The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development network, promoting its global authority and thought leadership on sustainable development and the interconnected issues of poverty, inequality, and climate change. BERA leads and supports UNDP in building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances essential to achieving its mission. Creating strong political and financial backing for UNDP by providing partners and supporters with a clear understanding of what UNDP does and how our mission, capabilities and flagship services relate to them.
The Bureau leads UNDP’s work on innovative and diversified partnerships and ways of financing the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It is also responsible for global campaigns on critical development issues, which aim to inform government policies and build partnerships around high-impact solutions. BERA coordinates and sets corporate standards across the functions of partnerships, marketing and communications within UNDP and leads on internal communications.
BERA is positioned around three service lines: Public Partnership; Advocacy, Marketing and Communications; and Private and Finance Partners, all working in close collaboration and coordination under the guidance of the Directorate and with the support of the Management Support Unit and Strategic Analysis and Corporate Engagement team.
BERA has a robust network of Representation Offices (Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo, Washington D.C and Bonn) and Regional Team Members in five hubs (Africa, Arab States, Asia Pacific, Europe and CIS, and Latin American and the Caribbean) co-led with Regional Bureaux, all of which play a critical role in audience centric communications and management and strengthening of relationships with Public and Private Partners to help build a strong brand for UNDP within the local ecosystem.
Under the direct supervision of the Team Leader for the Partner Portfolio Management Team in the Public Partnerships Group, the Partnership Portfolio Specialist is responsible for managing a portfolio of OECD/DAC partners for maximum positioning of UNDP, developing and implementing engagement strategies to support a stable resource base (core and non-core) for the organization. The Partnership Portfolio Specialist also coordinates internal support and outreach, providing intelligence to inform decision-making and prioritization of resource mobilization initiatives by senior management. The incumbent will lead and support the presentation of key UNDP products and initiatives to partners in the assigned portfolio, in line with UNDP’s strategic priorities and to maximize resource mobilization opportunities in collaboration with relevant Bureaux.
Duties and Responsibilities
Lead audience-centric partnership development and portfolio management:
Develop and implement key partner engagement strategies and action plans; setting priorities, goals, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for each partner in assigned portfolio.
Guide interactions with partners within portfolio and advise internal clients on such guidance.
Act as the lead for partner-led external assessments and partnership agreements with partners in the portfolio.
Coordinate with the Advocacy, Marketing and Communications teams and other BERA teams on partner visibility, outreach and advocacy activities in support of UNDP’s development mandate and support positioning of UNDP within the broader development landscape.
Ensure regular engagement with partners through Annual Consultations, strategic dialogues, senior management missions and high-level engagements and other processes.
Identify and manage partnership risks and opportunities; inform and alert, when necessary, BERA senior management and relevant bureaus on partnership opportunities and risks.
Coordinate core and non-core resource mobilization:
Provide donor specific intelligence and analyses to inform prioritization of RM initiatives and decision-making by senior management.
Present and support presentation of signature products and initiatives to maximize resource mobilization opportunities.
Lead negotiations of partner/funding agreements in line with UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations, corporate policies, priorities and objectives, in collaboration with BMS and other relevant units/bureaux.
Support central bureaux and country offices with external assessments, perception surveys and due diligence requests from external partners within assigned portfolio;
Provide expert advice to Regional Bureaus and Country Offices for resource mobilization and facilitate coordination on partnerships across all levels of the organization:
Provide advice and guidance, on a proactive basis, to UNDP’s global network of Country Offices.
Support the Public Partnership Group’s response to resource mobilization needs in crisis contexts, in close collaboration with BERA senior management, the Crisis Bureau and relevant regional bureaus.
Provide updated intelligence, analysis and timely advice on resource mobilization and partnerships to inform prioritization and presentation of products to maximize resource mobilization opportunities and for executive level meetings.
Coordinate and undertake partnership and resource mobilization capacity building and training with respect to OECD DAC partners.
Develop and continually refine instruments and products to enhance partnerships and strengthen availability and use of donor intelligence.
Support negotiation of funding priorities and advise on funding mechanisms with donors in collaboration with the relevant Bureaux.
Competencies
Core
Innovation
Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Leadership
Ability to persuade others to follow
People Management
Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Communication
Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Delivery
Ability to get things done
Technical/Functional
Primary
Partnerships:
Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships
Resource Mobilization:
Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources
Relationship Management:
Ability to engage with other parties and forge productive working relationships
Strategic Planning:
Ability to make decisions that align with strategy, vision, and mission
Marketing:
Ability to communicate the value of a product or service
Secondary:
Knowledge Management
Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge
Priority setting:
Ability to scan and synthesize diverse sets of information to arrive at strategic priorities and positioning recommendations.
Substantive positioning of UNDP
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced University Degree in international development, economics, business, social sciences or a related field.
Experience:
At least 7 years of relevant experience, including in a partnerships development, relationship management or organization liaison role, working with UNDP partners, particularly OECD DAC governments, multilateral organizations or development agencies.
Experience in political analysis, international development assistance trends and funding trends and analysis is required.
Experience in design and implementation of partnership strategies and initiatives is required.
Experience with the UN, including UNDP, at a Headquarter, regional or country level is strongly desired.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in oral and written English is required.
Proficiency in another UN working language is desirable.
Disclaimer
Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders):
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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