UNICEF Zimbabwe seeks to hire a passionate and dedicated Partnerships and Reporting Officer (NO-2). Reporting to the Chief of Communications, Advocacy and Partnerships, the Partnerships and Reporting Officer's purpose is to support the Partnership team and senior management in deepening collaboration with key stakeholders and helping to provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within the scope of assignment. The key result is to ensure greater visibility for UNICEF and influence in support of its mission.
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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
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For every child, the right to a Champion
How can you make a difference?
Reporting to the Chief of Communications, Advocacy and Partnerships, the position’s purpose is to support the Partnership team and senior management in deepening collaboration with key stakeholders and helping to provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within the scope of assignment. The key result is to ensure greater visibility for UNICEF and influence in support of its mission.
The position is considered as a supportive role to higher level professionals that are centered on providing research, analysis and recommendations . Therefore, while these positions contribute substantively to organization-wide strategies, they should also be considered as opportunities for incumbents to acquire professional expertise, organizational knowledge and exposure for further career advancement.
The incumbent gathers, analyses and reports information in a manner that draws out fact-based insights to inform approaches to partner relationships and support substantive discussion with partners. S/he captures relevant information and progress and ensures internal information sharing.
Accurate and timely information to partners will strengthen the credibility of the organization which in turn will result in trust and increase resources to the organization. Well analyzed and support to senior management can result in an increase of funding opportunities.
Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:
- Contribute to the implementation of the Partnership Advocacy and Communication work plan, to ensure timely and cost effective delivery of results, and in accordance with UNICEF’s partnership and resource mobilization strategy.
- Build and maintain UNICEF’s partnerships with public and private actors, by supporting the development and implementation of standards and guidance for UNICEF partnerships and resource mobilization efforts; formulation of work plans and strategies.
- Support the development of frameworks and templates, and contribute to the drafting, review and quality assurance of donor proposals and budgets, partner agreements, amendments and donor reports for senior staff approval, ensuring full compliance with UNICEF rules, formats and donor requirements.
- Maintain up-to-date information on partner and income trends, conduct donor mapping and monitor donor priorities, policies and funding opportunities, and analyse development assistance trends to inform resource mobilization strategies.
- Manage the lifecycle of contribution agreements, including supporting timely contract signature, tracking key contractual milestones, and ensuring compliance with donor conditions and UNICEF policies and procedures.
- Coordinate with relevant internal stakeholders (programme, finance, legal and partnerships teams) to ensure effective implementation of donor agreements, timely submission of donor reports, and adherence to contractual requirements and deadlines.
- Help supervisor maintain effective relationships with public donors, private partners, UN agencies, host government and other partners, in order to keep them informed on key programme and partnership priorities.
- Attend meetings with relevant partners and coordination forums, taking notes, sharing information, and supporting joint programmes to increase UNICEF’s profile, and protect its interests.
- Contribute to identifying opportunities and support the development of high-quality project proposals, concept notes and investment cases, including consolidating inputs from programme sections.
- Assist with the preparation of information to provide to public and private partners on the strategy, design, relevance and impact of UNICEF programmes, including reviewing donor reports for quality, consistency and alignment with donor requirements and UNICEF standards prior to submission.
- Conduct analysis of partner landscape, funding trends and internal resource mobilization performance to support strategic decision-making. Undertake research and systematic mapping of prospective donors and partners, including analysis of their priorities, funding history and strategic fit for UNICEF, and prepare briefing materials and presentations on funding trends, donor intelligence and partnership performance for management.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Partnerships and Reporting Officer (NO-2) 134047 JD.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education: Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field.
- Work Experience: A minimum of two years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area.
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Skills:
- Current knowledge of development issues, strategies, as well as programming policies and procedures in international development cooperation.
- Strong communications skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to draft and review donor proposals and reports.
- Strong networking and interpersonal skills, with ability to build and maintain effective working relationships
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious working relationships, both within and outside the organisation.
- Good knowledge of partnership development and resource mobilization processes.
- Ability to review budgets and donor reports and ensure compliance with donor and organizational requirements.
- Strong analytical skills, including the ability to conduct donor mapping, analyse funding trends and prepare presentations and briefing materials.
- Ability to apply sound judgement in analysing information and supporting decision-making.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to ensure quality assurance of partnership and resource mobilization outputs.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required
Desirables:
- Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
- donor proposals and reporting, international development cooperation, donor landscape knowledge, donor agreement management, briefing materials and presentations drafting, data analysis
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
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
UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
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 is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
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.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.
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.