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.

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The Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP) Division works with National Committees and UNICEF Regional and Country Offices, as well as other HQ divisions, to maximize income and influence from the private sector for the delivery of the UNICEF Strategic Plan. The Division is currently based in Geneva, where the PFP Director and the majority of staff are located with other staff based in Regional Support Centers and close to/in support of country offices and markets.

The Chief (Corporate Partnerships) position sits within the broader Partnerships portfolio of the division, and reports to the Principal Adviser (Partnerships) modeling close collaboration with and support for teams leading on other high-value income/influence channels (e.g., Foundations, and Multi-stakeholder Partnerships) as well as the team leading the development of UNICEF’s key enabling CRM system/strategy for partnerships. The broader Partnerships team works together to continuously develop and lead the delivery of an integrated Partnerships approach that spans both influence and income with/from the Private Sector to delivering results for children at scale. Specifically, the Corporate Partnerships Team works with National Committees and UNICEF country offices/regional offices to drive overall impact and income growth from the business sector. The postholder also works closely with PFP, DGCA and Programme Group leadership (and others) to shape/lead business partnerships (and related policies) to maximize results for children. Income growth will come from two sources: supporting countries to develop and strengthen their corporate fundraising capacity and skills and through the proactive development of new partnerships by the PFP Corporate Partnerships unit in close collaboration with respective offices throughout the world.

For every child, a Champion

This post will lead the development of the bilateral partnership strategy for maximizing both income and impact from the corporate sector. The Chief (Corporate Partnerships) will also play a critical role externally to build strategic, high-value alliances with key partners and to pitch to prospective corporate supporters. The incumbent will ensure that the strategy for corporate partnerships is fully integrated with UNICEF’s broader corporate engagement strategy, and will have a critical, ongoing role in shaping that. This means seeking opportunities, wherever possible, to build partnerships that generate more than financial support to UNICEF but also contribute to children’s rights through leveraging our corporate supporters’ core business and unique assets.  The incumbent will manage considerable staff and financial resources, leading a large team whose function is to provide technical support on corporate partnerships to a UNICEF ecosystem including National Committees, Regional and Country Offices, headquarters divisions, and other internal stakeholders as needed. Also, the Chief (Corporate Partnerships) will be responsible for ensuring that global best practice in corporate partnerships is developed, documented, and adhered to. In addition, the incumbent will be part of the PSFP section management team with an overview of the total development of UNICEF’s private-sector fundraising and partnerships.

How can you make a difference?

1. Develops and guides the bilateral partnerships strategy for the corporate sector, as part of UNICEF’s integrated approach to corporate engagement. This includes global skills and capacity building, building new partnerships and establishing, growing, and renewing existing partnerships.  
2. Drives UNICEF’s goals on Corporate Partnerships, encouraging markets (National Committees or Country Offices) to adopt ambitious financial and non-financial targets and influencing internal stakeholders to build the appropriate enabling environment in order to achieve these objectives. Ensures appropriate real-time monitoring of data and performance of corporate partnerships, contributing to the adoption and improvement of relevant tools and reporting systems, especially UNICEF’s customer relationship management system for high-value channels.
3. Builds relationships with key high value corporate partners in the prospecting and partnership phases. rate sector.
4. Provides guidance and strategic direction to Corporate Partnership teams across the UNICEF ecosystem: National Committees, Country Offices, Regional Offices, and other UNICEF Divisions or Units that have prioritized corporate partnerships as part of their resource mobilization strategy.
5. Leads and manages the Corporate Partnerships team for maximum results, ensuring work plans are developed and objectives and targets are achieved. Ensures that the Corporate Partnerships team works in an integrated way with other key private sector-focused teams. Also, ensures that the performance of the corporate partnerships team is monitored and reviewed. Provides leadership to foster and maintain staff engagement and motivation as well as sound staff-management relations.
6. Supports knowledge management through the stimulation and dynamic exchange of knowledge regarding corporate partnerships, spearheading the establishment and dissemination of global best practices. Stays in touch with the latest thinking and global trends in corporate partnerships and contributes to UNICEF’s global fundraising expertise.
7. Ensures effective risk management in relation to corporate fundraising by National Committees/country offices through close collaboration with due diligence colleagues.
8. Ensures that strategies for corporate partners to support UNICEF’s humanitarian work are in place and that opportunities to support emergency fundraising are maximized.
9. Leads and collaborates on guidance and policy relevant to the successful implementation of Corporate Partnerships globally.
10. Collaborates and drive key growth strategies with colleagues across PSFP, modelling outstanding leadership, collaboration, and people management throughout.

To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have…

Education:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: marketing, economics, social sciences, fundraising, international relations, communication, business administration, or another relevant technical field.  
• Alternatively, a first-level university degree in a relevant area combined with an additional 2 years of professional experience in a relevant field may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years relevant work experience within a structured private sector fundraising programme, with at least 5 years specializing in corporate partnerships is required.
• At least five years of fundraising team management responsibility in a leading non-profit organization, driving growth is required.
• Experience creating and rolling out an international growth strategy, ideally in corporate partnerships is an asset.
• Experience securing/managing high-level corporate relationships and those with international fundraising experience is a strong asset.
• Knowledge of the UN system is an asset.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) 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...

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2) are required.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: our competency framework. 

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 delivering 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 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.