Partnerships Specialist, (P-3), WCARO- Dakar, Senegal #127779 [Temp Appointment]

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

Job organizational context and purpose for the job

This Partnerships Specialist position is part of the Partnerships and Resource Mobilization team (Public and Private) within the UNICEF Regional Office for West and Central Africa in Dakar, Senegal and reports to the Partnerships Specialist (Private Sector).

The position is a key member of the team and advises and supports the programme sections of the RO, as well as the 24 different Country Offices in the region in developing meaningful private sector engagement and fundraising strategies, products and experiences, supporting regional resource mobilization opportunities, and exploring innovative partnerships and funding opportunities.

The incumbent will play a critical role in supporting UNICEF WCARO’s fundraising and programmatic goals by building and managing strong partnerships with a range of stakeholders. Whilst this includes securing and developing global partners and prospects, a key component will be to build a high value, high impact pipeline of African businesses, leaders and organisations to support the region’s vital programs for children. The role will involve developing and implementing both financial and non-financial partnerships strategies to mobilize resources and expertise for the region. The role involves building and nurturing relationships with existing 

and potential partners across the region, including businesses, National Committees, foundations, philanthropistsPublic Private Partnerships and member-based organisations. The Partnerships Specialist will work closely with program colleagues to identify partnership opportunities and develop proposals for funding and collaboration.

This position covers both analytical and strategic contributions to all aspects of UNICEF partnerships and resource mobilization work in WCAR. S/He may also serve as focal point and resource for colleagues on specific thematic areas of strategic relevance for partnership development.

How can you make a difference?

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Provides strategic, logistical and programmatic support to senior management and other UNICEF staff in corporate engagement and interaction with assigned partners.
5. 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.
6. Develops and implements annual partnership engagement and resource mobilization plans for a wide range of stakeholders.
7. 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.
8. Contributes to the development of new partnership and resource mobilization practices and approaches and building pipelines 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.
9. 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.
10. Analyses relevant data and evidence of income and impact to support the build of new directional strategies and to review plans, manipulating UNICEF systems and processes including Insight, UNISON and the Cubes.
11. 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.

Impact of Results

The Partnerships Specialist is a seasoned professional in the field of external relations, in particular new business, partnership development and resource mobilization. The quality of work and external communications performed by the specialist directly impacts on the overall reputation of UNICEF. S/He follows established procedures but is expected to make recommendations on strategies for engagement and communications products as well as produce fundraising products, briefing notes and multi-country proposals. The Partnership Specialist is accountable for quality, substantive input and ability to project a competent and trusted image of UNICEF to partners. S/He capacity builds to Sections in the Regional Office and Country Office staff to increase the quality of private sector partnerships. The specialist may lead training and webinars to Country Office and the Regional Office staff to deepen knowledge and extend expertise.

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

• An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: philanthropy, private sector partnerships (ESG) and fundraising, public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area.
• Fluency in English and intermediate working / oral knowledge of French is required.

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…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

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. 

Remarks:

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). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will 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.

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.