Business Development Expert- Consultant - Athens, Greece, 11,5 months( start date before end February)

UNICEF Office in Greece is looking for a Business Development Expert- Consultant, fluent in English and Greek, for 11,5 months( start date before end February- flexible / remote working arrangements). The Business Development Expert will be responsible for supporting broader engagement with business, foundations and key influencers in the private sector. Under the general guidance of the Head of Office, s/he will be responsible for leading new business development opportunities; creating, identifying and accessing new funding opportunities for both the Country Programme needs as well as for UNICEF globally. S/he will maintain a consistent standard of corporate and foundation donor relationship and high-quality proposal development; actively seek to grow income through multi-country funding opportunities from Greek diaspora as well as corporate and consortium partnerships, in line with UNICEF’s global private sector strategy.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, [Results]

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated.

Investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

On 20 November 2020, following mutual agreement with the Greek State, the United Nations Children’s Fund established a formal presence in Greece for the first time. This milestone confers the full legal mandate of UNICEF to Greece, which is to provide assistance to UN Member States to fulfil their obligations to children under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ratified by Greece in 1993. As such, the UNICEF Greece Country Office is now expanding its support to all state institutions that have a role in ensuring all two million children in the country can fully enjoy their rights. UNICEF Greece has proposed a four-point blueprint “Together 2030: for every child” that outlines the key pillars on which UNICEF and the State of Greece can collaborate to ensure that, by 2030, every child in Greece is thriving in all aspects of life and empowered to reach their full potential.

State spending on the social sector in Greece since CRC ratification has been generally below par compared to EU averages and Member State best practices. Coupled with the austerity measures imposed on Greece over the past decade, and despite serious efforts to address financing gaps in recent years, there has been a significant opportunity cost for children that has impacted progress caused by a chronically constrained fiscal environment. As such, on the assumption that in the short- to medium-term there will not be the fiscal space for the State to meaningfully expand social sector spending, it will be necessary to identify new financing streams in favour of children in Greece that can invested in the strengthening of the national systems that serve them.

To date, UNICEF is engaging with counterparts as well as exploring options to ensure the availability of increased financing for children in the years ahead. To be meaningful, an innovative financing plan for children in Greece – one that would mobilise sufficient supplementary financing to enable a national programme for children to be properly resourced – would need to have the potential to raise a blend of financing options in the region of €5-€10 billion over ten years. This would consist of three pillars, only the first of which would be the responsibility of this position:

1. Private sector fundraising, philanthropic contributions and individual giving (private donors, key influencers, corporate & institutional donors)
2. EU-based financing instruments
3. Global ESG investors

How can you make a difference?

Greece has a healthy ecosystem of private sector partners large and small, a well-developed landscape of foundations and high net worth families who have long played an important role in financially supporting social causes, and an established culture of micro-giving to humanitarian appeals at the household and individual level. Moreover, there exists a diaspora of some seven million Greek nationals globally, primarily in the UK, Australia and North America, who maintain strong social, cultural and professional links with their home country. Within this collection of potential partners stand opportunities for collaboration on many fronts, financial and otherwise, as an offer to invest a high-visibility initiative to the benefit of the two million children of Greece should prove attractive.

The Business Development Specialist consultant will be responsible for supporting broader engagement with business, foundations and key influencers in the private sector.

Under the general guidance of the Head of Office, s/he will be responsible for leading new business development opportunities; creating, identifying and accessing new funding opportunities for both the Country Programme needs as well as for UNICEF globally. S/he will maintain a consistent standard of corporate and foundation donor relationship and high-quality proposal development; actively seek to grow income through multi-country funding opportunities from Greek diaspora as well as corporate and consortium partnerships, in line with UNICEF’s global private sector strategy.

Main Responsibilities and key duties:

Develops and implements the business development plan for the country office

• In close consultation with the Head of Office and other internal stakeholders, and informed by clear analysis of the external environment, develops and implements a comprehensive Business Development Plan targeting key influencers (major donors and foundations) and corporations. Ensures effective alignment with national, regional and global plans and priorities.
• Builds support for business development goals from other teams within the country office through building effective collaborative relationships accordingly, notably with Communications (to drive a strong brand and assure powerful content for fundraising), Operations (operational support for fundraising) and Programmes (strong articulation of programmes for donors and partners, and compelling reporting).
• Assesses and mitigates risk related to private sector engagement, making informed decisions on fundraising operations and the overall engagement with the private sector.

Establishing and managing meaningful partnerships

• Takes an active role in identifying, approaching and negotiating relationships with key influencers and business. Assures effective concepts for engagement with partners are developed with programme and communication teams.
• With the Head of Office, represents UNICEF in meetings with key partners to advocate and promote UNICEF programme goals and objectives; portrays a strong UNICEF brand through effectively communicating UNICEF stories and messages.
• Engagement both internally and externally on proposal development, funding opportunities, and key influencer strategies.  
• Responsible for growing income as per finance stream described below.
• Provides leadership in the design, coordination, and delivery of agreed strategies and plans for resource mobilization.
• Provide specialist advice, knowledge and skills related to partnership-building with corporate donors and foundations.
• Decision-making requires significant levels of judgement based on technical knowledge, experience, and consultation.
• Facilitates the office in leveraging the non-financial aspects of key influencers and business.

Deliverables

Business Development Plan: (20%)

Develop a three-year (2021-2023) €100 million business plan by actively identifying and qualifying partnership opportunities in pursuit of supporting UNICEF programmes at national and global level. The plan should include:

1. Mapping of corporate sector, major donors and foundations in Greece as well as Greek diaspora opportunities;
2. Action plan to engage key influencers and corporate prospects;
3. Specific timeframe of actions and financial streams as per the following breakdown:

2021 - 20% within 8 regular milestones (to be agreed)

2022 - 40%

2023 - 40%

Grant proposal development: (20%)

• Prepares all necessary groundwork on proposal development and grant management.
• Provides effective grant project management and undertakes quality assurance of donor proposals to ensure high quality competitive proposals in order to successfully secure donor funds at scale.                                                                                                                                                               Strategic donor engagement: (60%)

• With the Head of Office, responsible for managing and building UNICEF Greece Country Office relationships with institutional donor and key influencers.
• Leads the successful implementation of the approved Business Plan.  
• Regularly identify and attend networking events and represent UNICEF at events and functions when required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• University degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Law, Economics, or International Development or other relevant experience;
• Minimum 10 years of demonstrable experience and success in engaging with bilateral and multilateral donors for UN Agencies, international organizations or large foundations, with proven ability to identify new business opportunities and partnerships;
• Strong key influencers’ portfolio including multinational corporations and foundations;
• Proven ability to implement clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies;
• Demonstrated ability to adjust to unexpected challenges and proposing countermeasures accordingly;
• Diplomatic negotiation, influencing and networking skills to establish and maintain trusted partnerships and to develop close and effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders;
• Experience of working with technical teams to develop program proposals that are funded by institutional donors;
• Good familiarity with government decision-making processes, both political and technical, including budget processes, appropriation, protocols, and communications;
• Strong proven ability to identify and articulate strategic and policy issues through effective oral and written briefs;
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to UNICEF values and mission, and commitment to promoting gender equity and the interests of marginalized people in all advocacy work
• Excellent communications skills, verbal and written;
• Fluency in written/oral English and Greek.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Management and Reporting

The consultant will provide monthly progress reports to UNICEF (reporting to the Head of Office).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Duty Station, Workplace and Travel

The consultant will be based in Athens, Greece, with flexibility of remote working as the situation permits. All travel expenses will be reimbursed by UNICEF. In case of domestic or international travel, the consultant will travel by the most direct and economical route in economy class. UNICEF will pay the daily subsistence allowance as per UN-approved rate if travel is outside of greater Athens. The individual contractor must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSafe certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.  Dates for any travel will be determined in consultation with the supervisors.

Remuneration and Payment Schedule

Consultants will submit a financial proposal for the deliverables described in section IV Deliverables.

Payment will be made on the basis of deliverables, specifically:

1. Submission of the approved by Supervisor Business Plan: 20% payment;
2. Achieved 8 milestones of 2021 financial streams: 10% of payment per milestone achieved;
3. Submission of monthly progress reports to UNICEF by the consultant, upon approval by the direct supervisor. Monthly progress reports will be brief, produced in English and summarize key activities, achievements and challenges faced during the reporting period, priorities for the next reporting period, highlighting any support needs from or recommendations for UNICEF.

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants are invited to:

1. Complete their UNICEF profile 
2. Attach CV and Motivation Letter Your motivation letter should indicate your availability.
3. Submit a Financial Proposal ( daily amount) in EURO. Please indicate the  number of estimated  days within the 11,5 months to achieve deliverables.
4. Submit a portfolio of similar projects

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.