For every child, a Champion.

Under the supervision of Chief of Strategic Partnerships, the incumbent will provide strategic support to the team lead on the identification, exploration and implementation of new innovative and creative partnerships, special projects, and institutional events.  The incumbent will be working collaboratively with colleagues across UNICEF, with strong orientation towards prospective and existing external opportunities for partnering. The post holder will manage a small team and will work closely with all sections within GCA.

The incumbent will lead the expansion and deepening of our engagement with a diverse set of partners with different industries including media, digital, entertainment, sports, or music; The manager will also oversee dynamic teams leading advocacy and partnership efforts. 

How can you make a difference?

Key functions and accountabilities will include the following:

UNICEF approach to new partnerships, special projects and institutional events require leadership that can develop strategy, establish high level networks, manage stakeholders, and own team, and drive implementation of strategically selected priorities in those areas. 

Stakeholder engagement: Scan the external environment and identify opportunities for new partnerships and projects, in close coordination with UNICEF senior leadership. Build and maintain strategic relations with key internal and external stakeholders. Provide recommendations on potential partnerships and projects  to be prioritized and coordinate closely with relevant DOC sections and other internal stakeholders on the implementation of prioritized partnerships and projects.

Strategic planning: Support the development and implementation of strong strategies for priority new partnerships in communication and advocacy. Co-lead with other key UNICEF stakeholders the development and implementation of strategies related to key institutional events (e.g., UNGA).

Execution: Execute the prioritized new partnerships and ensure their mainstreaming into other relevant sections/divisions once they are consolidated. Implement the prioritized special projects and co-lead the implementation of prioritized institutional events with other relevant internal stakeholders. 

Management: In the absence of the Chief Partnerships, manage the new Partnerships and Special Projects team and the Executive Manager in Director’s office.

Operations: In the absence of the Chief of Partnerships, manage the new Partnerships and Special Projects section  and budget, ensure monitoring and evaluation and other operational responsibilities associated with successful delivery of this team’s mandate.

Strategic Initiatives: Provide support on strategic initiatives, innovations and partnerships that contribute to advocacy and communication objectives on behalf of DOC. Ensure and oversee modalities to enable these innovations and initiatives are fully funded and properly resourced.

Fundraising: Work with other parts of the division to mobilize necessary funds to continue to deliver on communication work at the highest level. Co-lead DOC’s contribution to the regular resources fund raising acceleration strategy.

Carry out additional activities as required

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

Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Marketing, International Relations, Political Science, Communications, International Development, or another relevant technical field is required; or

A first-level degree in combination with an additional two years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible professional experience is required, particularly in the context of leading on a variety of partnerships, with at least two years at the international level.
• Working experience in building strong relationships with experience within media, entertainment, sports, or music industries is desirable.
• Experience in building and maintaining a network of stakeholders, and in working with coalitions. Experience managing  and oversight teams of technical professionals, including in high pressure environments.
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public
• Strong abilities to communicate and persuade both in internal and external environments on strategic organizational priorities policy and international development.
• Proven co-ordination, organizational and interpersonal skills that motivate and mobilize staff and stakeholders across different organizational units to collectively drive for results.
• Experience in managing a team is a requirement, along with a proven commitment to diverse and inclusive recruiting process. Capacity to drive change across the organization promoting innovation
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results. Proven record of resource mobilization
• Experience managing a multicultural team is an asset.
• Knowledge and experience with the UN system an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language 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

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others
• Nurtures, leads, and manages people

Additional specific competencies required for this role are as followed:

• Strategy and innovation
• Planning, monitoring and assessment
• Management and oversight
• Resource mobilization
• Reporting and communication

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. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. 

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). 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.