UNFPA: Strategic Financing and Partnership Framework Support for UNFPA Sri Lanka – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Organization Mission

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person”s potential is fulfilled.

In Sri Lanka, we deliver this mandate based on principles of human rights and gender equality by advocating for rights-based gender responsive & transformative policies that enable the full realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.

Context

UNFPA Sri Lanka is seeking support to strengthen sustainable financing for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) in response to shrinking traditional donor funding and a volatile global financing landscape.

The assignment supports UNFPA Sri Lanka’s 10th Country Programme Cycle (2023–2027) by helping identify and map new donor opportunities, International Financial Institution (IFI) pipelines, and innovative financing approaches that can sustain progress toward UNFPA’s Three Transformative Results:

– Ending unmet need for family planning
– Ending preventable maternal deaths
– Ending gender-based violence

The volunteer will contribute to a broader strategic effort to transition from short-term “funding” models toward longer-term, sustainable “financing” approaches, including blended finance, impact investment mechanisms, and private sector engagement.

Working under the guidance of the Partnerships Specialist, the online volunteer will support research, donor intelligence, and strategic analysis to help position SRHR and GEWE as investment priorities for development and private sector partners. The role requires the ability to synthesize complex information into clear and persuasive narratives for diverse stakeholders.

Following the successful 2025 launch of the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business (CRJB), UNFPA Sri Lanka is leveraging evidence-based tools like the ROI-T to prove the financial impact of SRHR in the workplace.

This project seeks to capitalize on that momentum by formalizing partnerships with International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and exploring innovative instruments such as blended finance, impact investment bonds, and debt swaps.

This work is the “engine room” of the Country Office”s sustainability, ensuring that reproductive justice remains funded through diverse, resilient, and non-traditional capital streams

Key Responsibilities

We are looking for one experienced Online Volunteer who, under the supervision of the UNFPA Sri Lanka Representative, will support the development of a strategic financing framework focused on sustainable resource mobilization for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).

The assignment will contribute to UNFPA Sri Lanka’s broader efforts to transition from traditional short-term funding models toward longer-term financing approaches, including engagement with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), private sector actors, blended finance mechanisms, and innovative partnership models.

More specifically, the Online Volunteer is asked to:

– Conduct research and analysis on emerging trends in financing for development, gender equality financing, blended finance, private sector engagement, and IFI partnership models relevant to the Sri Lankan and regional context
– Support the drafting of a strategic “Funding to Financing” framework document (approximately 10–15 pages) outlining potential approaches, partnership models, and financing pathways for advancing the ICPD Agenda and sustainable investment in GEWE and SRHR programming.
– Contribute research and strategic inputs related to opportunities in with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), development banks, philanthropic actors, impact investment mechanisms, and private sector financing models relevant to UNFPA Sri Lanka’s work
– Support the synthesis of complex financing and partnership concepts into clear, accessible, and actionable strategic recommendations for internal use
– Participate in regular online check-ins (approximately 30–60 minutes per week) to discuss progress, receive feedback, and align on priorities.

Deliverables
– A strategic “Funding to Financing” framework document (approximately 10–15 pages) outlining the transition to blended finance, approaches to sustainable financing, IFI engagement, private sector partnerships, and innovative financing opportunities for GEWE and SRHR programming

Required Skills and Experience

– Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in sustainable finance, international development, economics, business administration, public policy, gender studies, international relations, or a related field
– Demonstrated interest or experience in financing for development, gender equality financing, private sector engagement, impact investment, blended finance, sustainable development financing, or donor partnerships
– Familiarity with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), multilateral development banks, donor ecosystems, philanthropic financing, or private sector partnership approaches is desirable
– Strong analytical, research, and writing skills, including the ability to synthesize complex concepts into clear and structured strategic documents
– Experience supporting strategic reports, policy papers, financing frameworks, donor research, or partnership documents is considered an asset
– Interest or experience in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), SDG-related programming, is an advantage.
– Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel