Partnerships Lead

Job Description

Dutystation: Helsinki, Finland

Functional responsibilities

To achieve its goals, UN Global Pulse is looking for a Partnerships Lead. The Partnerships Lead is a critical position within the UN Global Pulse Network and supports the Global Leadership team by offering advice, support and expertise in developing financial and non-financial partnerships globally. The success and sustainability of the Global Pulse Network is directly linked to its ability to raise additional funds.

Under the supervision of and guidance by the Head of Office, the Partnerships Lead is responsible for supporting the strategic development, planning and implementation of the fundraising programs related to Private Partnerships, Shared Value Partnerships and Government/Institutional Partnerships.

Following guidance from the supervisor, the incumbent will encourage and facilitate the engagement of all staff to support the expansion and utilisation of Partnerships, both financial and non-financial. In addition, the incumbent ensures that any fundraising and related activities are well-integrated in the local context and fosters a solid working relationship with each UN Global Pulse Hub.

The Partnerships Lead will develop, support and facilitate actions aimed at strengthening the relationship between UN Global Pulse Hubs, EOSG, and the wider UN Network as well as keeping these various stakeholders aware of UN Global Pulse’s activities.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office, the incumbent will execute the following duties:

1) Design and implementation of the UN Global Pulse Partnerships Strategy

The incumbent will be expected to draft the UN Global Pulse Partnerships Strategy, which will be a multi-year mobilization plan that will be in line with the organization’s overarching goals and objectives as well as containing local Hub nuances to reflect their specific priorities and advocacy strategies.

This will also require the incumbent to map, design and develop how best to operationalise and implement this strategy which will include sharing knowledge across all hubs and local Partnership Leads to support their individual growth and development.

The incumbent will then be required to periodically update/refine the strategy in line with on-going monitoring and evaluation reports and recommendations.

2) Development of adequate systems and databases

The incumbent will be required to develop new and efficient processes, systems and guidelines to support resource mobilisation across the network. Expected results could include:

a) Identifying a new prospect/partner management database system to effectively track and record all partnership engagement.
b) Drafting new guidelines to support with due diligence and researching prospects ensuring any outreach is in line with Global Pulse and the wider UN guidelines for engaging with external partners.
c) Drafting an effective management process and set of guidelines to support the wider network in prospecting new partners ensuring both efficiency and ownership across the network.

3) Development and implementation of prospect engagement plans

The incumbent will be tasked with developing a new prospect engagement plan to help identify ways of generating meaningful and valuable new prospects before further managing and converting these prospects to donors. Expected results could include:

a) Developing an internal communication and learning strategy for all UN Global Pulse staff to understand the objectives of the Partnership Strategy and understand how partnerships can support both their own work and the growth/development of UN Global Pulse. This strategy will help structure UN Global Pulse’s outreach to new prospects ensuring they are both strategically aligned and meaningful to UN Global Pulse’s work.
b) Working with all UN Global Pulse hubs to implement a new pathway to manage and support the prospect journey. This includes ensuring prospect templates are available including research review and due diligence templates.
c) Lead due diligence discussions with hubs and local Partnerships teams to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities.
d) Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels.
e) Building and nurturing a pipeline of donors to support the needs-based resourcing and strategic development of workstreams short and long-term including drafting proposals, partnership contracts as required.

4) Development and implementation of donor development and stewardship plans

The incumbent will be required to develop and implement new structures to help both manage, steward and develop current UN Global Pulse Partners globally. The aim of this will be to not only maintain relationships and resources but to deepen and expand engagement to ensure longevity and constant development for partners. Expected results could include:

a) Contribute to the development of each hub budget through securing Partnership and Philanthropy income, including income and shared-value targets, and report in a timely manner according to agreed annual budgets and plans.
b) Develop and implement a donor development and stewardship plan to increase donor retention and improve life-time value of donors.
c) Engage regularly across the UN Global Pulse Network to develop the capacity of colleagues ensuring they have the right knowledge, methods, tools, and resources to actively support the implementation, operation and management of partner engagement plans.
d) Develop and/or oversee cordial relations with relevant corporate donors and media partners when it is related for fundraising in order to seek their increased financial and other types of support for UN Global Pulse.
e) Creating new innovative products and non-financial opportunities for further engagement and stewardship.
f) Support with the development, maintenance, updating and enhancement of all the fundraising communication messages and materials used for partnership engagement and stewardship
g) Maintaining open communication and accurate reporting to ensure partnership contracts are adhered to, expectations are met and donor satisfaction remains high.

The result will be the establishment and effective management of a committed set of donors who will support the immediate operational needs of the UN Global Pulse Network and lay the foundations of a sustainable financing model for the organisation.

5) Supporting cross organisational advocacy efforts to increase brand awareness and visibility of UN Global Pulse’s work both internally and externally

Raising the profile and brand awareness of the work UN Global Pulse does is not only value for prospects and partners but also for credibility and recognition within the UN System. The incumbent will be expected to support the wider UN Global Pulse Communication Strategy to ensure any opportunities to leverage or build on brand/visibility moments are captured. Expected results could include:

a) Engaging with internal UN and external partners on a regular basis to identify opportunities (webinars, conferences, academic publications) to raise the profile of UN Global Pulse.
b) Ensure that pertinent contributions are made to reports to the relevant internal stakeholders across the UN Network including EOSG.
c) Developing a series of events and visibility moments to not only drive increased brand visibility for current partners but support identifying new projects, partners and networks that UN Global Pulse could engage with.
d) Representing UN Global Pulse at both internal and external events as required.

The result is that UN Global Pulse remains a trusted, respected and valued innovation partner to all its internal and external stakeholders.

Impact of Results

The result of this role will be a fully functioning, effective system and management process in place which will help to deliver and implement UN Global Pulse’s Partnerships Strategy.

The incumbent will support and directly contribute to:

i) UN Global Pulse’s strategic engagement across the UN System, creating and promoting inter-agency collaboration wherever possible
ii) Increasing strategic engagement with external partners including Member States, Regional/international organisations, INGOs/NGOs, Academia, Foundations and the Private Sector.

The incumbent will be primarily accountable to the leadership of UN Global Pulse, including the Global Capabilities Hub in Helsinki and will also report to senior leadership. In the first year, the focus of the role will be heavily weighted to defining and embedding internal processes and management systems as well as beginning to identify and develop a prospect pipeline. Beyond the first year the focus of the role will shift to more external engagement and partnership development, while maintaining and managing internal processes and systems and ensuring all staff are equipped to leverage partnerships within their individual work streams.

This role will ensure the implementation of the Partnerships Strategy and associated internal management processes are aligned across the UN Global Pulse Network and will identify internal training/capacity building needs in support of the implementation of the Partnership Strategy. The incumbent will ensure the outputs and outcomes of the role are aligned with and support UN Global Pulse’s wider work on UN 2.0 including innovation, data, futures and foresight, behavioural science and digital transformation.

The incumbent will continuously monitor needs, trends and developments in partnerships and resource mobilisation for UN Global Pulse and provide strategic advice, direction, revision, and recommendations for action across the Network and UN senior management.

The establishment, effective management and operation of Global Pulse’s Partnerships Strategy will directly result in:

i) Better designed and more impactful partnerships including shared-value partnerships
ii) A greater source of sustainable financing to deliver UN Global Pulse’s mission and vision
iii) An enhanced reputation and increased brand awareness of UN Global Pulse both within and outside of the UN.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY*

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) preferably in International Relations, Business Administration, Communications, or other related field to the post descriptionwith five (5) years of relevant experience is required.
• A first level university degree (undergraduate, Bachelor’s, or equivalent)with seven (7) years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

Required:

• Relevant experience is defined as experienceinpartnerships and/or resource mobilization.
• Experience with private sector fundraising in a UN or humanitarian setting.
• Experience in developing and implementing strategic private sector fundraising plans, including budget management.

Desirable (the following experienceisoptional. Candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply)

• Experience in international philanthropic partnerships in the UN context.
• Experience with managing projects with a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience in establishing and implementing partnership strategies and plans in a UN context.
• Experience in developing and managing partnership databases and tracking systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required.
• Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage.

About the Organization

TOGETHER, WE BUILD THE FUTURE

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.

Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

We are proud of our people and embrace diversity and are committed to equal employment opportunities. Our workforce brings together approximately 160 nationalities, represented by over 5,000 UNOPS personnel as well as some 7,800 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners. Spread across 80 countries from a range of backgrounds, and languages and have different gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities.

We encourage women and candidates from underrepresented groups in UNOPS to apply. These include candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.