Deputy Chief Manager – UNEP-DHI Centre, Denmark

Are you passionate about helping countries address their water-related environmental challenges through expert advice and leading-edge tools? Then you just might be our new colleague!

As the new Deputy Chief Manager of our UNEP-DHI team, you will work closely with a range of expert colleagues from both DHI and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to advance the sustainable management of water resources around the world through impactful international policy and project work. 

About us

DHI (https://www.dhigroup.com/) is an independent, international advisory and research organization operating on a not-for profit basis. We are dedicated to advancing and sharing knowledge about water environments. Our mission is to innovate new ways to use, manage, and live with water while protecting water-related ecosystems. We leverage our expertise, advanced technologies, and unique modelling software to support decision-makers. DHI has more than 1,000 highly qualified employees in more than 25 offices worldwide. We are committed to our role as global enablers of better decisions for water resources, and one of the ways we put this into action is through our UNEP-DHI Centre (https://www.unepdhi.org/), where you will be working. The UNEP-DHI Centre supports water-related decision-making, from policy formulation to project implementation, through a range of activities, knowledge products and cutting-edge tools. Based in Denmark, you would be a valued member of a highly dedicated core team drawing on the pool of colleagues at DHI to support the work of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Role summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Deputy Chief Manager with a proven track record to work in close support of the Chief Manager (who is a UNEP employee). You will be joining a well-established and highly motivated team where your overall responsibility is to ensure the continuing development and sustained success of the Centre in support of UNEP and the countries it serves. Key focus will be on the development and management of strategic relationships with UNEP, engaging with external financiers to attract additional funding, and lead the Centre’s day-to-day operations, partnerships, and impact initiatives.

Key responsibilities 

• Lead the Centre’s day-to-day operations, develop and maintain strategic partnerships
• Deliver on core contract obligations, including annual workplans and strategic plans
• Liaise with DHI, UNEP, Danida, and other partners on strategic matters
• Support UNEPs strategic goals by supporting UNEP with technical expertise and technology on strategic activities
• Together with the Chief Manager, develop and manage long-term partnerships and funding outreach
• Engage with external financiers for fundraising and partnership growth
• Ensure operational compliance with DHI procedures, including quality assurance and fiscal oversight
• Prepare, review, and approve key narrative and financial reports and facilitate evaluations
• Organize and execute Advisory Board and management meetings, external reviews, and evaluations
• Serve as lead/coordinating author for core programme documents

Role impact

• Successful development of strategic partnership with UNEP (measured by fundraising amounts)
• Expanding the collaboration with UNEP beyond the freshwater area
• Sustainable impact on stakeholders and beneficiary organisations (measured by partner and satisfaction responses)
• Further development of a strategic partnership that delivers on DHI’s mission. 

Requirements

You understand the role of the United Nations and its Environment Programme and have worked with developing and developed countries with a broad range of stakeholders. Importantly, you are a good communicator, have a can-do-attitude, and thrive in a collaborative, open-office environment. You also needs to have a solid understanding of the core expertise areas related to DHI – a water resource related background would be seen as a benefit. Furthermore, you ideally have:

• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in integrated water resources management, water governance, climate adaptation, coastal and marine environments
• Excellent inter-personal, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey information effectively and build rapport with diverse audiences and stakeholder groups
• Strong skills in stakeholder engagement, policy dialogue, and resource mobilisation
• Demonstrated leadership in managing staff as well as complex, multi-stakeholder international projects, including donor-funded initiatives
• Good understanding of the international development environment including how bi-lateral donors, development banks and international funds operate
• Understanding of water and environmental challenges in developing countries and approaches and tools to address them such as hydrological modelling, decision support systems, and Earth Observation applications
• Experience working with the United Nations Environment Programme and the UN system
• Proficient in project planning, monitoring, evaluation, and donor reporting
• Fluent in English; French language skills desirable

Desired Characteristics

• Comfortable in multicultural and interdisciplinary environments
• Innovative, solution-oriented, and self-driven
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Committed to inclusiveness, professionalism, transparency, and gender equality
• Solution-oriented mindset with focus on resource mobilisation

Location & Mobility

• Based at DHI HQ in Hørsholm and UN City offices in Copenhagen
• This is a fulltime position located at the DHI HQ in Hørsholm, Denmark
• Travel required (up to 3 months per year)

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should submit a CV and cover letter outlining relevant experience and motivation for the role. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

For further information about the UNEP-DHI Centre (https://unepdhi.org/) or DHI (https://www.dhigroup.com/), please visit our website or contact our HR department.