Partnerships Advisor

Background Information – Job-specific

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) works across the globe. It brings together:

• The New York Portfolios Office, including the Sustainable Development Cluster and the Peace and Security Cluster
• The Geneva Office, including hosted engagements, the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) team based in Vienna, and other global programmes.

The office harnesses the collective expertise, resources, and networks of our Geneva and New York offices and the WEC team to amplify our impact in support of UNOPS strategic priorities and SDGs on a global scale. This ensures a streamlined and harmonized approach to global programmes and promotes collaboration and communication with multi-country offices.

The office works closely with major global partners and internal corporate and policy units and benefits from close links with the Geneva Liaison Office and the New York Board and External Relations Office.

We implement projects in over 130 countries on diverse thematics:

• Sustainable development
• Climate action and energy
• Health
• Peace & Security
• Humanitarian leadership and people’s displacement

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the GPO Director, and in close collaboration with the NYPO and Geneva Senior Management teams, the Partnerships Advisor will lead the development, implementation, tracking and reporting of the GPO partnership and communication strategy, which focuses on:

• Partnership building and growth: promoting UNOPS business positioning at the global scale in support of the UNOPS Strategic Plan and its contribution to Agenda 2030 and the SDGs; driving GPO’s partnerships work, ensuring effective coordination and maximised impact
• Lead on internal and external communications for the GPO office
• Consolidating, curating and sharing knowledge, innovation and thematic competencies within GPO and in collaboration with other UNOPS offices and regions
• Promoting UNOPS standards and culture with respect to managing partnerships, talent, engagement and efficiencies in programme delivery.

In doing so, the Partnerships Advisor will draw on the Geneva and NYPO partnership and communication strategies, develop a workplan outlining priorities for GPO’s global engagement with current and potential partners and track and report progress, adjusting as needed to meet agreed targets and in line with emerging opportunities. The Partnerships Advisor will work across GPO under the guidance of the Director and collaborate with NYPO and GVA Managers, NYPO and GVA partnership and communication colleagues, as well as UNOPS PLG, Geneva Liaison Office and NYBER, leading the efforts to strengthen relationships with the UN system of organizations, IFIs and other current and potential global partners for GPO in NY, Geneva and globally.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Partnerships development, business acquisition and growth, which include the following responsibilities:

• Coordinate the development of a new GPO partnership, business development and communication strategy 2026 – 2029, as well as support annual business plans;
• Coordinate implementation of the partnership, business development and communication strategy;
• Ensure partnership opportunities are coordinated across GPO, including by leading GPO partnership coordination meetings and joining Geneva and NYPO partnership coordination meetings;
• Support engagement of the GPO Director of Geneva and NYPO offices during high level meetings, in close collaboration with Geneva and NYPO offices; Help position GPO in key events, secure speaking slots, side events, provide information and strategic advice; Facilitate office (including hosted engagements) involvement in such events; develop briefs and talking lines for the GPO Director;
• Undertake donor and partner mapping exercise covering both the development and humanitarian landscape;
• Advise the GPO Director, Senior Management Team, NYPO and GVA partnership and communication colleagues on the possibilities for UNOPS strategic positioning, vis-à-vis the potential partners;
• Prepare substantive briefs on specific partners, UNOPS strategic positioning, partnership opportunities and capacity statements;
• Establish working relationships with key potential partners and attend relevant meetings to position UNOPS as a partner of choice;
• Develop high specification presentations and other communications and visibility materials to position UNOPS value proposition with prospective partners and influential networks;
• Manage and coordinate agreement negotiations, drafting of project proposals, budget and other partnership and programme development documents;
• Maintain regular communication with the Geneva and NYPO partnership colleagues, Corporate Partnership Group (PLG) in UNOPS HQ in Copenhagen and NYBER in UNOPS NY;
• Collaborate with relevant partnerships and programme personnel at the country, regional and UNOPS HQ level to ensure aligned and coherent interactions with partners.

2. Knowledge management, communication, innovation and technical support, including the following responsibilities:

• Develop and provide communication about the GPO portfolio to the rest of UNOPS, including the other regions and headquarters units, to increase understanding and awareness; Facilitate information sharing and seek synergies, across GPO portfolios;
• Ensure GPO external communication is well coordinated, in line with HQ recommendations and guidance;
• Ensure capacity building in terms of communications capacity and partnerships across GPO;
• Assess and keep abreast of the emerging trends in the development, peace and humanitarian spheres in GPO as relates to UNOPS services;
• Identify, synthesize, advise and disseminate best practices and lessons learnt as related to partnership, communications and programme development;
• Implement standards, tools and templates provided by PLG and CG to build and nurture strategic partnerships, related communications and programme development within GPO effectively;
• Contribute to UNOPS capacity development as related to partnerships, including promoting learning, coaching and mentoring the team members, field staff on UNOPS policy and practices for effective management of partnerships;
• Contribute to policy level issues related to partnerships, positioning and communications for GPO;
• Participate in, conduct the relevant training for the operations/projects personnel, and participate in field missions;
• Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• GPO helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons are disseminated between projects across the entire region.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other UNOPS Regional Partnerships/ Communications Advisors.

3. Efficient partner relationships and organizational work ethics and culture, including the following responsibilities:

• Actively engage with partners to solicit feedback and gauge their satisfaction with UNOPS services;
• Coordinate implementation of partner surveys within GPO as appropriate.
• Undertake advocacy, public information and communication activities in collaboration with PLG when required.
• Actively engage with internal stakeholders.
• Supervise, coordinate and steer the work of partnerships and communication specialists in Geneva and NYPO
• Demonstrate professional and personal ethics, transparency and openness.
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent preferably in Business Administration, Political Science, International Relations, International Development, Social Sciences or a related discipline is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s) in combination with required qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Required experience:

• At least seven (7) years of relevant experience in an international development context combining the following:

1. Strategy development and execution
2. In-depth knowledge of development issues and current donor and sectoral trends, with emphasis on a deep understanding of the UN system of organizations, the partner/donor landscape;
3. Experience in dealing and negotiating with external stakeholders;

Desirable: (The following experience is optional. Candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply)

• In-depth knowledge of development issues and current donor and sectoral trends, with emphasis on International Financing Institutions would be an asset;
• Knowledge of GPO partner/donor landscape as well as issues and challenges relevant to GPO portfolios, would be desirable;
• Previous experience within the UN system is an asset

Language:

• Fluency in English is required
• Fluency/working knowledge of another UN language is an asset