Partnerships Associate

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Partnership Specialist, the Partnerships Associate supports business acquisition and partnerships for the Madagascar office within UNOPS key focus and service areas through the following:

1. Partnerships Development 
2. Donor Reporting
3. Knowledge Management and Innovation

The incumbent is responsible for performing the following duties:

1. Partnerships Development 

• Provide support in researching potential opportunities for partnerships;

• Keep abreast of social, economic, and political trends in Madagascar and provide background notes and analysis, as needed;

• Support and update the donor mapping exercise;

• Support identification and drafting of new projects and programmes, including concept notes and project documents;

• Support partnerships development through active outreach to current and potential partners, based on background research, assessments of client needs, analysis of partner surveys, and preparation of stakeholder profiles;

• Support the coordination and participate in meetings with donors and partners and produce high-quality meeting minutes and action-oriented summaries.

• collaborate with relevant Partnerships personnel as well as Project Managers, Project/Programme staff, and Technical Specialists to ensure aligned and coherent interactions with partners;

• Support in reflecting engagements and amendments on oneUNOPS Projects in coordination with Partnership Development Manager; compile and prepare Partnerships updates/highlights to be shared with the region;

• Carry out field visits for needs assessments and/ or preparatory work for preparation of proposals;

• Prepare background notes, briefings, and other materials for the senior management;

• Support the development of UNOPS visibility materials, including fact sheets, press releases, etc., in close coordination with the Communications Officer;

• Undertake missions to field offices and projects, as needed.

2. Donor Reporting

• Support the Reporting Specialist and Partnerships team in drafting donor reports, as required 

3. Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Implement standards, tools, and templates provided by HQ and the region to effectively manage partnership and project development within SAMCO to enhance/maintain UNOPS effectiveness as a provider of project services for sustainable results.

• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building within project and partnership development;

• Provide regular feedback on existing systems, tools and resources to ensure its relevance to day-to-day operations;

• Contribute to the ongoing research, development and implementation of best practices and innovative approaches to maximize performance and sustain achievements in partnership and project development.

• First University Degree Bachelor’s (with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience) preferably in any of following disciplines: international affairs, business administration, social sciences, economics, environmental studies, development studies or another field relevant to international development assistance is desirable; or

• High School Diploma is required with a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience;

• Minimum of 2 years experience in partnerships, programme, project management or reporting are required.

• Experience in the country or region is required.

• Knowledge of UN policies, procedures, and operations is an asset, and prior experience of working in the UN, International Organizations and Development Banks is highly desired.

• High proficiency with computers, and other software/ platforms related to the position's field of expertise is required. 

• Good experience in working with the G-Suite platform including, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides is an asset.

• Full working knowledge of English and French is essential.

• Working knowledge of a local language is highly desirable.