UNOPS

In Latin America and the Caribbean, UNOPS operates across 23 countries, delivering high-impact solutions that drive sustainable development. UNOPS focuses on building and improving resilient infrastructure—including roads, bridges, public facilities, sanitation systems, and housing—to enhance quality of life and foster inclusive growth. UNOPS also supports public health by procuring essential medicines and medical equipment, ensuring broader access to healthcare services. By strengthening institutional capacities, UNOPS promotes transparent, efficient, and equitable public management. As a trusted partner to governments and development stakeholders, UNOPS aligns its interventions with national priorities, helping countries advance the Sustainable Development Goals through practical, results-driven support.

Based in Panama City, Panama, the UNOPS Office of the Regional Director (ORD) for Latin America and the Caribbean provides strategic leadership and coordination across the region, enabling effective delivery of UNOPS’ mandate. Through portfolio oversight, integrated risk management, and the mobilization of expertise and resources, the ORD ensures regional coherence and operational excellence. The office supports country teams in aligning activities with organizational goals, strengthening the impact and efficiency of development efforts. It also leads regional positioning and representation in high-level forums, advancing visibility and engagement with key stakeholders. In close collaboration with other regional offices and headquarters, the ODR fosters cross-regional learning, promotes innovation, and drives strategic initiatives that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This position is located in the Office of the Regional Director (ODR) and will be supervised by the Regional Director (D2) and will work in close collaboration with HQ Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG). This position will be instrumental in setting the Infrastructure and Project Management (IPM) strategy in response to the need to evolve from reactive monitoring toward a system of predictive oversight and proactive assurance. Its core mission is to assure performance monitoring, portfolio risk analysis, and quality assurance, thereby strengthening governance, predictability, and efficiency in the delivery of results across the regional portfolio. The incumbent will foster project alignment with the Project, programme and portfolio management service delivery framework (P3M), the Risk Management framework (RMF), and other relevant IPM principles, guidelines and practices, generating actionable data intelligence for high-level decision-making and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

This vacancy is for internal UNOPS candidates only.

The incumbent serves as senior regional authority on infrastructure and project management, with delegated decision-making authority from the Regional Director. He/she provides high-level strategic advice, technical expertise, and guidance to the Regional Director (RD), Country teams and senior stakeholders throughout all project phases. The role is accountable for oversight, governance, and performance assurance of high-risk and high-value projects across the regional portfolio, driving improvements in project delivery, risk mitigation, and operational excellence. The incumbent also leads regional initiatives to strengthen infrastructure management frameworks, promote a culture of accountability, and ensure alignment with corporate policies and best practices.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Infrastructure Project Management or related fields 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 in a recognised project management methodology, e.g. PRINCE2® or PMP.

  If the selected person does not have this certification, must complete it during the first year of service.

Required

• Relevant experience is progressive work experience in the Management of Infrastructure Projects and/or Construction Management roles. 

• A minimum of 10 years’ progressive work experience in Project Management.

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.

• 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. 
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority 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.

• 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.