Chief Fund Raising (P-5), Mexico City, Mexico #82763 [Fixed Term Appointment]

This is a high-level position to lead our Fundraising and Partnerships strategy at the Mexico Country Office. The Chief of Fundraising will be responsible for the overall coordination, planning, development, and realization of the country office’s private-sector fundraising strategy, in line with UNICEF’s global private-sector strategy. He/She will oversee and coordinate various fundraising channels and activities, ensure engaged and long-term partnerships, and drive revenue growth for both the Country Programme needs and for UNICEF globally.

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, opportunity

Mexico is a country of origin, transit and destination for migrant children from the countries of northern Central America, seeking safety and opportunity in Mexico or the United States. These are children fleeing from gang-related and gender-based violence, organized crime, extortion, poverty and limited access to education and social services. They have been repeatedly exposed to threats, intimidation and insecurity in a lawless environment. Many also want to be reunited with their families who reside in the United States.

UNICEF is supporting state and local authorities for the rapid identification, registration and care of unaccompanied and separated children and adolescents who have entered the country or are moving through Mexico at both the northern and southern borders. UNICEF is providing technical assistance to child protection authorities to implement standard procedures and case management. UNICEF is also supporting implementation of alternative care options for short and long-term solutions. UNICEF is also a key actor providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to children on the move, and their families, currently housed in different shelters across the country, through recreational and sport activities with support from implementing partners.

Mexico is also an emergency prone country. Mexico’s complex landscape, extensive coastline, and unique geological and climatic setting make it vulnerable to a variety of natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis, flooding and landslides, volcanic eruptions, and meteorological hazards. Each of these primary hazards in turn is associated with a variety of secondary hazards (e.g., flooding from tropical cyclone precipitation or landslides triggered by an earthquake).

Additionally, Mexico is an upper-middle income country, which represents an opportunity in local fundraising. The country office’s budget have exponentially grow in the past few years and the Chief of Fundraising position has been upgraded to reflect the complexity of our operation.

How can you make a difference?

The position is the head of the private sector fundraising team in the country office, and is responsible for leading all UNICEF fundraising from the private sector, and supporting broader engagement with business and key influencers in the private sector.

Under the general guidance of the Representative, the incumbent will be responsible for the overall coordination, planning, development and realization of the country office’s private-sector fundraising strategy, in line with UNICEF’s global private-sector strategy. The incumbent will oversee and coordinate various fundraising channels and activities, ensure engaged and long-term partnerships, and drive revenue growth for both the Country Programme needs as well as for UNICEF globally.

Leading and managing the Private Sector Fundraising Team

• Provides leadership and supervision to the private sector fundraising (PSFR) team for all fundraising activities. Represents the PSFR team in the Country Management Team.

• Builds a PSFR staffing structure to enable the office to maximise revenue growth.

• Establishes clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; and provides timely guidance to enable the team to achieve their goals.

• Identifies training opportunities to meet staff development needs aligning with the PSFR goals.

Developing the Private Sector Plan for the country office and ensuring achievement of goals

• In close consultation with the Country Management Team and PFP Regional Support Centre, and informed by clear analysis of the external environment, develops a comprehensive private sector strategy (‘Private Sector Plan’) targeting the audiences with strongest potential, including individual supporters, key influencers (major donors and foundations) and/or businesses. Ensures effective alignment with national, regional and global plans and priorities.

• Provides guidance and direction for analysis, planning, implementation and management on all fundraising channels as well as partnerships, with emphasis on achieving flexible and unrestricted resources.

• Stays abreast of key developments in the external environment as they affect fundraising, and continuously seeks new growth opportunities, and interprets and acts upon these with the team. Likewise remains up to date with cutting-edge developments globally in fundraising practice within UNICEF and across the sector, and ensures these are applied as relevant.

• Builds and supports a culture of innovation to drive fundraising growth.

• Engages with PFP colleagues in Geneva and RSC to coordinate access to appropriate investment funds and accurate and timely reporting on subsequent results.

• Develops with the team a coherent annual workplan and budget covering each component of the strategy, including an optimized individual giving programme (maximizing income through pledge, one-off donations, legacies and/or emergency giving), partnership prospect pipeline, investment cases, cultivation and solicitation, and partnership management; ensures sufficient re-investment into fundraising activities; monitors work progress and ensures results are achieved on time and to required performance standards; ensures effective management of financial and human resources, in compliance within UNICEF financial rules and regulations.

• Builds support for PSFR 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), HR (to optimize fundraising talent in the office), Operations (operational support for fundraising) and Programmes (strong articulation of programmes for donors and partners, and compelling reporting). Advocates for adequate staffing in these teams to support PSFR growth.

• Assesses and mitigates risk related to the private sector work, making informed decisions on fundraising operations and the overall engagement with the private sector.

• Ensures effective sharing of fundraising learning and materials internationally, through conferences, workshops and online channels.

Acquiring, cultivating and retaining individual donors and supporters

• Provides leadership and strategic directions on deploying different channels to recruit and retain individual donors and supporters, considering budget, performance, competition, supplier availability and regulations.

• Oversees the acquisition, retention and stewardship of pledge donors. Ensures adequate diversification of the acquisition portfolio across different channels and techniques, e.g. face-to-face, digital, DRTV, telemarketing.

• Develops existing and new relationships with external suppliers to optimize the provision of fundraising services.

• Ensures effective management and protection of donor data, and analysis and segmentation of such data.

• Assures optimal supporter experience via a two-way engagement that builds supporters’ loyalty and maximizes lifetime value.

Establishing and managing meaningful partnerships

• Takes an active role in identifying, approaching, and negotiating relationships with key influencers and businesses. Assures effective concepts for engagement with partners are developed with programme and communications teams.

• Represents UNICEF in meetings with key partners to advocate and promote UNICEF programme goals and objectives; portrays a strong UNICEF brand through effectively communicating the UNICEF stories and messages.

• Facilitates the office in leveraging the non-financial aspects of key influencers and business.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have the following mandatory requisites…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in one of the following fields: Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, Fundraising, Management or another relevant technical field. A first-level University Degree in a relevant field combined with two additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of ten years of professional experience in private sector fundraising, with progressively increasing responsibilities, including direct responsibility for setting and meeting income targets.
• Previous managerial experience.
• Fluency in English.
• Proficiency in Spanish (Advanced level of oral and written communication). 

You may also have the following desired education, experience, and languages, although they are not mandatory:

• Experience in, and knowledge of, the Latin American context.
• Relevant experience in managing fundraising teams in emerging markets.
• International fundraising experience.
• Fluency in Spanish.

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…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (3)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (3)
• Works Collaboratively with others (3)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (3)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (3)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (3)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (3)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (3)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable male are encouraged to apply.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

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