Partnerships & Communications Specialist

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development agency, promoting its global authority and thought leadership on sustainable development and the interconnected issues of poverty, inequality, and climate change. BERA leads and supports UNDP in building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances essential to achieving its mission. Creating strong political and financial backing for UNDP by providing partners and supporters with a clear understanding of what UNDP does and how our mission, capabilities and flagship services relate to them. The Bureau leads UNDP’s work on innovative and diversified partnerships and ways of financing the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It is also responsible for global campaigns on critical development issues, which aim to inform government policies and build partnerships around high-impact solutions. BERA coordinates and sets corporate standards across the functions of partnerships, marketing and communications within UNDP and leads on internal communications.

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy is positioned around three service lines; Public Partnership; Advocacy, Marketing and Communications; and Private and Finance Partners, all working in close collaboration and coordination under the guidance of the Directorate and with the support of the Management Support Unit and Strategic Analysis and Engagement team.
 
BERA has a robust network of Representation Offices (Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo, Washington D.C. and Germany) and Regional Teams in five hubs (Africa, Arab States, Asia Pacific, Europe and CIS, and Latin American and the Caribbean) co-led with Regional Bureaux, all of which play a critical role in audience centric communications and management and strengthening of relationships with Public and Private Partners to help build a strong brand for UNDP within the local ecosystem.

UNDP’s Nordic Representation Office (NRO) is located in Copenhagen with satellite offices in Norway, Finland and Sweden. It serves as a liaison and communication office, which works to share knowledge and raise awareness about UNDP’s mandate, work and results. NRO works both as a liaison office between UNDP’s headquarter in New York (/BERA) and the Nordic member states, and as a communication office, which focuses on reaching the public through the media, public events, presentations, field trips and cooperation with Nordic stakeholders, including civil society, private sector, and schools and research institutions. This position is based in Stockholm.

The extension of the post at P4 level beyond the one-year period advertised is dependent on the continuation of the SIDA communication support project.

• Oversee the management of the SIDA communications project (2019-2022), which seeks to increase awareness and knowledge of the SDGs, and knowledge of the work of UN/DP and how Sweden contributes to those results with a domestic Swedish audience;
• Provide strategic support and guidance to maintain, nurture and further develop tailored partnerships for outreach, advocacy to position UNDP as a key substantive partner with Swedish interlocutors;
• Identify new funding and partnership opportunities to ensure that UNDP maintains and potentially grows its current share of funding;  
• Develop and coordinate key engagement strategies around priority issues and campaigns in UNDP, including setting priorities, goals, and KPIs for existing and new partnerships;
• Perform intelligence gathering, analyse donor trends and funding landscape and provide input into RO policy recommendations and corporate strategies tailored to specific donors;
• Coordinate with BERA Communications teams on outreach and marketing activities relevant to advocacy of UNDP’s mandate and position UNDP with relevant partners and clients of the Representation Office;
• Network and build trusted and constructive relations with partners in all areas related to resource mobilization and programming;
• Under the guidance of the Director, represent UNDP in public events, media engagements and bilateral meetings with donors;
• Act as a liaison on behalf of the Director, with relevant partners in Sweden including government, CSOs and private sector partners;
• Supervise the UNDP Sweden team and ensure effective and efficient delivery of the office’s activities and budget;
• Perform other duties within the functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office.

Core

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Delivery

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

Technical/Functional

Partnerships

• Ability to engage with other agencies, donors and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relations.

Representation

• Ability to productively share UNDP knowledge and activities (at UN and other venues).

Brand & Quality Management

• Ability to position a UNDP brand and uphold it to a high level.

Knowledge Management

• Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge.

Relationship Management

• Ability to engage with other parties and forge productive working relationships.

Public Relations

• Ability to manage the spread of information between the UNDP and the public.

Education:

• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Law, European studies, Political Sciences or related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience at the national or international level in programming and providing management advisory services;
• Managerial and budget management experience an asset;
• Familiarity with the UN/UNDP system and UNDP-Swedish partnership an asset;
• Partnership-building and fundraising including with private sector entities an asset.
• Familiarity with MFA and SIDA funding management and procedures.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Swedish; both oral and written, is required.
• Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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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