Change Management Specialist (Internal Candidates)

Job Highlight

The Change Management Specialist enables UNOPS Transformation to achieve its goals through tailored and effective approaches for advancing behavioral change and change adoption. They do this by developing and implementing pragmatic, well-informed, and tailored change management plans. They are skilled at navigating fast-paced, international settings. They partner with multiple stakeholders, develop and facilitate workshops, provide advice and build organizational change maturity in managing and absorbing change. This ultimately contributes to UNOPS’ ability to fulfill our strategic objectives of scaling up and speeding up.

About the Group

The Strategy and Transformation Group drives UNOPS’ long-term direction by leading the development, review, and reporting of the corporate Strategic Plan. It provides high-level analysis, oversight advice, and secretariat support to governance bodies, including the Audit Advisory Committee and Transformation Board. The Group plays a central role in shaping and implementing major organizational change, offering both advisory and hands-on support in change management. It facilitates the design and execution of transformation strategies, ensuring initiatives are aligned with organizational priorities and deliver sustainable impact. Through strategic consulting services, the Group generates innovative solutions to complex institutional challenges, strengthening UNOPS’ ability to adapt, perform, and achieve its ambitions in a dynamic global environment.

Job Specific Context

About UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations. We help people build a more peaceful, fair and sustainable world. We pursue a vision for the world where all people have access to human rights, peace and sustainable development, supported by sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure and effective and transparent use of public resources in procurement and project management.

About Strategy and Transformation Group (STG)

STG comprises the Corporate Strategy and the Change and Transformation teams. The role of STG is to develop, review and report on the UNOPS strategic plan responding to the requirements of Member States, the needs of our partners and what we need to achieve as an organization. STG supports the design and implementation of transformation initiatives and other organizational changes, needed to drive implementation of the strategic plan.

About Change and Transformation team

The role of the Change and Transformation Team(CTT) is:

• Internal Support: facilitating and co-creating organizational solutions that support UNOPS's strategic priorities and their execution, e.g. root cause analysis, solution design and solution implementation.
• Change Implementation: for transformation initiatives, providing hands on Change Management, building and implementing tailored plans and activities aimed at achieving desired changes in behaviours and sustaining them over time.
• Change Capability development: supporting UNOPS in increasing our maturity in managing change. We are the custodian of the UNOPS Change Management approach and we offer guidance, easy-to-use tools, community-building opportunities, and training for change-critical roles, to embrace and enable change
• Transformation Office: providing a holistic view of UNOPS Reforms, aiming to ensure that initiatives are aligned. Ultimately supporting UNOPS to speed up and scale up.

Process Innovation and Digitalization Programme (PID)

PID is a multi year transformation programme focused on modernizing UNOPS processes and systems. Key areas covered by PID are HR, Procurement, Finance, and Project Management

Job Specific Context

We are now recruiting for a Change Management Specialist role on a short-term basis, until the end of December 2026. This position can be located both home-based (incumbents are expected to work during core hours in the Copenhagen timezone) or in the office in Copenhagen. Only internal candidates can apply.

Role Purpose

The Change Management Specialist will report to a Change Management / Organisational Development Advisor in the Change & Transformation team, who will provide board supervision and guidance. The role will also become embedded for a significant proportion of time, into an assigned PID project. The Change Management Specialist might also be flexibly deployed to provide advisory or active support to different transformation projects, based on organisational priorities. The position will play a key role in planning and implementing a change management approach for the assigned project, in alignment with the UNOPS change management framework. The role will also contribute to the success of UNOPS transformation including PID, via an active involvement in the change management capability development effort.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Change Management

• Partner with key stakeholders to develop and roll out effective and tailored change management approaches, to realize the benefits of corporate change programmes.
• Develop pragmatic solutions to accelerate the adoption of change initiatives, which are reflective of the needs and realities of UNOPS stakeholders at HQ, regional and country level.
• Be responsible for the project’s change management work plan execution - focusing on behavioural change and enabling project's outcomes, whilst procuring relevant, timely and quality outputs. Adopt a business partnering approach - combining hands on delivery and advisory approach
• Conduct post-implementation monitoring and follow-up
• Contribute to transformation wide change narrative and approaches that aim to enable better change management across the transformation portfolio.

Stakeholder engagement

• Design and facilitate stakeholder workshops to deliver key change management products and increase the capacity for change management within project teams.
• Establish solid working relationships with the project board and other key stakeholders, advising on issues that may impact the achievement of the desired change outcomes.
• Advise internal clients on issues that may impact the achievement of the desired change outcomes.
• Leverage the Regional Transformation Advisors network to understand readiness and tailor adoption management approaches as well as enable effective two-way feedback mechanisms.
• Develop change networks at the appropriate and relevant levels for change initiatives
• Mentor and advise project teams, as well as junior change management resources.

Change Management Capability Development

• Shape the development and refinement of Change Management (CM) tools and practices, in the effort to mainstream the UNOPS Change Management Framework across the transformation and to facilitate exchange of good practices and knowledge..
• Demonstrate ownership over evolving subsets of tools, leveraging own expertise and the understanding of the organisation, resulting in versatile tools that can be applied to UNOPS contexts by a variety of stakeholders supporting change effort.
• Contribute to the ideas on how to drive the adoption of the change management standards and tools for UNOPS transformation
• Shape the CM learning offerings and facilitate the learning sessions and workshops to support Change Management skills development
• Actively contribute to engaging with the Change Management community hub, Change champions, and Regional Change and Transformation Advisors to build a strong network of change management support and drive adoption of tools and practices that enable change management for the UNOPS Transformation.
• Actively contribute to developing the minimum standards of Change Management at UNOPS, socialize and implement them in the projects as necessary.

Project management

• Develop business cases, communications materials, learning plans and project documentation, as part of a multi-disciplinary project approach.
• Produce and update project documentation including plan, risk analysis, stakeholder analysis and communications plan.
• Implement project plan and manage critical milestones for successful project delivery.

Skills

Change Management, Change Management Execution, Culture Transformation Change Management, Lean Transformation Change Management

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) with 7 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• Professional Change Management certification (i.e. PROSCI, APMG or similar) is an asset.
• Project Management certification (i.e. PRINCE2, MSP) is an asset.

Experience Requirements

Required

• A minimum of 5 years relevant experience including in any of the following areas: change management, innovation, project management or organizational development is required.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and management is required.

Desired

• Experience facilitating business process re-engineering, systems implementations and/or agile ways of working is an asset.
• Experience in project management including project planning, risk analysis, monitoring and reporting is an asset.

Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirementEnglishFluentRequiredFrenchFluentDesirableSpanishFluentDesirable

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Please note that 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.
• 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.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.