's rights and empowerment and gender equality Developing or facilitating capacity development activities, learning materials and programs related to project management and/or civil society strengthening Leading a team Programming/projects management Coordinating with partners and stakeholders Understanding of operation, finance, procurement, human resources, ICT, and security systems and processes, particularly in the UN system Computer office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Word etc.) Ability to communicate sensitively and effectively across different constituencies Multicultural work environment effectiveness with tact and discretion Team-based collaboration and information-sharing Strong inter-personal skills and excellent organizational and coordination skills Excellent analytical skills of substantive as well as organizational issues Capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time Ability to set priorities and work under pressure
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Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The international development sector is experiencing increased focus on localization and strengthening civil society organizations, particularly in the wake of global crises that have highlighted the importance of community-based responses. This trend is driving demand for professionals who can design and implement capacity development programs that build sustainable institutional strength in local organizations, making this role highly relevant to current sector priorities. Digital transformation in the humanitarian and development sector has accelerated significantly, with organizations seeking to modernize grant management systems, improve financial reporting, and reduce administrative burden through technology. Professionals with experience in implementing digital solutions for operational excellence are increasingly valuable as organizations strive to improve efficiency and transparency. There is growing emphasis on survivor-centered approaches and feminist movement building in the violence against women sector, requiring sophisticated understanding of how to support diverse civil society organizations while maintaining rigorous fiduciary standards. This creates demand for senior professionals who can balance operational excellence with nuanced understanding of women's rights programming.

Role Significance

The position involves direct management of 13 personnel including 5 direct reports across multiple professional levels (P3, P2, P1) and 8 affiliate staff, representing a substantial management responsibility typical of senior operational leadership roles in large international organizations.
This is a senior management position within the UN system, equivalent to a Director or Senior Manager level in private sector organizations. The role involves strategic decision-making authority, budget oversight responsibilities, and leadership of a substantial team, indicating significant organizational influence and executive-level accountability.

Key Projects

Design and implementation of comprehensive capacity development strategies for civil society organizations across multiple countries and contexts Development of digital grant management systems and operational process improvements Annual call for proposals management involving multi-million dollar funding decisions Institutional risk assessment and mitigation strategy development for global grantee portfolio Cross-divisional coordination projects involving finance, procurement, legal, and field operations

Success Factors

Strong financial management and budgeting expertise combined with deep understanding of international development funding mechanisms and donor requirements, essential for maintaining fiduciary integrity while maximizing program impact Exceptional leadership and team management capabilities, particularly the ability to mentor and develop staff across different cultural contexts and professional levels while maintaining high performance standards Advanced understanding of civil society organization dynamics and capacity development approaches, particularly in the context of women's rights programming and violence against women prevention Technology leadership and digital transformation experience, crucial for modernizing operational systems and improving organizational efficiency in line with sector-wide digitalization trends Strategic thinking and systems design capabilities, necessary for developing and implementing comprehensive operational frameworks that can scale across diverse geographic and cultural contexts

Market Demand

High demand. Senior operational roles combining grant management expertise with capacity development experience are increasingly sought after in the international development sector, particularly for positions requiring both technical operational skills and understanding of civil society strengthening in gender equality programming.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Financial management and budgeting expertise is absolutely essential as the role involves oversight of multi-million dollar fund operations with strict fiduciary requirements and donor accountability standards that must be maintained to preserve organizational credibility and continued funding Grant management and civil society partnership experience is fundamental since the core function involves designing and overseeing funding mechanisms that support hundreds of organizations globally, requiring deep understanding of both technical grant requirements and civil society organizational dynamics Team leadership and cross-cultural management capabilities are critical given the responsibility for managing 13 staff members across different professional levels and cultural backgrounds while maintaining high performance standards in a complex international environment Systems thinking and process design skills are essential for developing operational frameworks that can function effectively across diverse geographic, cultural, and regulatory contexts while maintaining consistency and quality standards

Beneficial Skills

Advanced data analysis and digital systems expertise would provide significant advantage in leading the organization's digital transformation efforts and developing innovative approaches to grant monitoring and organizational performance measurement Additional UN language capabilities beyond English would enhance effectiveness in supporting civil society organizations globally and coordinating with UN Women field offices across different regions Previous experience in conflict or post-crisis contexts would be valuable given that many supported organizations operate in challenging environments where adaptive programming and risk management are crucial Background in feminist movement building or women's rights advocacy would provide deeper understanding of the political and social dynamics affecting the organizations being supported through the Trust Fund

Unique Aspects

This role combines high-level operational management with direct capacity building responsibilities, offering the rare opportunity to both design organizational systems and implement hands-on support for civil society organizations globally
The position involves managing one of the world's largest dedicated funding mechanisms for ending violence against women, providing access to cutting-edge programming approaches and global best practices in this critical human rights area
The role offers unique exposure to both UN system operations and civil society dynamics, providing comprehensive understanding of how international organizations can effectively support grassroots movements and local organizations
The digital transformation component of this position places the incumbent at the forefront of modernizing international development operations, offering valuable experience in implementing technology solutions at global scale

Career Growth

Career progression to executive leadership positions typically occurs within 3-5 years for high-performing senior managers in the UN system, particularly those who demonstrate strong results in complex operational roles and develop additional regional or technical expertise.

Potential Next Roles

Deputy Chief or Chief positions within UN Women or other UN agencies, representing the natural progression to executive leadership within the UN system Country Representative or Regional Director positions within UN Women, leveraging operational expertise in field leadership roles Senior Director positions in large international NGOs focused on women's rights or gender equality programming Chief Operating Officer roles in foundations or grant-making organizations, particularly those focused on women's rights and gender equality Independent consulting practice specializing in organizational development and capacity building for international development organizations

Company Overview

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and women's empowerment, created in 2010 through merging four previously distinct UN system components (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM). The organization operates globally with country and regional offices providing comprehensive support for gender equality programming, policy development, and women's rights advocacy.

UN Women holds a unique position as the primary UN system entity focused exclusively on gender equality, giving it significant influence in global policy development and substantial funding capacity through mechanisms like the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, which has provided hundreds of millions in grants since its establishment.
The Bonn location positions this role within UN Women's European operations, likely serving as a regional hub for the UN Trust Fund's European and potentially broader international operations, providing strategic access to major donor governments and European civil society networks.
UN Women maintains a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and feminist principles in its organizational culture, with emphasis on collaborative decision-making, cultural sensitivity, and zero-tolerance policies for harassment and discrimination, creating a values-driven work environment focused on social impact.
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