Head of Partnerships for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

Contract

This is a IICA-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-3 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations (UN), UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors, and United Nations organisations.

This position's geographical scope is the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Region and is part of LAC Regional Director`s regional strategic team. The incumbent will directly supervise one Regional Partnerships Specialist and one Regional Communications Specialist, and will lead the Regional Partnerships and Communications (P&C) Network composed of 40 P&C professionals located across 13 countries in LAC.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of LAC Regional Director, the regional Head of Partnerships (HP) will coordinate and assure that UNOPS’s capacities directly contribute to the acceleration of the 2030 Agenda, Our Common Agenda, the priorities of Member States in the LAC, UN entities, international financial institutions (IFIs) and cooperation , civil society and academia, etc. The HP will also lead the initial development of public partnerships in LAC countries where UNOPS wants to start the provision of services.

The Regional HP will be part of the Regional strategic Management Team, led by the Regional Director and comprising the Directors of Country offices and other key roles.

For more information about UNOPS in LAC and what we do, please see the link "UNOPS en America Latina y el Caribe"

Functional Responsibilities

Under the direction and supervision of the Regional Director the Head of Partnerships: A) is accountable for:

1. Lead the Partnerships and communication UNOPS Network in Latin America and the Caribbean, by providing guidance and substantive leadership in collaboration with the Partnership Regional Specialist and the Communications Regional Specialist;
2. Formulate and guide the implementation of strategic Plan of Actions, assure their implementation, provide technical guidance when needed.
3. Coordinate thru the Communications Regional Specialist the preparation and dissemination of all the products related to Communications and Partnership prepared by UNOPS in the region
4. In close collaboration with the LCR Coordinator of Regional Activities: prepare and/or supervise the preparation of all the contributions of UNOPS to the Regional Coordination Platform of the United Nations in Latin America and the Caribbean where UNOPS is represented by the RD.
5. Development and set up of new partnerships in countries not covered by the UNOPS network of national offices.
6. Development and creation of regional and sub-regional long-term partnerships with public institutions, and representatives and from civil society, IFIs, UN agencies, the international community, and academia.

7. The preparation/supervision of the preparation of background information and proposals for high-level meetings of the RD. Participate and identify UNOPS’ interests for those partnerships.

   B) in collaboration with other Units and colleagues, the HP is responsible to provide strategic and operative contributions in the following areas;

8. Contribute to the acceleration of the 2030 Agenda and the implementation of Our Common Agenda,

9. Strategic Management of UNOPS in Latin America and the Caribbean: the HP is part of the UNOPS regional Management Team, comprising the RD, the Heads of UNOPS national office and a few other critical roles.
10. Support to national communication and partnership prioritised and/or strategic initiatives.

* **For a detailed description of the above please review the attached Terms of Reference***

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education - A Master’s degree preferably in Business Administration, Public Administration, International Development, Economics, Political Science, Communications, International Relations or other relevant areas. - A combination of a Bachelor's degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Experience At least 7 years of relevant experience in partnerships and public relations including demonstrated experience in:

• Public partnerships related to the field of sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean, for example establishing sustainable partnerships with international cooperation organisations, government entities, UN agencies, international financial institutions, etc.
• Leading regional or multi country partnerships strategies or negotiations.

• Experience leading high-level public relations, such as developing high-level networks with the public or private sector, and representing an institution/organisation in high-level meetings or forums.

  Languages

• Full working knowledge of Spanish and English is essential.
• Fluency in French and Portuguese is an advantage.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement Contract

Regular monthly: This contract is established in the form of a Regular Monthly Contract, that is, a continuous presentation of the services required during the contract period, making the payments associated with the contract at the end of each calendar month

Level of contract: ICS 11, equivalent to LICA 11 in local scale and IICA 3 in the international scale - The salary scale will be determined in line with UNOPS HR policy. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Panama City is a family duty station.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labour force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage the recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Additional information