Director, Rome Centre [Open to internal and external applicants]

UNDP Careers; Roma; On-site; EUR 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

UNDP Careers in Rome seeks a Director to lead the Rome Centre for Climate and Energy, shaping policy, programmatic strategy, and international partnerships. You will coordinate with UNDP leadership, donors, and Italian authorities to advance climate action and energy transition.

The role requires senior-level experience in sustainable development, resource mobilization, and multilateral collaboration, with a proven track record of delivering impact in complex environments.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Economics, International Relations, Natural or Social Sciences or related SD disciplines.
• Minimum 15 years (with master) or 17 years (with bachelor) of leadership work in sustainable development/climate.
• Experience in policy, programming, resource mobilization, and advocacy.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic supervision of the Rome Centre for Climate and Energy.
• Lead outreach, partnerships, and donor engagement in Italy.
• Represent UNDP at senior policy fora and Rome-based events.
• Coordinate with BPPS and Crisis Bureau for programme alignment.
• Develop and sustain partnerships with governments, IFIs, and NGOs.

Skills

Results orientation

Innovative thinking

Continuous learning

Agility

Decision making

Partnership building

Diversity & inclusion

Education

Advanced University Degree

Bachelor’s degree + 2 yrs experience

Job description

Job Description

In Line With The Commitment To Safeguard Capacity And Support Personnel Already In The Organization, a Majority Of UNDP UNCDF/UNV Vacancies Are Advertised Using a Tiered Application Process Whereby

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting‑edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field‑based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS's staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi‑stakeholder fora including public‑private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter‑agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP's development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results‑based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

The UNDP Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition (the “UNDP Rome Centre”) is the key platform for the strategic engagement between UNDP and the Italian Government. It focuses on the critical policy areas of climate finance, youth engagement in climate action, and energy for development.

The central focus of the UNDP Rome Centre is to promote sustainable growth and resilient economic development through the mobilization of finance for climate mitigation and adaptation projects. This focus is shared by all the Centre’s programmes,

Duties And Responsibilities

Under the supervision of Director - BPPS, and the overall guidance of the Centre’s Steering Committee, the Director of the Rome Centre for Climate and Energy will be responsible for the strategic supervision of the Centre, for the external outreach and representational activities of the Centre, and the incumbent will be the representative of UNDP in Italy, tasked with coordinating the overall strategic partnership with Italy, with curating the partnership and strengthening the role of the Centre as the overall platform of collaboration between UNDP and Italy.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

• Provision of Technical Leadership of the Rome Centre for Climate & Energy
• Lead the conceptualization of the activities and outreach of the Rome Centre for Climate and Energy.
• Lead the organization and reporting for regular meetings with the donor(s), as appropriate.
• Promote, advocate for, and represent UNDP at key events.
• Identify new partnerships and strengthen existing ones through innovative approaches to partnership development.
• Maintains collaboration and coordination within the GPN and with relevant organizational units in UNDP to ensure programmatic integration and sharing of best practices.
• Liaise with UNDP senior management, technical partners, on interventions and initiatives on the relevant focus areas of the Centre.
• Representation, Partnerships & Resource Mobilization
• Lead and coordinate the development of strategic partnerships and resource mobilization plans, particularly with the Government of Italy, relating to and strengthening UNDP’s position in climate action and energy transition, as well as support Strategic Plan implementation.
• Represent UNDP in relevant forums/mechanisms, as requested.
• Represent UNDP at a senior level in key policy fora and interactions, fostering close liaison and collaboration with UN system partners on climate action and energy transition issues.
• Cultivate and expand partnerships with bilateral, multilateral, emerging donors, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), and the private sector on climate action and energy transition, as well as broader development issues, actively seeking resource commitments and exploring new financing modalities.
• Identify, develop, and sustain partnerships with think tanks, academia, INGOs, NGOs, and development partners to leverage knowledge, expertise, and resources for climate and energy transition issues.
• Provide top quality advisory services and lead knowledge building and management
• Deliver high-quality intellectual leadership on UNDP’s agenda by integrating climate action and energy transition issues into sustainable development knowledge products.
• Provide the relevant conceptual inputs related to the activities of the Centre for Climate and Energy
• Coordinate after‑action reviews and draw lessons to enhance support mechanisms.
• Contribute to organizational learning in crisis knowledge domains.
• Coordinate with UN and other International Organizations in Rome to advance UNDP priorities and principles.
• Promote broader development effectiveness and the UN coherence agenda through new partnerships.
• Oversight and Management of the UNDP Rome Centre
• Ensure effective management of Rome‑based operations and full alignment with overall UNDP strategies, provide consistent and comprehensive support and advisory services for collaboration and integration (inclusive of human and financial resources, administrative, IT, and security matters).
• Ensure all personnel in Rome are effectively matrixed through proper span of control, reflecting the integrated office structure.
• Prepare and execute meetings for UNDP senior leadership when visiting Rome and facilitate contacts with Rome‑based agencies, contributing as needed to agendas, related briefing notes at HQ.
• Provides Rome Centre related support to UNDP Country Offices as needed or when suitable opportunities arise
• Support the BPPS managed programmes and teams based in Rome, where required.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Manage and supervise Rome Centre Team Leads and Administrative Assistant.

Competencies

Core

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi‑partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co‑creation
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site .

Cross‑Functional & Technical

• Business Development -
  • Knowledge Generation: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
  • UNDP Representation: Effectively represent and advocate for UNDP, its values, mission, work, and positions with various constituencies/audiences, shares UNDP knowledge and activities.
• Business Director & Strategy - System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Business Management - Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.
• Partnership Management - Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.
• 2030 Agenda: Partnerships - Sustainable Energy: Just Energy Transition.
• 2030 Agenda: Planet - Climate: Climate Strategies and Policy: Policy and Institutional Building.

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, International Relations, Natural or Social Sciences or relevant disciplines related to Sustainable Development and International Policy are required. OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

• A minimum of 15 years (with master’s degree) or 17 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant leadership work experience related to sustainable development, climate change and/or “green” transition is required.
• Demonstrated experience in achievement of substantive results at the nexus of policy and programming and tangible demonstrations in strategic programming, policy analysis and advice, resource mobilization, and advocacy are required.
• Experience in interagency and international co‑operation, negotiation of partnerships, and mobilization of resources is required.
• Demonstrate experience in management of programmes is required.
• Experience in leadership positions and the ability to advocate for effective solutions are preferred.
• Proven experience and in‑depth knowledge of developing countries’ contexts, managing complex situations, including the ability to influence/advance dialogue and present such material at global and regional for a is desired.
• Prior experience of working on issues related to developing countries or countries with economies in transition is an asset.
• Prior experience of working at cabinet level in national