Launched in 2020, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) was established as a coalition to mobilize new sources of public and private finance to safeguard the world's most climate-resilient coral reefs—coral refugia—and prevent their collapse. GFCR applies a blended finance approach combining grant funding, technical assistance, concessional finance, risk-sharing structures and private investment, supporting reef-positive businesses across four investment pathways: Sustainable Ocean Production; Sustainable Coastal Development; Circular Economy and Pollution Management; and Financial Mechanisms. UNOPS provides administrative and operational services to the GFCR Secretariat, which leads Fund-level global coordination and strategy implementation through the UN Global Team, led by the Director based in Geneva.
Role Purpose: As part of the GFCR Secretariat, the Fund Coordination Specialist provides coordination, operational, governance and communications support to the Deputy Director, the wider GFCR Secretariat and the GFCR UN Global Team (UNGT). The position supports planning and coordinated delivery of governing body processes, strategic engagement, programme and fund operations, reporting, work planning, file management and outreach coordination, serving as a core coordination focal point.
Key results expected:
- Governing bodies coordination: manage and coordinate planning of Executive Board/Steering Committee meetings, produce agendas with the Deputy Director, send invitations, archive decisions and communications, monitor action points; prepare communication of decisions to implementers/stakeholders; build and maintain management tools for budgetary needs and projections, grant earmarking and allocation; support tools tracking Steering Committee decisions.
- Fund operations coordination: lead development and updates of the GFCR Operations Manual and project reporting templates, provide operational guidelines to implementing partners, coordinate UN Global Team meetings including agenda, documentation and action tracking, and maintain the GFCR mission calendar.
- Programme operations: contribute to assessment of programme/project budgets, guide recipient UN and non-UN organizations on operational requirements, and support identification and monitoring of operational risks and risk registries.
- Reporting and filing: support annual work plans and Fund annual reports compiling impact assessments and lessons learned; develop and maintain online file-management tools; manage contacts databases and mailing lists for governance bodies; draft operational and technical notes and speeches.
Education: An advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in management, economics, international relations or related areas is required; a bachelor's degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be considered in lieu.
Experience: Minimum five (5) years in progressively more responsible positions in governance management, preferably in the environment/climate change area with result-oriented objectives, or on performance-based grants or a related area; proven experience in donor, board and grant recipient relations. Desirable: report writing and research, cross-cultural communication in a multicultural environment, strong IT/MS Office skills, and experience developing partnerships.
Contract: ICA - IICA - Regular, contract level IICA 2, ICS 10, Mid Level. Duration: one year, with possibility of extension subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds. Duty station: Geneva, Switzerland.
Language: Fluency in English is required.
Closing date: 30-Aug-2026
Closing date: 2026-08-30
HOW TO APPLY:
Apply online via the UNOPS Careers Marketplace at https://careers.unops.org/careersmarketplace/Login?jobId=4057. Applications must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date; applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes and will at no stage request payment from candidates.
https://careers.unops.org/careersmarketplace/JobDetail/Fund-Coordination-Specialist/4057