Public Partnership Specialist, P-3, Public Partnerships Division, Washington, D.C. #117185

This job is found in in Public Partnerships Division (PPD), Headquarters (HQ) and reports to the Senior Partnership Advisor position. The Partnership Specialist position’s purpose is to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders and provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within the scope of assignment. S/He may also serve as focal point and resource for colleagues on specific thematic areas of strategic relevance for partnership development as well as grant management and financing agreement compliance. The key result is to ensure greater visibility for UNICEF and influence in support of its mission.

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, hope . . . 

To create a world where the rights of every child are realized, UNICEF builds meaningful partnerships with the public and the private sector, to advocate on behalf of children worldwide and to leverage resources for programmes in their support. Focusing on the public sector, UNICEF's Public Partnerships Division works to achieve two outcomes: 1) The rights and interests of children are effectively translated into policies, programmes and budgets of public partners at all levels; and 2) Adequate, flexible and predictable resources are mobilized and leveraged to achieve results for children. 

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Senior Partnership Advisor, the Public Partnership Specialist’s purpose is to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders and provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within the scope of assignment.   S/He may also serve as focal point and resource for colleagues on specific thematic areas of strategic relevance for partnership development as well as grant management and financing agreement compliance. The key result is to ensure greater visibility for UNICEF and influence in support of its mission.

• Implement the work plan for assigned area, in order to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of results, in accordance with UNICEF’s partnership strategy.
  
  
• Seeks and promotes new partnerships and resource mobilization, working with UNICEF colleagues to identify partnership and resource mobilization needs and broker resource mobilization agreements to meet those needs.
  
  
• Receives and screens inquiries from potential collaborators and facilitates communication with appropriate UNICEF staff. Scans and scouts external environment within designated partnership area for opportunities and risks and shares information in a timely fashion with relevant UNICEF staff.
  
  
• Provides strategic, logistical and programmatic support to senior management and other UNICEF staff in corporate engagement and interaction with assigned partners.
  
  
• Contributes to team oversight of grant management issues and other compliance matters outlined in financing agreements.
  
  
• Develops and maintains deep knowledge and familiarity with current and prospective partners and relevant stakeholders, contributing to a database of key contacts and to UNICEF’s base of knowledge on partnership and resource mobilization.
  
  
• Develops and implements  partnership engagement and resource mobilization plans.
  
  
• Acts as a focal point for identification and pursuit of opportunities for outreach, engagement, policy influence and collaboration, including on how to anticipate and respond to partners’ concerns and priorities, ensure that UNICEF’s interests, perspectives, and knowledge are taken into account in relevant policy and institutional processes, and ensure that they are fully aware of UNICEF’s perspectives, policies, priorities and capabilities. Contribute to the development and management of initiatives for high-level outreach, including for UNICEF’s Senior Management.
  
  
• Contributes to the development of new partnership and resource mobilization practices and approaches by formulating recommendations for action based on on-going monitoring, analyzing current trends within designated partners and formulating recommendations for strategy approaches and message development.
  
  
• Contributes to strategies for engagement and the development of communications products to enhance UNICEF’s visibility and influence with existing and prospective partners and key stakeholders by providing analysis of the current environment and trends and formulating recommendations for strategy approaches and message development. Works closely with UNICEF’s colleagues to ensure that policy advocacy and outreach is strongly grounded in the experience and insights of the programmes that UNICEF’s supports. Contributes written inputs for communications instruments that best inform and influence decision makers.
  
  
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure the success of the team, including guiding, training, and coaching short-term staff, including interns and consultants, as needed.
  
  

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, business/public administration or another relevant technical field.
  
  
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in one of the following areas is required: public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area.
  
  
• Diplomatic communication and negotiation skills to establish and maintain trusted partnerships for achievement of objectives and to develop close and effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
  
  
• Current knowledge of development issues, strategies, as well as programming policies and procedures in international development cooperation. 
  
  
• In-depth knowledge of partnership development and resource mobilization.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to formulate new approaches in respect of resources management and outreach- related activities.
  
  
• Skill in the identification of new opportunities or requirements to meet challenges in the field and propose changes.
  
  
• Knowledge of UNICEF grant management rules, regulations and systems.
  
  
• Excellent communications skills, verbal and written.
  
  
• In-depth familiarity with political and governmental processes.
  
  
• Ability to conduct sound policy analysis.
  
  
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
  
  

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.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
  
  

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.

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.