The LCR Regional Office is establishing a dedicated portfolio development function to expand strategic regional partnerships, increase resources mobilized, and serve more countries. The function will strengthen market analysis, engagement with donors and international financial institutions, and the preparation of high-quality funding proposals, while supporting country offices to develop strong pipelines. This position reports directly to the Regional Director (RD) of LCR and it will work closely with PLG and CG.
The Partnerships and Communications Advisor in LCR serves as the principal senior lead for strategic partnerships, resource mobilization, and regional external positioning across the Latin America and the Caribbean (LCR) Region. Reporting directly to the Regional Director (D2), the incumbent is central to expanding strategic partnerships, driving resource mobilization, and ensuring coherent external communications and visibility for organizational initiatives across regional, multi-country, and country levels. This role is the main function of its kind for the region and is responsible for developing and implementing integrated strategies, leading senior practitioners in both the partnerships and communications functions, and positioning the organization as a strategic partner of choice across the LCR landscape. The position requires a high level of strategic thinking, external collaboration, and leadership to positively shape the organization’s future and deliver sustainable development outcomes.
The communications function under this role is strategic in nature, focused on external positioning, narrative coherence, and senior level messaging. The incumbent provides strategic direction and quality assurance for communications and visibility efforts, rather than day to day content production. This includes ensuring consistent articulation of the UNOPS regional value proposition across high level donor and government engagement, IFI dialogue, regional events, policy fora, and media.
1. Integrated Regional Strategy Development and Positioning
Lead the development of a comprehensive regional partnerships development strategy in line with the Strategic Plan, regional strategy, and Office Plan
Coordinate the development and implementation of an LCR Portfolio Development Plan aligned with global regional priorities and country needs, including periodic updates to multi-country and country business plans.
Advise the Regional Director and regional senior management on strategic positioning, portfolio focus, and entry points for co-financing and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to expand the regional pipeline and diversify funding.
Lead donor and partner mapping and maintain a rolling calendar of priority funding opportunities across international financial institutions (IFIs), bilateral partners, vertical funds, foundations, and the private sector.
Research and analyze specific donor strategies, programming priorities, and political situations to identify potential funding opportunities appropriate to the regional strategy and organizational mandate.
Lead the development of a coherent regional external positioning and narrative framework that aligns partnerships, communications, and visibility efforts across regional, multi country, and country levels in close coordination with PLG and CG.
2. Strategic Partnerships Development and Resource Mobilization
Lead the regional partnerships effort to develop, extend, and maintain strong senior-level relationships with selected key partners, including national governments, UN agencies, IFIs, donors, foundations, and the private sector across the LCR region.
Lead and manage priority funding opportunities from identification through approval, ensuring compliance with internal processes.
Coordinate and quality-assure concept notes and proposals in English and Spanish to convert qualified opportunities into signed agreements,
Participate and lead in key regional partnership-building meetings and negotiations with donors and clients, ensuring cost-effective and mutually beneficial terms while ensuring systematic and timely follow-up,
Participate , as delegated, in meetings and negotiations with senior government counterparts, inter-agency forums, donor coordination forums, and key international events.
Lead early stage partnership engagement and structuring with partners, including co-financing arrangements, complex multi party partnerships, and public private partnerships, in alignment with the regional strategy and UNOPS mandate.
Regularly coordinate with PLG and other relevant HQ Groups to exchange partner information and intelligence and to ensure positioning is aligned with global priorities.
3. Regional Communications, Outreach, and Visibility
Provide strategic leadership, direction, and quality assurance for impactful regional communications and visibility, ensuring alignment with partnerships priorities and the regional strategy, while avoiding operationalisation of routine communications delivery.
Lead the design and implementation of internal and external communication strategies to enhance the visibility, positioning, and impact of organizational and partner initiatives across the LCR region.
Ensure that external positioning, messaging, and visibility activities are fully aligned with the Regional strategy, Partnerships Plan, and priority partner engagements, as well as UNOPS corporate priorities.
Develop, implement, and monitor communication strategies and work plans aligned with organizational and regional priorities.
Support reputational positioning by preparing briefs, talking points, and communication materials for senior leadership, ensuring consistent and compelling messaging aligned with corporate standards.
Coordinate communication and visibility efforts for fundraising and donor engagement, and develop high-quality content such as web stories and success stories to showcase impact.
4. Management, Leadership, and Capacity Building
Serve as the senior partnerships lead in the regional office, managing and guiding partnerships officers and related roles, and leading senior practitioners of both partnerships and communications in the region. This includes providing functional leadership and strategic direction to communications personnel at regional and country levels, whether through direct line management or matrix arrangements, as applicable.
Coordinate, advise, mentor, and coach relevant partnerships and programme personnel at country, programme, and project levels to ensure aligned and coherent interactions with partners.
Build partnership capacity and negotiation skills among Project Managers and regional personnel, enabling stronger engagement with stakeholders.
Demonstrate strong leadership by focusing on impact and results for partners, modeling professional and personal ethics, and effectively managing complexity in fast-moving contexts.
Actively contribute to capacity development on partnerships (coaching, mentoring, and clinics) for country and regional personnel.
5. Knowledge Management, Reporting, and Risk Mitigation
Implement standards, tools, and templates provided by HQ to strengthen partnership and project development within the team.
Develop and lead the setup of tracking systems for monitoring partnerships development and progress, and ensure up-to-date, informative, and accurate reports are prepared and submitted on time.
Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned from LCR and other regions; adapt proven approaches to the LCR context.
In coordination with PLG, advise on policy and operational issues affecting partnerships and program development in LCR; translate market trends into practical engagement strategies.
Translate regional partnership intelligence, donor trends, and external market analysis into strategic advice for senior leadership and practical engagement strategies for country offices
