Portfolio Manager

General Information

Publication for

Hosted Entity

Entity Name

Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR)

Position Title

Portfolio Manager

Job Category

Portfolio

Duty Station(s)

Geneva

Seniority Level

Senior Level

ICS Level

ICS 11

Contract Type

ICA - IICA - Regular

Contract Level

IICA 3

Posting Start Date

25-Aug-2026

Posting End Date

15-Sep-2026

Duration

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

Job Highlight

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 workstreams: 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, Switzerland.

In 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.

About the Region

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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.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

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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.

Job Specific Context

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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. The GFCR mission is to enhance the resilience of coral reef ecosystems, communities and economies by unlocking new public and private resources that accelerate sustainable businesses and finance solutions (reef-positive solutions).

GFCR applies a blended finance approach that sequences different forms of capital to support coral reef conservation, economic, and community resilience outcomes. The approach combines grant funding, technical assistance, concessional finance, risk-sharing structures, and private investment to address constraints from early pipeline development through scale. At later stages, commercial and near-commercial capital can support expansion of proven reef-positive enterprises and larger-scale investment opportunities.

The GFCR supports reef-positive businesses and financial solutions across four core investment pathways: Sustainable Ocean Production; Sustainable Coastal Development; Circular Economy and Pollution Management; and Financial Mechanisms. Complementing these investment pathways, GFCR also advances a broader systems-change agenda by leveraging lessons learned from its portfolio and global coalition to promote ocean finance innovation, influence international policy processes, strengthen enabling environments, and catalyze the replication and scaling of reef-positive finance solutions.

Role Purpose

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Under the direct supervision of the GFCR Deputy Director, the Portfolio Manager supports the strategic development, oversight, and performance management of the GFCR programme portfolio. The incumbent leads portfolio coordination, programme monitoring, technical reviews, risk management, reporting, and impact analysis to help ensure that GFCR-funded programmes are well designed, effectively implemented, and aligned with the Fund’s objectives, policies, and blended finance approach.

Functions / Key Results Expected

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Summary of key functions:

Programme portfolio management

Monitoring, reporting, and impact measurement

Programmes proposals technical reviews

Partnerships development

Team management

1. Programme portfolio management

Coordinates the overall portfolio development and management of assigned specific trust funds;

Ensure programmatic collaboration with other trust funds as needed.

Leads and manages the development of portfolio management tools, including proposal evaluation and scoring criteria.

Oversees and manages the identification of programmatic risks and guides the systematic entry of inputs into Risk Registries.

Drafts relevant memos and presentations for submission to relevant Steering Committees.

2. Monitoring, reporting, and impact measurement

Leads and manages the GFCR portfolio and specific programmes progress and implementation reports.

Produce progress reports, investment updates, and lessons learned for stakeholders as requested.

Leads the development and applies monitoring frameworks to Strategic Funds portfolio performance, ESG compliance, and environmental and social impact.

Produces lessons learned assessments for stakeholders as requested and supports the integration of investment learnings into adaptive portfolio management.

Liaises with UNEP, other UN agencies and partners to ensure complementarity with monitoring and evaluation and knowledge sharing activities.

3. Programmes proposals technical reviews

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 the blended finance and its 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.

4. Partnerships development

Leads specific and assigned programmatic partnerships or initiatives.

Contributes to the development of flagship initiatives through programmatic design and financial modeling support.

Provides technical advice and support to investment and implementing partners on all programming aspects and supporting documentation, as needed.

5. Team management

Supervises and manages a team of Portfolio Specialist(s) and Programme Analyst(s), in addition to one consultant.

Provides guidance, performance management, coaching, and professional development support to team members.

Ensures effective workload distribution, quality control of deliverables, and timely achievement of team objectives in support of GFCR portfolio goals.

Skills

Portfolio Management, Program Management, Project Management, Quality Assurance, Reporting & Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainable Business

Competencies

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Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

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Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our im