Partnerships Specialist, P3, TA (364 days), #128549 Rabat, Morocco – MENA

UNICEF in Morocco is in the second year of the implementation of the 2023-2027 Country Programme Document (CPD), which is an agreement of cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Morocco. The CPD outlines result areas in education, health and nutrition, child protection and social inclusion. Cross-cutting themes of critical importance include a focus on social behavior change and community engagement, attention to gender, and communications and advocacy. UNICEF works hand-in-hand with Government at national and decentralized levels as well as with a wide range of partners including NGOs to support change at scale that is informed by evidence from programmes from across Morocco’s diverse regions.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built, we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, voice

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries.

UNICEF in Morocco is in the second year of the implementation of the 2023-2027 Country Programme Document (CPD), which is an agreement of cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Morocco. The CPD outlines result areas in education, health and nutrition, child protection and social inclusion. Cross-cutting themes of critical importance include a focus on social behavior change and community engagement, attention to gender, and communications and advocacy. UNICEF works hand-in-hand with Government at national and decentralized levels as well as with a wide range of partners including NGOs to support change at scale that is informed by evidence from programmes from across Morocco’s diverse regions.

The Country Office has developed a Resource Mobilization Strategy to strengthen and diversify its partnership base and is now looking for a Partnerships Specialist who will coordinate its implementation.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of your position as Partnerships Specialist is to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders and provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within your assigned scope. You may also serve as a focal point and resource for colleagues on specific thematic areas of strategic relevance for partnership development. The key result is to ensure greater visibility for UNICEF and influence in support of its mission.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Monitor and support teams in implementing the Morocco CO Resource Mobilization Strategy. This will involve developing and updating quarterly action plans and providing technical support to teams as they deliver on their accountabilities within this plan. This will also involve preparing updates for the Country Management Team periodically on progress, challenges, and opportunities for further action.
2. Seeks and promotes new public and private 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. Assists the CO to develop its roadmap for engagement with the private sector, in close consultation with different teams across UNICEF.
4. 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.
5. Provides strategic, logistical and programmatic support to senior management and other UNICEF staff in corporate engagement and interaction with assigned partners.
6. 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.
7. Provides dedicated support to the flagship funded programmes that require intense partnership management for successful programme outcomes and communication of those outcomes.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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. Contributes written inputs for communications instruments that best inform and influence decision makers.
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.

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

The following 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 programme management, private sector engagement in the context of development assistance, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and French is required.

The following are desirables:

• Prior experience designing and implementing partnership and resource mobilization strategies for a UN agency will be an asset.
• Prior experience managing partnerships with large scale funding actors will be considered.
• Demonstrable strengths in communication – written and oral – will be an asset.

Language: Knowledge in Arabic is an asset

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

The 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 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be 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 canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

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

This is required for all posts requiring a higher education degree. “UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”

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

“The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates)”

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.