Implementing Partnerships Specialist at UNICEF

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Somalia played a key role in making sure that child-focused data, with attention to gender and minorities, was included in the country’s first national development plan in 30 years. We have been tackling issues such as child mortality, better access to health services, severe malnutrition, and stronger child rights. We are working with partners to address the alarming food insecurity and malnutrition levels in Somalia. We are supporting community based reintegration programs for children released from armed groups, and are working on developing a social protection policy. We are also conducting robust HACT implementation.

The PME section of the UNICEF Somalia Office seeks to recruit a highly-qualified Implementing Partnership Specialist to provide oversight, quality assurance and technical support to the management of implementing CSO partnerships and compliance with the respective operational policies and procedures in the country office. Support PM&E’s efforts to increase staff and partner understanding of UNICEF policy and procedures and enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery and support of results for children specifically to focus on rules and procedures that apply to collaborative actions between UNICEF and civil society organizations with UNICEF resources, focusing specifically on formalized arrangements with partners that are governed by a programme cooperation agreement (PCA), small-scale funding agreement (SSFA). Effective oversight, technical assistance and guidance provided by the Specialist will lead to effective implementing partnership management and enhance UNICEF’s credibility to partners and directly impact on programme execution and delivery of sustainable results.

Join our team and help us make sure every child has a champion.

Support to implementing partnership management

• Provide technical assistance to country offices in the formalization of partnerships with government, civil society organizations and other implementing partners in line with relevant policies, procedures and guidelines including the CSO procedure and guidance on work plans.
• Provide technical assistance to country office in the implementation of CSO partnerships in line with the CSO Policy and Procedure and other relevant organizational policies, procedures and guidelines including UNICEF’s Strategic Framework for Partnerships and Collaborative Relationships, and the Guiding Principles of Partnership with CSOs. This procedure is to be read in conjunction with the UNICEF HACT Policy and Procedure, Programme Policy and Procedure Manual, the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, UNICEF Supply Manual and the Simplified Standard Operating Procedures for Level 3 and Level 2 Emergencies. These recognize that partnerships between UNICEF and civil society organizations (CSO) are critical to achieving results for children in both development and humanitarian contexts.
• Guide, advise and support country office in partnership submission, review and approval processes and the development of country level programmatic assurance plans.
• Guide, advise and support country office in the use of UNICEF tools and systems (i.e. e-Tools, InSight, VISION) as it relates to developing and implementing CSO partnerships.

Oversight and quality assurance

• Enhance the office’s capacity for effective and efficient CSO partnership processes. Under the general guidance and supervision of the Programme Specialist provide technical guidance and support to programme sections and field offices for the advancement of CSO partnerships towards the Implementation of the UNICEF Somalia Country Programme.
• Ensure the required duties and responsibilities of the PRC secretary are carried out as specified by the CSO Procedure, Annex A (ToR for the Partnership Review Committee) and coordinated the timely processing (quality assurance) of the following umbrella programme cooperation agreements (PCAs) in conformity to global standards and CO specific requirements.
• Ensure the required duties and responsibilities of the PRC secretary are carried out as specified by the CSO Procedure, Annex A (ToR for the Partnership Review Committee) and managed the timely processing (quality assurance) of the following programme documents (PDs) in conformity to global standards and CO specific requirements.
• Provide oversight and ensure quality assurance processes are in place on the implementation of the CSO Procedure. This includes ensuring that partners are selected in accordance with the CSO Procedure, time limits for operationalizing partnerships are met, especially in humanitarian responses, results are clearly articulated and SMART and budgets reflect actual requirements for achieving results.

Analysis, monitoring and reporting

• Monitor and report on the status of CSO partnerships implementation at the country level using corporate tools and systems such as e-Tools and InSight.
• Prepare reports for Regional Office and Headquarters as may be required.
• Analyze and monitor umbrella PCA and PD submission, review and approval processes at regional and country level.
• Provide technical guidance on the following partnerships processes to programme sections (ZO & CO) and PRC (ZO & CO)
• Provide analysis of partnerships from lenses of results and value, risk and assurance, and transparency and accountability.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Support and facilitate country office capacity and knowledge exchange on in-country implementing partnerships management intra-office processes.
• Support and facilitate country office capacity development activities of staff and implementing partners on implementing partnership management with a special focus on implementation of CSO Procedures.
• Identify and share good practices on implementing partnership management in general and CSO partnerships in particular and interact with NYHQ and other agencies at global, regional and country level on matters concerning implementing partnership management.

• Support country offices in the roll-out and implementation of e-Tools for implementing partnership management.
• Develop training/orientation materials and training calendar and schedule to support proposed joint capacity strengthening exercise for implementation by Partnerships, HACT, Contribution Management teams.
• Provide support along specified lines to meet individual needs. Implement a needs assessment exercise.

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

• Education:  Master's Degree in international development, public affairs, international relations, political science or other related field. *First university degree with two-years of additional relevant work experience is acceptable in lieu of an advanced university degree
• Work Experience: At least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in programme partnership coordination and management, project administration, monitoring and evaluation.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is required with knowledge of another UN language considered as 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 competencies required for this post are...

• Builds and maintains partnerships,
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, 
• Innovates and embraces change, Drive to achieve results for impact, 
• Manages ambiguity and complexity, 
• Thinks and acts strategically,
• Works collaboratively with others, and 
• Nurtures, leads, and manages people*.