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.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, a Champion
The UNICEF Private Sector Fundraising and Partnerships (PSFP) section within the Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP) works with our network of National Committees and Country Offices worldwide to mobilize resources, influence, and build global brand recognition for UNICEF’s mission.
The Legacies function within PFP leads the global efforts to build and implement marketing strategies that position UNICEF effectively for delivering unrestricted and flexible funds through legacy fundraising and engagement with the private sector, taking an audience-centric approach.
The Fundraising Specialist (High-Value Legacies) will play a pivotal role in bridging UNICEF’s Legacy fundraising and Global Philanthropy strategies. This temporary appointment is focused on discovering opportunities for high-value legacy giving, integrating legacies into philanthropic donor journeys, and ensuring mutual benefits for both legacy and philanthropy programs. The role is instrumental in unlocking transformational legacy gifts by fostering collaboration and delivering innovative donor engagement initiatives.
This position is time-limited and exploratory, focusing on identifying best practices, creating actionable plans, and piloting legacy integration models that can be institutionalized across UNICEF’s global fundraising ecosystem. Legacy giving complements lifetime giving by enabling donors to extend their impact beyond their lifetime, making it a critical component of UNICEF’s long-term resource mobilization strategy.
How can you make a difference?
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
The High-Value Legacy Specialist will contribute to shaping UNICEF’s high-value legacy strategy through a structured approach:
Explore and Assess
Conduct a comprehensive review of existing practices, analyzing the integration of legacy giving into high-value donor strategies in our fundraising markets. Benchmark against external trends and successful models in peer organizations to identify gaps and opportunities. Identify opportunities for how markets could proactively develop and increase both legacy commitments from high-value donors, and lifetime giving from those engaged in the legacy pipeline. including those already engaged as major donors or in high-value philanthropic activities.Design and Strategize
Collaborate with the PFP Global Philanthropy team, the Legacy Specialists in the PFP Individual Giving (IG) team, and our network of National Committees and Country Offices to co-create a high-value legacy strategy with measurable goals and KPIs. Develop frameworks and tools to embed legacy giving into philanthropic donor journeys, family philanthropy offers, mid-level donor programs and philanthropy engagement in legacy journeys, ensuring alignment with broader organizational strategies. Craft recommendations and roadmaps to scale successful practices across markets.Implement and Deliver
Pilot innovative approaches to high-value legacy integration in priority markets, including donor engagement initiatives and cross-team collaboration models. Monitor and evaluate pilot performance, gather insights, and iterate based on results. Produce detailed evaluations and share learnings to guide future scaling efforts. Institutionalize best practices through toolkits, training materials, and collaborative workshops with key stakeholders.Deliverables:
1. Assessment Report on High-Value Legacy Integration Opportunities:
Conduct a review of existing practices and opportunities for integrating legacy giving into high-value donor strategies and vis a vis, engaging stakeholders, and ensuring close coordination within PFP to provide seamless and joined up support to our fundraising markets. Deliver a report summarizing findings, including feedback from key stakeholders to ensure alignment and shared ownership of recommendations.2. Preliminary High-Value Legacy Integration Strategy:
Develop a strategy framework that reflects the two-way nature of legacy-philanthropy integration by: Positioning legacy giving as a natural extension for high-value donors already engaged with UNICEF. Creating pathways for engaging legacy pipeline donors in lifetime giving opportunities. Include measurable goals and KPIs for both securing legacy commitments and converting pipeline donors into lifetime contributors. Facilitate workshops or consultation sessions to gather input, build consensus, and address potential areas of overlap or duplication. Propose phased objectives, with flexibility for refinement as the strategy evo3. Proof of Concept Pilots in Priority Markets:
Design and implement pilot initiatives in select markets, ensuring close collaboration with stakeholders in each market and headquarters teams. Regularly update all relevant teams on pilot progress through structured communication channels, such as cross-team updates, briefings, and joint reviews. Document stakeholder feedback during the pilot phase to refine approaches and ensure alignment with broader goals.4. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration Reports:
Deliver a mid-term report detailing engagement activities, collaboration outcomes, and how potential overlaps or conflicts have been managed. Include specific recommendations for maintaining stakeholder alignment and ensuring consistent communication across teams.5. Toolkit and Training Package for Legacy Integration:
Create practical resources and training materials, developed collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure usability and relevance. Deliver capacity-building sessions or workshops for key internal teams, focusing on fostering collaboration and consistent practices across markets. Provide clear guidance on maintaining cross-team alignment when using the toolkit.6. Final Report and Recommendations:
Summarize activities and outputs, with a focus on stakeholder feedback and cross-team collaboration outcomes. Deliver recommendations for institutionalizing best practices, including mechanisms for continued collaboration and conflict resolution. Highlight strategies for avoiding duplication and ensuring alignment in cross-cutting roles.Estimated duration of the contract:
364 DaysReporting to:
The Fundraising Manager (Global Philanthropy) based in Geneva.Working Place:
Geneva, Switzerland is the official duty station. (Flexible work arrangements may be applied if there is a need.)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 or Communications, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.Work Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional work experience in fundraising is required. Experience working in major donor fundraising is required. Experience in legacy/planned giving fundraising is required. Experience in strategy development, pilot implementation, and capacity building is an asset. Knowledge of legacy/planned giving administration is an asset. Expertise in stakeholder engagement and collaboration across multi-disciplinary teams and with our extensive network of local market-based colleagues is an asset. Strong analytical skills for data-informed decision-making and strategic planning are an asset. Proven project management experience, ensuring timely delivery and meeting objectives is an asset. Strong networking and influencing skills to drive results is an asset. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, conveying complex ideas concisely is an asset. Experience of matrix working or working in a cross-cutting or integrated way, is an asset. UN/UNICEF experience is an asset. Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is an asset.Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, or Russian) 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…
Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1) Works Collaboratively with others (1) Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1) Innovates and Embraces Change (1) Thinks and Acts Strategically (1) Drives to achieve impactful results (1)Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.
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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
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 deliver the best results for children.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
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.
This vacancy is archived.