Portfolio Specialist

One year, with the possibility of extension, subject to satisfactory performance and the availability of funds.

The GFCR Secretariat leads Fund-level global coordination and strategy implementation. The Secretariat coordinates and guides the day-to-day work of the GFCR, including the wider UN Global Team, which is organized across four integrated work streams:
Strategy and Engagement;
Portfolio Management, Impact Measurement and Leverage;
Governance and Operations; and Knowledge Management and Learning. The UNGT is led by the Director based in Geneva,  its role, UNOPS provides administrative and operational services to the GFCR Secretariat. This includes flexible, modular project services such as procurement, project management, human resources, and financial management, alongside secretariat support services for global partnerships advancing United Nations objectives. UNOPS also provides access to shared service platforms, corporate systems, defined service arrangements, and appropriate delegations of authority to support efficient delivery within GFCR governance arrangements and UNOPS rules and procedures.

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 peace building - 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.

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade.

UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

As part of the GFCR Secretariat, the Portfolio Specialist provides technical, analytical, and portfolio management support to advance the development, oversight, and performance of the GFCR programme portfolio. The position supports programme proposal review, portfolio monitoring, impact measurement, partnership development, internal advisory services, and knowledge management across GFCR’s reef-positive programming.

The role helps ensure effective delivery across the portfolio management, impact measurement, and leverage workstream through technical review of programme proposals, quality assurance, monitoring and reporting, impact tracking, partner engagement, and integration of lessons learned into adaptive programme management. The Portfolio Specialist serves as a key technical focal point, helping strengthen programme quality, support strategic and operational alignment, guide portfolio monitoring tools, and contribute to evidence-based decision-making across GFCR programmes, partners, and relevant stakeholders.

• Conducts technical reviews of concepts notes and programme proposals, providing input on strategic and operational aspects of the documents to ensure that the programme strategy reflects alignment to the GFCR objectives.
• Along with other team members, conducts scoring evaluation of concept notes and programme proposals.
• Ensures compliance of programme proposals and concept notes with relevant policies and standards, including social and Environmental Safeguards and Gender policies.

• Develops and applies monitoring frameworks to portfolio performance, ESG compliance, and environmental and social impact.
• Guide the development of portfolio monitoring tools.
• Produce progress reports, investment updates, and lessons learned for stakeholders as requested.
• Advice the integration of investment learnings into adaptive programme management.
• Leads specific and assigned programmatic partnerships or initiatives.
• Provides technical advice and support to investment and implementing partners on all programming aspects and supporting documentation, as needed.