Consultancy : Partnerships Specialist, 6 months, New York or Remote

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, innovate

Child rights are universal, inalienable and indivisible. Yet the pursuit of these enduring rights takes place within a world that is in constant flux. Economic, social and political dynamics, driven by new technologies, actors and challenges, pose important tests for the current and future well-being of children.

The Office of Global Insight and Policy (Global Insight) was established in 2019 to assist UNICEF in interpreting, and engaging in, a rapidly changing world. Global Insight provides UNICEF with intelligence on a range of issues with implications for children and its work, equipping the organization to shape the global discourse more effectively with greater awareness of children’s issues, and preparing it for the future by scanning the horizon for frontier issues and ways of working.

With dedicated expertise in seven policy areas – digital technology, human capital, governance, the environment, society, finance, and markets – Global Insight serves as UNICEF’s internal think tank, scoping frontier issues and emerging practices affecting children that may inform UNICEF’s approach.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief of Staff (P4), the Partnerships Specialist will play a key role in developing and implementing its strategy vis-a-vis internal and external partnerships. Global Insights is envisioned as an outwardly focused Office, with a strong external profile and rich ties to strategic partners who can inform and contribute to its work. This requires new ways of working in contrast to other Divisions and Offices at UNICEF.

The Partnerships Specialist will steer collaborative projects on various topics, identify and build alliances with key interlocutors within and outside of UNICEF, and design pathways to implementation. In particular, the incumbent will provide support to the policy and editorial leads to implement the project, helping the Office achieve its three core functions (intelligence, global discourse and frontier issues). The scope of the collaborative projects includes but are not limited to: global studies in partnership with major research firms; convening events on frontier issues in partnership with leading global experts; public awareness campaigns in partnership with internal and external stakeholders, etc.

The incumbent will work with colleagues across the Office to drive Global Insight’s major steps in its partnerships strategy, including increasing the external visibility, convening events and building strong partner base a to sustain these efforts. He/she will also support internal partnerships by helping to define Global Insights role vis-à-vis other Offices and Divisions.

Your main responsibilities will be:

Mobilising external thought leaders and experts

• Identify opportunities and establish relationships with global think-tanks, topic experts, business intelligence and other providers to develop knowledge products on a range of issues impacting children’s current and future states.

Liaising with key internal partners and enhancing internal communications

• Facilitate knowledge management on the Office’s outputs, impact and learnings amongst external and internal partners. Organise briefing sessions and workshops, and create presentation decks for partners to better understand the work of the Office. Broaden the Office’s knowledge base vis-à-vis partnerships and best practices.
• Performs other related duties to increase internal visibility of the team, such as SharePoint page setup and management

Increasing the visibility of the Office’s core projects

• Enhance OGIP’s visibility and influence with partners, especially with the external and prospective partners globally. Manage external relationships by building a contact database, organizing events and developing briefing materials as needed. Broker internal partnerships with various types of UNICEF offices (HQs, ROs, COs and National Committees) for tangible impact.
• Provide strategic support to the monthly highlights’ design, communication, dissemination and amplification. In so doing, work closely with the Communication Specialist and Design Specialist to develop targeted products in formats ranging from a blog articles to infographics and explainer videos.

Optimising the impact of ongoing projects via internal and external partnerships

• Identify the ongoing projects’ partnership needs and formulate strategic engagement to meet those needs. Continuously review the Office’s approach to partnerships across projects and identify opportunities for more synergies.
  • Lead the post-launch amplification of the Changing Childhood Project, by supporting national launch, collaborating with interested partners to develop a lesson plan of the microsite, and exploring the possibility of conducting a similar survey in 2022
  • Organise a group consultation on the Outlook for Children 2022, mobilising topic experts and youth leaders globally to validate and enhance the key findings from the Office’s assessment
  • Support the post-project phase of the AI & Children flagship project, ensuring the visibility of its outcomes and exploring opportunities to create a global discourse especially amongst the practitioners and policy-makers
  • Implement the Phase 2 of the Personalized Learning project, by leveraging key global platforms and fora to promote the product from Phase 1 and organising an event for the practitioners and investors in EdTech
  • Support the work on Climate mobility by putting the topic on the radar of high-level events, while also supporting the public awareness campaign in close collaboration with the Communication Specialist

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in international relations, political science, communications, international development, or related fields is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant and progressively responsible work experience in public affairs, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant area is required.
• Exceptional project management skills highly desired.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Current knowledge of development issues, strategies, as well as programming policies and procedures in international development cooperation is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drives to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Payment details and further considerations

• Monthly payment, based on monthly tasks and progress reports, approved upon monthly review with supervisor.
• Consultant is responsible for his/her own health and travel insurance
• Consultant is eligible for standard DSA for all work-related travel

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.