Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below.
Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates).
Tier 2: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA) and personnel on regular PSA contracts.
Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Background
The Partnerships and Strategy Unit of the UNDP Rome Centre plays a critical role in positioning the Centre as a strategic node within the UNDP global network. The Unit is mandated to drive forward UNDP’s agenda on resource mobilization, strategic outreach, and public-private partnerships, with a focus on the Italian cooperation system and in connection with the European Union, G7/G20 platforms, and private sector actors. Among its key challenges are navigating a rapidly evolving donor landscape, responding to shifting geopolitical priorities, and aligning diverse partner interests with UNDP’s programmatic goals. The Unit also serves as a policy and innovation interface, linking Rome-based stakeholders with UNDP’s operational architecture and thought leadership on global development issues.
This position is integral to advancing the Unit’s priorities by providing high-level leadership on partnership development, funding mobilization, private sector engagement and institutional visibility. The Team Leader is expected to contribute to the strategic direction of the Rome Centre and UNDP by shaping and executing a coherent engagement strategy that responds to donor expectations, leverages political opportunities, and supports programmatic scale-up in priority areas such as energy transition, climate finance, and digital transformation. The work of the incumbent directly supports UNDP’s broader strategic objectives on building diversified and resilient partnerships, deepening engagement with emerging donors and non-traditional actors, and fostering integrated development solutions through cross-functional collaboration.
Job Purpose and Organizational Context
The Team Leader for Partnerships and Strategy will play a central role in advancing the UNDP strategic vision by leading the design and execution of partnership, resource mobilization, and donor engagement strategies. Operating in a dynamic and multidisciplinary environment, the Team Leader will ensure cohesive collaboration across donor relations, leading UNDP’s partnerships with the Italian public and private sectors. This role will also support UNDP efforts with broader EU and G7/G20 outreach and guide strategic communications.
The position contributes directly to strengthening UNDP’s global positioning, expanding its resource base, and enhancing its programmatic footprint, while fostering innovation and institutional visibility. In line with UNDP’s portfolio approach, the Team Leader is expected to work collaboratively across functions and teams, both within the Centre and across the wider UNDP network, to support integrated and systemic development responses.
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.
Duties and Responsibilities
1) Provide overall strategic direction and operational leadership to the strategy, partnerships unit
- Develop and implement the Unit annual workplan in alignment with the Rome Centre and UNDP strategic objectives.
- Manage a multidisciplinary team, ensuring delivery, collaboration, and professional development.
- Foster integration across functional areas such as partnerships, communications, and private sector engagement.
2) Lead the development and execution of strategies to engage donors and secure funding aligned with Centre and UNDP priorities
- Establish, lead, and maintain high-level relationships with the Italian public and private sector ecosystem and supporting UNDP’s engagement with G7/G20 partners, EU institutions, and emerging donors.
- Identify funding opportunities and lead proposal development processes.
- Coordinate with UNDP HQ and country offices to ensure alignment of fundraising strategies.
3) Design and implement strategies to attract private capital and foster innovative financing partnerships
- Develop mechanisms for blended finance and public-private partnerships.
- Engage private sector stakeholders in co-creating solutions aligned with UNDP goals.
- Position the Rome Centre as a hub for development finance innovation.
4) Serve as the Centre’s lead representative in external engagements and advocate for its mandate and priorities
- Represent the Rome Centre at high-level international forums, summits, and public events
- Lead relations with academic institutions, think tanks and research centres
- Support the Director in preparing briefings and leading external relations.
- Oversee the development and implementation of an integrated communication strategy.
5) Ensure strategic alignment and coordination with UNDP HQ, regional hubs, and country offices for partnership and resource mobilization activities and facilitate knowledge sharing
- Liaise with UNDP Executive office, bureaus and offices to align partnership and resource mobilization strategies.
- Facilitate cross-regional collaboration and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
- Support integration of Rome Centre initiatives into the wider UNDP programming framework.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.
Competencies
Core
Achieve Results:
- Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
Think Innovatively:
- Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
Learn Continuously:
- Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
Adapt with Agility:
Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
Act with Determination:
- Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
Engage and Partner:
- Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:
- Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.
Cross-Functional & Technical
Business Direction and Strategy - Systems 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 Direction & Strategy - Negotiation and Influence:
- Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create ‘win-win’ situations.
Business Management - Communication:
- Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
- Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
Business Management - Portfolio Management:
- Ability to select, prioritise 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 -EU Partnerships:
- Knowledge and understanding of EU strategies, approached,
processes and systems.
Partnership management - Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding:
- Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships,
and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.
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.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, Economics, Environmental Policy, or a related field is 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.
- Professional Certification in Climate Finance is an asset.
Experience:
- Minimum 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in the areas stated below:
- International energy and climate policy
- Development finance and energy and climate project management especially in Africa
- Multilateral negotiations including G7/G20, COPs and EU summits
- Experience in private sector and public affairs role
- EU institutions and governments
- Experience in academia institutions
- Experience in leading donor engagement strategies, including with Italian government, G7/G20 members, EU institutions, private sector and foundations is required.
- Proven experience in high-level negotiations and policy advisory roles within intergovernmental settings, executive offices, cabinets and governments (e.g., National government, G7 Presidency, European Commission) in the field of climate and energy policy is required.
- Proven experience in program development and management with EU and/or UN institutions in the field of sustainable development, energy and climate change with a focus on Africa is required.
- Experience in mobilizing resources and developing innovative partnerships in energy, climate change, sustainable finance, or digital development is an asset.
- Experience in diplomatic, negotiation and working across both public and private sectors, ideally with exposure to multilateral financing, blended finance, and private capital mobilization is an asset.
- Experience representing organizations in high-level international fora and engaging with senior government officials, multilateral bodies, and corporate leaders is an asset.
- Experience in understanding of Italian cooperation priorities, EU external policy, and multilateral funding mechanisms (e.g., Global Gateway, Mattei Plan, G7 Presidency) is an asset.
- Experience in coordinating across institutional structures and align programming with both global and local priorities is an asset.
- Experience as a visiting professor or lecturer at postgraduate level designing and delivering courses on international climate policy and cooperation is an asset
- Familiarity with UNDP’s mandate, operational structure, and strategic partnership approaches is an asset.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain partnerships with academic institutions, think tanks, and research centers to strengthen policy dialogue and thought leadership is an asset.
- Demonstrated leadership and team management experience, especially with multidisciplinary teams, is an asset.
- Experience with political analysis and strategic planning, including the ability to synthesize complex global and regional dynamics—such as multilateral agendas and geopolitical development into actionable strategies and partnership opportunities, is considered an asset.
Language Requirement
- Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.
- Working knowledge of French and Italian is desirable.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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