Client Engagement Assistant

Support the mobilization of volunteers and enhance partnerships with UN agencies.

UNV - United Nations Volunteers

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Application deadline in 14 hours: Thursday 9 Jul 2026 at 00:00 UTC

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Overview

Support the mobilization of volunteers and enhance partnerships with UN agencies.

You have:

  • Minimum of 3 years of practical and relevant experience at national or international level in partnership development and stakeholder engagement, client relationship management or account management, advocacy or external relations, programme or project coordination, talent management, or people operations.
  • Experience in preparing presentation materials, including PowerPoint slides and talking points, as well as minute-taking and report drafting.
  • Experience in using office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP.
  • Previous experience with international or development organizations is considered an asset.
  • Knowledge and experience of ticket-based service management systems (e.g., Salesforce/UNALL, or equivalent) is considered an asset.

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

At country level, the UNV Field Unit is responsible for the mobilization and placement of UN Volunteers in UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes in the areas of peace, development, and humanitarian assistance.

UNV Field Units represent and position UNV in the respective countries with a focus on the UN Country Team, bringing UNV’s services and solutions closer to its partners within a client service approach and collaborating with other stakeholders from government, civil society, and private sector.

As UNDP represents UNV at country level, UNV personnel are usually hosted within a UNDP Office and are accountable to the Supervisor and UNV Executive Coordinator for compliance with UNV and UNDP policies, rules, and regulations.

Under the general guidance of the Regional Manager, with day-to-day reporting to the Country Coordinator, the Client Engagement Assistant supports the identification, development, and cultivation of select partnerships with UN Agencies / Host Entities at country level. This includes managing the relationship with priority partners, gathering and sharing data and information that influence mobilization opportunities, ensuring client satisfaction with volunteer services, and bridging the delivery of services from centralized functions of the volunteer management cycle.

The critical purpose of this role is the sustained mobilization of volunteers to the designated partners (clients) and support to the duty of care for serving volunteers. The role involves regular contact and liaison with counterpart UN personnel at all levels, including senior level staff. Within UNV, all personnel are expected to work across multiple units, functions, and teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

  1. Assist in mobilizing volunteers and developing and maintaining partnerships:

• Support in the management of key accounts of assigned partnerships. • Support and maintain relationships with assigned UN partner/s in the country/countries to ensure an understanding of UNV's mandate, key offers and the added value that UN Volunteer assignments bring in support to the achievement of their respective mandates. • Support in the identification of volunteer placement opportunities based on UN agency strategies and plans and present UNV value proposition and volunteer modalities with the objective of maximizing the relevance of volunteerism for impact. • Support in the preparation of descriptions of assignment, with a focus on the assigned partners. • Support in the development of offers and initiatives that respond to the evolving needs of partners for volunteer solutions. • Contribute to the organization of advocacy campaigns, key events and other external communication efforts that raise awareness and foster engagement. • Ensure knowledge is documented, systematized and fed back into volunteer mobilization, using UNV's Client Relationship Management (CRM) to track interactions and updates. • In consultation with the Online Volunteering (OV) Programme Associate in the respective Regional Office, act as a focal point for online volunteers and accreditation of OV service organizations, focusing on supporting host entities with developing OV opportunities through advocacy engagements and promoting the concept of OV.

  1. Contribute to business intelligence in support of strategic and sustained mobilization:

• Support partnerships development by collecting and analyzing data of UN Cooperation Frameworks and agency programming frameworks to identify volunteer engagement areas. • Record volunteer mobilization opportunities and business intelligence in CRM. • Support in the engagement with potential partners by preparing presentations, mapping etc. on opportunities for volunteerism for internal use by UNV. • Support the identification of opportunities for communicating on positive volunteer stories and strengthening visibility of the Agency partnership and the impact of volunteerism. • Contribute to the development of key messages, talking points, and reports as needed.

  1. Contribute to positive volunteer experience:

• Provide support during the onboarding process, ensuring volunteers receive timely information, access to necessary resources, and a smooth start to their assignments. • Provide support to UN Volunteers throughout the volunteer management cycle, ensuring timely assistance and guidance during key life events to foster a smooth, inclusive, and positive volunteer experience. • Support volunteer engagement by responding to inquiries, sharing updates, and escalating concerns to relevant colleagues to ensure volunteers are supported throughout their service. • Assist in gathering feedback from volunteers through surveys or informal check-ins and help compile and share insights to inform improvements in volunteer management practices. • Support the organization of appreciation initiatives and local events to acknowledge volunteer contributions and foster a sense of belonging. • Support the Country Coordinator in ensuring volunteers' satisfaction with their assignment. • Perform functions in the Volunteer Management Cycle in accordance with role and SOPs. • Backstop other functions in the Field Unit/at country level during peak periods or personnel absences, ensuring continuity of service and contributing to a seamless and positive volunteer experience.

  1. Support duty of care of UN Volunteers serving in the assigned area:

• Liaise with the respective entities' security focal points or heads of office, as applicable, and provide support to ensure a detailed and precise understanding among UN Volunteers on all security-related issues, including e.g. assistance with headcounts in emergency situations. • Provide timely and accurate support to UN Volunteers undergoing medical evacuation, ensuring coordination with medical providers, host entities, and relevant offices at UNV, while maintaining compliance with established procedures. • Provide tailored support to UN Volunteers who do not speak the UN official language, to facilitate their understanding and providing key information, and navigate their assignment environment effectively throughout the volunteer management cycle. • Provide host entities with comprehensive information on the enabling instruments available through UNV that support the health and wellbeing of UN Volunteers, such as insurance and related benefits.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

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 on other parts of the system.

Integration within the UN - Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work. Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Knowledge Generation - Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

Communication - Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to 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.

Customer Satisfaction/Client Management - Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Relationship management - Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

Event planning and execution - Ability to plan, manage and execute public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNV's overall brand and mandate.

Minimum of 3 years of practical and relevant experience at national or international level in partnership development and stakeholder engagement, client relationship management or account management, advocacy or external relations, programme or project coordination, talent management, or people operations.

Experience in preparing presentation materials, including PowerPoint slides and talking points, as well as minute-taking and report drafting.

Experience in using office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP.

Previous experience with international or development organizations is considered an asset.

Knowledge and experience of ticket-based service management systems (e.g., Salesforce/UNALL, or equivalent) is considered an asset.

The city of Bogotá, according to the recent Security Risk Assessment prepared by UNDSS, has a “low” risk level for living and working. It offers favorable and safe living conditions for all staff. The city presents security issues associated with the growth of any capital city, without representing a permanent exposure to risk for staff, whether national or international.

Upon arrival, all UNVs receive a security briefing from the security office of their host agency, in which they are informed about the security environment of the Duty Station, the security measures to be taken into account, and they are supported in securing their place of residence. In addition, they are entitled to a residential security improvement allowance (MORSS) and have access to security training (some mandatory and others recommended). Although Colombia presents different security levels (ranging from low to substantial), each of these is clearly defined for the execution of missions and supported through the SRA, which sets out the mitigation measures that may be required and those established by MORSS.

The contract lasts for the period indicated above, with the possibility of extensions subject to the availability of funding, operational need, and satisfactory performance. However, renewal of the assignment is not foreseen. The corresponding allowance (Volunteer Living Allowance or VLA) of COP $6,082,500 is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and ordinary subsistence expenses. Life, health, and permanent disability insurance are included, as well as final relocation (if applicable). This assignment requires full availability and exclusivity with the United Nations System.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for securing their own housing and other essentials for subsistence. National UN Volunteers are part of the insurance plan against damages caused intentionally.

Potential interview questions

Describe a time when you successfully managed a client relationship. What strategies did you use? The interviewer wants to understand your approach to client relationship management and how you maintain positive connections. Share specific strategies you employed, such as regular communication, understanding client needs, and delivering on promises.
Can you provide an example of how you used data to inform a decision in your previous roles? This question assesses your analytical skills and how you leverage data for decision-making. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you ensure effective communication in a team environment? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Tell me about an event you planned. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe a situation where you had to advocate for a project or initiative. What was the outcome? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What techniques do you use to build and maintain partnerships? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you handle feedback from volunteers? Can you give an example? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What do you think are the key elements that contribute to volunteer satisfaction? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 5 days ago - Updated 7 hours ago - Source: unv.org