External Relations and Resource Mobilization Consultant

Consultant Programme & Policy

Overview

Deliver expert-level services for UN-REDD's external relations and partnership mobilisation objectives.

You have:

• An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in social sciences, political sciences, international relations, or a related field is required.
• A minimum of ten years of relevant work experience in donor relations, partnership development, and/or external relations in the context of international development, environmental issues, climate change, or humanitarian action, is required.
• Extensive experience in programme management, including strategic planning, partner engagement, and development of high-quality proposals, briefings, and outreach materials for a range of audiences, is desirable.
• Demonstrated track record in analysing donor and partner landscapes, developing tailored engagement strategies, and securing multi-year and thematic funding from diverse sources, including governments, multilateral organisations, philanthropic foundations, and private sector actors, is desirable.
• Significant experience in multi-stakeholder engagement, including with senior officials in UN agencies, governments, and international organisations, and in convening high-level events at major policy milestones (e.g., COP, UNGA, UNEA), is desirable.
• Highly developed written and editorial skills in English, with proven ability to originate, solicit, write, and edit complex technical and strategic content for targeted audiences, is desirable.
• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is highly desirable.

Contract

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Result of Service

UN-REDD will have significantly strengthened and expanded its network of strategic partners and donors, secured greater visibility and recognition in global forest and climate policy spaces, and expanded opportunities for resource mobilisation aligned with the 2026–2030 Strategy. Partnerships with governments, multilateral and bilateral organisations, philanthropic foundations, and private sector actors will be consolidated and deepened through targeted engagement, coordinated outreach at high-level milestones, and strategically planned and well-prepared participation in key global events. The consultant’s contributions will result in robust partner intelligence, high-quality strategic materials, and documented engagement outcomes that collectively enhance UN-REDD’s credibility, influence, and capacity to mobilise new and additional resources for transformative forest and climate action.

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD Programme) is the UN’s interagency flagship partnership between FAO, UNDP and UNEP, that supports nationally led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation. The UN-REDD Programme Secretariat, hosted by UNEP, supports the UN-REDD governing bodies and the overall operations of the Fund. In 2026, the UN-REDD Programme enters a new phase (2026–2030) with a transformative ambition on scaling up forest-based climate action, mobilizing significant new resources, and strengthening its governance arrangements. The Consultant will deliver expert-level services to advance UN-REDD’s external relations and partnership mobilisation objectives in the first year of the 2026–2030 Strategy, engaging a broad range of public, private, multilateral, bilateral, and philanthropic partners. The consultancy will deliver targeted support across two key areas: 1. Partnership and Donor Engagement  Identify, analyse, and prioritise partnership and funding opportunities with governments, multilateral and bilateral organisations, philanthropic foundations, private sector actors, and other relevant stakeholders.  Develop tailored engagement strategies for priority partners, including preparation of high-quality briefing materials, talking points, and proposals.  Maintain awareness of shifts in donor and partner priorities, supported by high-quality briefing materials, talking points and proposals.  Recommend and coordinate follow-up actions to consolidate and deepen relationships over time. 2. Collaboration with International Organisations and Initiatives  Map relevant international organisations, thematic coalitions, and initiatives aligned with with UN-REDD’s mandate.  Analyse synergies and complementarities to strengthen collaboration and collective impact.  Propose and support concrete actions for strengthening cooperation, including co-hosted events, joint statements, or collaborative programmes.  Prepare engagement briefs and positioning materials for meetings with key organisations and initiatives.

Qualifications/special skills

EDUCATION • An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in social sciences, political sciences, international relations, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. EXPERIENCE • A minimum of ten years of relevant work experience in donor relations, partnership development, and/or external relations in the context of international development, environmental issues, climate change, or humanitarian action, is required. • Extensive experience in programme management, including strategic planning, partner engagement, and development of high-quality proposals, briefings, and outreach materials for a range of audiences, is desirable. • Demonstrated track record in analysing donor and partner landscapes, developing tailored engagement strategies, and securing multi-year and thematic funding from diverse sources, including governments, multilateral organisations, philanthropic foundations, and private sector actors, is desirable. • Significant experience in multi-stakeholder engagement, including with senior officials in UN agencies, governments, and international organisations, and in convening high-level events at major policy milestones (e.g., COP, UNGA, UNEA), is desirable. • Highly developed written and editorial skills in English, with proven ability to originate, solicit, write, and edit complex technical and strategic content for targeted audiences, is desirable. • Experience working on climate and forests with international organisations and programmes, including UN-REDD, is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consulting position, fluency in oral and written English is required. • Knowledge of another UN language is highly desirable.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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Potential interview questions

Added 5 months ago - Updated 5 months ago - Source: careers.un.org