Vacancies at UNICEF

• Reporting to the Senior Advisor, the Partnership Specialist position’s purpose is to deepen collaboration with key public sector stakeholders and provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within the scope of assignment. This position also contributes to strengthening the Region’s capacity on and compliance with quality reporting on public and private sector grants, as well as through the coordination and stewardship of select multi-country regional partnerships. These functions contribute to continued and growing critical resources to support UNICEF programming in ESAR.
• In collaboration with the Senior Advisor, 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 in public sector, working with UNICEF colleagues to identify partnership and resource mobilization needs in ESAR and broker resource mobilization agreements to meet those needs.
• 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 at regional and global level.
• Provides strategic, logistical and programmatic support to senior management and other UNICEF staff in corporate engagement and interaction with assigned partners.
• 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 annual partnership engagement and resource mobilization plans for specific public partnerships portfolios.
• 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.
• In collaboration with colleagues in PPP and in other Sections, coordinates, plans, develops, and ensures timeliness and quality oversight of proposals and reports development (narrative and financial) and information (including donor progress and final reports, monthly situation reports, annual reports) on programmes managed by ESARO.
• In collaboration with other Sections within ESARO, ensures effective vertical and horizontal coordination as well as oversight of specific regional programmes, while collecting relevant lessons learned to feed into engagement strategies for public sector partners.
• Contributes to strategies for engagement and the development of communications products to enhance UNICEF’s visibility and influence with existing and prospective partners by providing analysis of the current environment and trends and formulating recommendations for 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.
• 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.

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area.

Skills: 

• 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.
• Excellent communications skills, verbal and written.
• In-depth familiarity with political and governmental processes
• Ability to conduct sound policy analysis.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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The incumbent will be specifically responsible for:

• Regularly monitoring budgets and financial expenditures of section by employing applicable tools, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow up.
• Helping prepare periodic or ad-hoc financial reports relating to country office and donors to support the office in optimizing use of programme funds.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs) and making amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants and programme-related items for his/her section including but not limited to registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
• Preparing monitoring and reporting information for supervisor and team on agreed performance indicators to drive more efficient management and accountability for results.
• Supports capacity development activities related to programme development by preparing training materials and participating in exercises.
• Supporting the programme section in researching, compiling and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and information from a variety of sources on subject matters relevant to the work of the section to facilitate programme delivery as well as preparation of reports, working papers and presentations. 
• The key results have an impact on the overall performance of the country office and success in the implementation of project/programme activities. Accurate programme monitoring and recommendations, data entry and presentation of information ensure proper programme decision-making

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

• Education: Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization. A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a field relevant to the position may replace three years of related work experience, or an additional two years with a Master’s degree.”
• Work Experience: A minimum of six years of administrative or clerical work experience is required. Prior experience in programme support functions is an asset. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
• Skills: In-depth knowledge of the administration which underpins UNICEF country office programme/project operations, including monitoring and evaluation processes; Strong organizational, planning and prioritizing skills and abilities; High sense of confidentiality, initiative and good judgment; Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong office management skills; High attention to detail; Ability to effectively manage the section’s material resources and monitor its budget; Good analytical skills; Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint.
• Language Requirements:  Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.