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.

Our thematic focus spans climate action and energy, health, peace and security, sustainable development, and humanitarian action, supporting high-impact initiatives across critical global priorities.

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 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the project activities for the Global Programme on Nature for Development. UNDP’s Global Programme on Nature for Development brings together three different initiatives -- the Equator Initiative, the National Biodiversity Initiative, and the Global Forest Initiative (New York Declaration on Forests Global Platform) under one program in order to identify, foster, showcase and celebrate nature-based solutions that help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at local, national, and international levels. The work of the Global Programme on Nature for Development contributes to UNDP's Strategic Plan 2018-2021 by charting sustainable development pathways through the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems; and by promoting inclusive and effective democratic governance in the area of natural resources. 

The Technical Officer – Environmental (Spatial Planning) supports the Global Programme on Nature for Development in strengthening the use of spatial data and planning tools to inform biodiversity conservation, climate action, and sustainable development at national and global levels. Working in close collaboration with programme teams, partner agencies, and governments, the role contributes to the effective curation and application of geospatial datasets through platforms such as the UN Biodiversity Lab, and supports the development and operationalization of analytical tools that underpin the Essential Life Support Areas (ELSA) systematic conservation planning approach. The position plays a key role in facilitating data driven decision making by coordinating data inputs, supporting tool functionality, and translating technical outputs into practical resources for policy, planning, and capacity building across country initiatives. The Technical Officer further supports cross sector collaboration by working with scientific partners and institutions to identify appropriate datasets, strengthen data workflows, and contribute to documentation and knowledge products that enable effective use of spatial planning tools by stakeholders. Through this work, the role enhances the programme’s ability to integrate biodiversity considerations into national planning processes, reporting frameworks, and conservation strategies, ensuring that spatial evidence informs policy dialogue and implementation in support of global biodiversity and development goals.

Under the supervision of the designated supervisor, the Technical Officer – Environmental (Spatial Planning) supports the effective use of spatial data, analytical tools, and collaborative planning approaches to strengthen biodiversity conservation, climate action, and sustainable development outcomes under the Global Programme on Nature for Development. The role contributes to integrating geospatial evidence into national planning, policy processes, and programme implementation by coordinating data inputs, supporting tool application, strengthening partnerships, and enabling knowledge sharing across stakeholders. Through this work, the position enhances data driven decision making and supports the scaling of innovative spatial planning solutions across countries and initiatives.

• Provide strategic support on data governance, quality standards, and ethical use of biodiversity and geospatial information across Essential Life Support Areas (ELSA) related initiatives.

• Support the integration of ELSA tools and datasets into broader programme planning, policy dialogue, and country level decision making processes.

• Support programme teams in applying emerging best practices and innovations in conservation planning, data analytics, and digital decision support tools.

• Support coordination between technical partners, country offices, and external stakeholders to ensure alignment of data driven planning approaches.

• Support capacity building efforts, including contributing to training approaches and knowledge transfer to national counterparts and partners.

• Provide analytical support to programme reports, concept notes, and strategic planning documents related to ELSA and biodiversity data use.

• Support identification and mitigation of risks related to data availability, quality, sustainability, and tool adoption.

• Support efforts to scale and replicate ELSA approaches across countries and programmes.

Support alignment of spatial planning activities with national biodiversity strategies, climate commitments, and sustainable development frameworks.

Required

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in environmental management, sciences, sustainable development, GIS, remote sensing, computer science or other related discipline OR

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in environmental management, sciences, sustainable development, GIS, remote sensing, computer science or other related discipline with 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Required

• A minimum of 2 years of working experience on at least one of the following topics at a conceptual or practical level is required: environment, nature, natural resource management, biodiversity/climate change; human/civil/indigenous/women’s rights; social entrepreneurship/impact investing; information technology, local economic development; civil society engagement and education, spatial data/Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/remote sensing for biodiversity conservation implementation, monitoring, and/or reporting is required.

• 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.

• 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.