The Private Sector Fundraising and Partnerships (PSFP) section within Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP) works with National Committees and UNICEF country offices to maximize engagement and drive income growth. The purpose of the Faith and Membership-Based Organizations income channel, within the Foundations unit, is to drive engagement, impact and income growth from faith and membership-based organizations. UNICEF has been engaging with faith-based organizations, membership organizations and civil society partners for decades, enjoying positive relationships with these actors at global, regional and country levels. Our shared commitment to children’s well-being has translated into impactful and lasting support, including financial, for UNICEF’s work.  You will be part of the Faith and Membership team, who provide strategy development and capacity building to National Committees, Regional Offices and Country Offices, to facilitate the retention of existing partners, and the building of new ones. This includes providing engagement and cultivation opportunities for global partners, supporting new business development discussions, sharing best practices, providing training, and supporting prospect cultivation and management. Team members also play a role in the relationship management of key partners. Reporting to the Partnerships Specialist, this role will work closely with National Committees, communications, content, due diligence teams, as well as teams in Programme Group, regional and country offices.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built, we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a Champion

The Private Sector Fundraising and Partnerships (PSFP) section within Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP) works with National Committees and UNICEF country offices to maximize engagement and drive income growth. The purpose of the Faith and Membership-Based Organizations income channel, within the Foundations unit, is to drive engagement, impact and income growth from faith and membership-based organizations.

UNICEF has been engaging with faith-based organizations, membership organizations and civil society partners for decades, enjoying positive relationships with these actors at global, regional and country levels. Our shared commitment to children’s well-being has translated into impactful and lasting support, including financial, for UNICEF’s work. 

UNICEF has been undertaking an ambitious strategy to accelerate faith and membership-based partnerships by providing organizations with the opportunity to extend their reach and amplify their impact with UNICEF, through resource mobilization, engagement, leveraging their influence and networks, and through enhanced thought-leadership and advocacy.

You will be part of the Faith and Membership team, who provide strategy development and capacity building to National Committees, Regional Offices and Country Offices, to facilitate the retention of existing partners, and the building of new ones. This includes providing engagement and cultivation opportunities for global partners, supporting new business development discussions, sharing best practices, providing training, and supporting prospect cultivation and management. Team members also play a role in the relationship management of key partners. Reporting to the Partnerships Specialist, this role will work closely with National Committees, communications, content, due diligence teams, as well as teams in Programme Group, regional and country offices.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance of the Faith and membership specialist, the incumbent will be responsible:

Grow faith & membership giving revenue stream through market capacity building

  • Act as a dedicated focal point of the team, for a number of National Committees and Country Offices, supporting them in their Faith and Membership revenue stream, with a particular focus on markets in Asia/ Pacific and northern Europe.
  • Collaborate closely with key priority markets to support their new business development and help establish pipeline of top prospects with defined engagement plans 
  • Support the conduct of additional strategic mapping, with the goal to explore new opportunities
  • Support the development of key enablers & tools that will position UNICEF as a partner of choice, and open new opportunities including on grant management and tracking, Due Diligence Principles, communication guidance and materials, etc.

Technical expertise & capacity building 

  • Use technical expertise and insights to grow our portfolio of both markets and organizations that we work with
  • Build a global Community of Practice, equipped to collaborate and share best practice
  • Build a database of technical guidance notes to support relationship managers and partnership focal points to best maximize opportunities.

Additional Tasks

  • The post holder may be required to provide support to additional projects or other tasks as required, in line with evolving office priorities and the supervisor’s direction.

DELIVERABLES:

  • Growing the income of priority markets through direct coaching, support, expertise and insight to relationship managers and senior leaders
  • Contribute to the JSP discussions for key markets, to ensure that the audience is being equipped appropriately and that the opportunity is positioned effectively within national strategies
  • Support partnership development, including opportunities for global recognition, thought leadership, and joining or creating appropriate engagement opportunities.
  • Build a community of practice with fundraisers from National Committee, Regional Office and Country Offices, with regular calls to train and share best practice
  • Developed a strategy to grow the technical expertise of relationship managers, including onboarding training, professional development, and mechanisms to share best practice and learnings between partnerships and countries.
  • Support the delivery of the Faith and Membership Workshop as a meaningful opportunity for learning and collaboration between focal points and fundraising leadership.

 Estimated Duration of the contract

  • Until 31 December 2026

Reporting To:

  • The Partnership Specialist (Foundations), based in Geneva

Working Place:

  • Geneva, Switzerland is the official duty station (Flexible work arrangements may be applied if there is a need.)

To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have…

Education:

  • An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, fundraising, marketing, theology/ religious studies.
  • Alternatively, a first level University Degree in a relevant field combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience:

  • A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in fundraising or partnerships or other relevant technical fields
     is required, with at least two years working for or directly with a faith or membership organization.
  • Experience in managing high value (six figure) relationships with faith or membership-based organizations is required.
  • Experience and familiarity with global fundraising landscape and/or experience in cultivating high-value gifts is required.
  • Experience supporting Asia Pacific and Northern Europe markets, is an asset
  • UNICEF/UN experience is an asset.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential, both written and verbal is required.
  • Proven experience demonstrates a strong work ethic and initiative, with the ability to work confidently and collaboratively within a team environment, is required. Proven ability to prioritize; work independently; handle multiple complex tasks simultaneously; and to generate pragmatic solutions to challenges, is an asset.
  • Strong customer service approach to interactions with colleagues and partners; ability to navigate complex environments and help build relationships with a variety of stakeholders, is required.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, and with experience in using complex database, is an asset.
  • Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is an asset.

Language requirements:

  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

  • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
  • Works Collaboratively with others (1)
  • Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
  • Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
  • Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
  • Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity (1) are required.

During the recruitment process, we assess candidates following the UNICEF competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.