Overview
The Partnerships Officer provides advice and support to the Resident Coordinator and the UNCT on strategic partnerships for SDG achievement. The role assists with substantive support for strategic planning and coordination of UNCT strategic partnerships with civil society, the private sector, and other SDG achievement.
Key Responsibilities
- Provides advice on the development and implementation of the UN Partnership Strategy.
- Supports a UNCT working group for strategy implementation, monitoring, and assessment.
- Conducts liaison and coordination with UN entities to package and define a value proposition for local UN partnerships.
- Serves as a key entry point for external stakeholders seeking guidance on partnering with the UNCT.
- Builds strong interface with critical Development partners, Government, private sector, civil society, and other non-traditional partners.
- Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the UNCT in identifying risks and opportunities related to specific partnerships, and suggests mitigation measures.
- Provides inputs on due diligence processes of potential investment and partnership opportunities.
- Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally tailored partnerships.
- Serves as liaison to Global Compact Local Networks, assisting the Resident Coordinator in advising the Local Network Board and strengthening local UN engagement with the private sector.
- Participates in joint partnership and resource mobilization initiatives and supports management of pooled fund for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
- Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally tailored resource mobilization strategies and initiatives for Cooperation Framework priorities.
- Monitors and analyzes existing resource mobilization partnerships and relationships.
- Supports the UNCT with analysis of funding streams from internal and external sources.
- Supports the UNCT in preparation of the Funding Framework of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
- Provides support to the design joint programmes for use in joint resource mobilization and coordination.
- Advises RC/UNCT and external partners on offers from specialized UN entities for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and ensuring the development of a youth partnership strategy.
- Advises the RC/UNCT on corporate policies relating to effective management of resources.
- Assists in the establishment and management of the country-based SDG Fund.
- Works closely with the Resident Coordinator Office Economist and other UN Country Team Finance Experts to promote partnerships to support financing for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Provides advice on partnership opportunities to drive financing for development options, instruments, modalities to the RC/UNCT.
- Prepares briefing papers and discussion points on partnership issues related to financing for development.
- Contributes to advocacy, communications and dialogues with partners to improve development assistance policies and practice.
- Ensures effective engagement of relevant counterparts, especially private sector, civil society and development partners, to develop engagement and partnerships around SDG financing.
- Undertakes the design and execution of innovative proposals to strengthen the UNCT engagement and reputation, and to generate greater financial resources in support of the SDGs.
- Contributes to knowledge management and capacity development relating to partnerships and resources mobilization and management at the country level.
- Promotes collaboration, peer support, innovation, good practices, lessons learned, needs, and opportunities through active participation to local, regional and global communities of practice and knowledge networks.
- Researches, analyzes and presents best practices and lessons learned from implementation of UN partnership initiatives.
- Supports the UNCT with a knowledge repository of potential donors at national and sub-national levels.
- Monitors and analyzes best practices and successful models of SDG partnerships and resource mobilization implemented by the UN in country and elsewhere.
- Provides advice on global/corporate guidelines, tools and other materials related to partnerships, resource mobilization and donor engagement.
- Keeps abreast of emerging innovative approaches in the area of partnerships, resource mobilization and donor engagement, and proposes new ways of working.
- Reflects on processes of his/ her work area at key milestones and generates knowledge valuable to others.
- Works closely with the Data Analyst and Communications officers on data, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), reporting analytics and communication of same.
- Collects, documents and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through reports and data visualization methods.
- Performs other related tasks as assigned.
Required Experience
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience and track record in strategic support to partnerships, project/programme management, resource mobilization in the context of development cooperation or related area is required. Experience in designing and implementing of developing strategic partnerships and resource mobilization strategies across government, private sector and civil society organizations is required. Experience in preparing project /programme proposals is required. Experience of inclusion strategies that promote Gender equality, youth participation and inclusion of persons with disability is desirable. Work experience of two (2) years or more in data analytics or a related area is desirable. Experience in UN interagency coordination is desirable. Experience in promoting knowledge management in the context of development cooperation is desirable. Experience of applied partnerships in one or more of the following areas – Food systems, Digital transformation, Jobs and social protection, energy, climate action and of Public-Private partnerships is desirable. Experience in supporting financing of SDGs is desirable.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, sustainable development, social sciences, education or related area, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
