Background
The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development agency, 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 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.
Cognizant of the evolving landscape of international development cooperation - including the shift in traditional ODA and a renewed emphasis on multilateralism to address global development challenges - UNDP has been deepening its engagement with foundations and philanthropies. The philanthropic sector is increasingly recognized as a valued partner in reshaping the development discourse and supporting key priorities aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals and other multilateral commitments.
The upcoming Strategic Plan (2026-2029) envisions a revived platform for collaboration to advance shared goals by leveraging UNDP’s global presence, multi-stakeholders/partners outreach, and extensive know-how and expertise across critical development areas. As part of UNDP’s corporate Resource Mobilization Strategy, scaling up partnerships with foundations and philanthropies aims to unlock catalytic philanthropic capital, drive income growth and expand UNDP’s partner base.
Position Purpose:
Within the Public Partnerships Group, under the direct supervision of the Team Leader for the New Strategic and Multistakeholder Partnerships, and as part of the Foundations Team, the Partnership Portfolio Specialist for Foundations and Philanthropies is responsible for cultivating and managing a portfolio of foundations and philanthropic partners and supervising a team of consultants based in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The Partnership Portfolio Specialist for Foundations and Philanthropies will lead the development and implementation of outreach and engagement strategies, coordinate internal support and gather intelligence to inform decision-making and prioritize partnership and resource mobilization opportunities. The incumbent will also facilitate and prepare proposals in collaboration with technical teams, support the negotiation and operational management of grantmaking opportunities and agreements, and ensure timely reporting and effective knowledge management of partnerships.
In addition, the incumbent will proactively lead and support the presentation of UNDP’s key flagships, products, and thematic offers tailored to partners’ needs and interests. The incumbent will also be expected to innovate and guide novel approaches and mechanisms contributing to strengthening UNDP’s outreach and engagement with the philanthropic sector.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of the interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic partnership development and management with foundations and philanthropies:
Proactively identify and engage new foundations and philanthropies to build and expand UNDP’s resource mobilization and funding pipeline, including scaled access to additional funding partners, streams or modalities. Develop and implement partner engagement strategies and action plans to build long-term and high-impact relationships with foundations and philanthropies by setting priorities, goals, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for each partner in the assigned portfolio. Guide and support interactions between philanthropic partners within the assigned portfolio with internal teams on coordination, engagement and proposal writing/offer development with the partner. Lead and support the negotiation of proposals and funding agreements in accordance with UNDP’s policies, rules and regulations, in close collaboration with BMS and other relevant units/Bureaux. Facilitate the development and management of pipeline engagement leading to partnership agreements, ensuring adequate operational guidance and support between external partners and internal technical/expert teams. Ensure accurate and up-to-date portfolio tracking using the established foundations database and Quantum, including monitoring key portfolio milestones and performance indicators. Identify and manage risks and opportunities within the partnership portfolio, keeping BERA senior management and relevant bureaux informed of significant partner developments, opportunities and/or risks. Ensure timely and high-quality reporting to foundation entities/partners in accordance with established reporting instruments, formats, and the agreed-upon partner agreement. Lead and coordinate the preparations of dialogues/consultations in close coordination with relevant units/Bureaux, focused on entity-specific or sector-based engagements.Corporate strategic positioning and UNDP’s engagement in the philanthropic sector
Provide philanthropic/partner-specific intelligence and undertake analyses to inform engagement strategies, prioritization and resource mobilization efforts and support senior management decision-making on critical issues. Present and support the promotion of UNDP’s signature initiatives and products to maximize resource mobilization opportunities across key philanthropic platforms, networks and forums. Identify and recommend strategic opportunities for UNDP’s engagement and participation in philanthropic platforms and networks and coordinate preparations in close consultation with senior management. Support the establishment and management of UNDP’s advisory board or consultative mechanism with philanthropies, including the preparation of meetings, background material, follow-up actions, and reporting. Identify and prepare a business case for the establishment of an endowment fund or similar strategic funding mechanism for philanthropies with UNDP and support its implementation.Provide expert advice to facilitate an enabling environment and robust accountability on UNDP’s engagement with foundations and philanthropies.
Proactively lead efforts to understand the philanthropic sector's motivations, interests, and needs for partnering with UNDP and develop forward-looking opportunities, instruments, mechanisms, and tailored offers to strengthen partnership and resource mobilization opportunities for UNDP. Advise on and contribute to the corporate refinement of UNDP’s value proposition and engagement strategy with the philanthropic sector, including developing pitches, key messages, and tailored offers. Facilitate and manage relationships with UNDP intermediary entities, including addressing operational needs and identifying new intermediary entities to support UNDP’s engagement with philanthropies as required, based on corporate priorities and geographical needs. Coordinate with the BERA’s Advocacy, Marketing, and Communications Team (AMCG) and other internal units to enhance philanthropic partner visibility, outreach campaigns, and advocacy initiatives and leverage Goodwill Ambassadors to promote mutual positioning on shared priorities and issues.Provide expert advice to Regional and Central Bureaux and Country Offices on partnership development and resource mobilization opportunities with foundations and philanthropies:
Provide proactive advice and guidance to UNDP’s global network – including HQ, regional, and Country Offices - on effective engagement with the philanthropic sector. Deliver up-to-date intelligence, analysis and strategic and timely advice on resource mobilization opportunities with existing or new philanthropic partners. Coordinate and deliver capacity-building and training to strengthen internal capacity and understanding of the philanthropic sector. Develop and continuously refine guidance, instruments, and mechanisms that ensure efficient and effective engagement, partnership building, resource mobilization, and grant-making opportunities.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:
Possible supervision of analyst-level staff and/or interns. As required, the incumbent will monitor consultants and respective deliverables established in the contract.Competencies
Core CoreBehaviouralCompetencies.pdf (undp.org)
Achieve Results
LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.Think Innovatively
LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.Learn Continuously
LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.Adapt with Agility
LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.Act with Determination
LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.Engage and Partner
LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.Enable Diversity and Inclusion
LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.People Management:
UNDP People: Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Partnership Management - Relationship management
Ability to engage with a wide range of philanthropic partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.Partnership management - Resource Mobilization
Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.Partnership management - Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding
Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.Business Direction and Strategy - System Thinking
Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system and to consider how altering one element can impact other parts of the systemBusiness Management – Communication
Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation
Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.Business Management - Portfolio Management
Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio managementRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in International Development, Public Administration, Social Sciences or a related field of expertise is required; or A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in the aforementioned fields of study, with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience, will be considered in lieu of the master’s degree.Experience:
A minimum of 7 years (with a master’s degree) or 9 years (with a Bachelor’s Degree) of relevant experience in development work, including in partnership development and management, internally with UNDP and/ or externally with an international organization and philanthropies, is required. At least 5 years of working experience working with a combination of private foundations and/or other public and private grant-making bodies or organizations, including partnership development and project management experience, is desired. Experience in designing and implementing partnership and outreach/engagement strategies and initiatives with foundations/philanthropies is required. Experience in writing proposals and funding offers for philanthropies and foundations using an audience-centric approach is required. Excellent analytical and writing skills, as demonstrated by previous research/analytical reports/policy notes on relevant topics, are required. Proven track record of excellent coordination, negotiating and communication skills are required. Experience advising on or implementing partnership strategies with philanthropic foundations or private sector donors. Strong knowledge of trends, priorities and emerging actors within the global philanthropic ecosystem. Proven experience with business development and resource mobilization is desirable. Understanding of UNDP’s mandate and how philanthropic partnerships can support the strategic plan. Ability to identify emerging funding trends and assess potential risks and opportunities for partnership. Ability to anticipate partnership needs, proactively identify opportunities, and initiate or recommend relevant engagement strategies.Language requirements:
Fluency in oral and written English is required. Proficiency in another UN working language is highly desirable.Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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