Partnerships Specialist

Contract

This is a LICA Specialist-10 contract. This kind of contract is known as Local Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally only for nationals. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about LICA Specialist-10 contracts.

Background Information - Pakistan

Pakistan

UNOPS Pakistan (Project Office) is part of the South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) in the Asia Region. UNOPS commenced operations in Pakistan in 1999 and significantly up-scaled activities from 2005 onwards to support populations affected by and vulnerable to earthquakes. In 2010, UNOPS opened a permanent office in Islamabad to support the Government of Pakistan and other partners to undertake humanitarian and reconstruction services, following the most devastating flood in the nation’s history.

UNOPS Pakistan has been implementing projects in the areas of early recovery and reconstruction of community infrastructure, project management, monitoring and evaluation, community development, fund management, human resources management, procurement, and infrastructure design and implementation.

Supported strategically by a regional operational hub and UNOPS headquarters in Copenhagen and within the overarching framework of the ONE UN Programme, UNOPS Pakistan continues to deliver projects across the country under its core delivery practices of sustainable infrastructure, sustainable procurement, and sustainable project management.

With a steady growth of the project portfolio in recent years and a new strategic direction, UNOPS in Pakistan is currently implementing projects in the following thematic areas: Green and Clean energy; WASH; Rule of Law; Health Procurement; and HR services.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Country Manager and in close coordination with the SAMCO and Regional Offices, and the Partnerships Group, the Partnerships Manager is responsible for developing and implementing the partnership and programme development plan for Pakistan.

Functional Responsibilities

Partnership and programme development planning - Develop a comprehensive partnership and programme development plan in line with UNOPS Strategic Plan and Regional Strategies. Using the output from the UNOPS National Infrastructure and Procurement Context Opportunities Analysis (NIPCOA) this includes country context, analysis of the regional and national development and humanitarian landscape, identification of main partners, strategic positioning of UNOPS in the potential operational niches identified, as well as growing a pipeline of opportunities in the Country Office. Ensure plan reflects in-house capacity, typology of projects and the internal tools and knowledge resources; - Develop and maintain a mapping of donors to resource our country strategy; - Examine risks and opportunities presented by the strategic positioning of the Country office and propose appropriate responses to ensure sustainable growth. - Coordinate and collaborate with relevant Partnerships personnel at local, liaison and HQ level, as well as Project Managers and project personnel of the country offices covered by the office, to ensure aligned and coherent interactions with partners.

Proactively develop and follow up partnership opportunities

• Collaborate closely with the Project Management team to pursue new opportunities
• Monitor and evaluate humanitarian and development trends and needs to identify areas of collaboration within UNOPS mandate and existing capacity.
• Research events, publications and announcements, to track and screen opportunities for possible UNOPS interventions and identify trends that will drive partnership opportunities.
• Provide advice and feedback to UNOPS HQ and Regional Office on the development of framework partnership agreements that can increase opportunities at the regional level.
• Coordinate and contribute to the identification, design, formulation and negotiation of new projects and programs and draft concept notes and project document briefs for discussion with partners.
• Create and maintain oneUNOPS opportunities and engagement functionalities in alignment with UNOPS corporate guidelines.
• Coordinate technical and financial requirements, and negotiate proposals to close new project opportunities.
• Drafts agreements and/or contractual documents required for the signature and implementation of new projects.
• Understand and clearly explain UNOPS pricing policy to partners.
• Provide guidance to the diversification efforts of the Country Office in line with UNOPS strategic and Regional objectives.
• In coordination with the Communications and Reporting personnel, when available, gather content for communications and outreach materials for any countries managed within the scope of the UNOPS office or by the Partnerships Group.

Representation, interagency cooperation and partnership development

• Establish and further develop partnerships with UN agencies, international organisations, governments, foundations, international NGOs and private sector organisations to diversify project opportunities within the Country Office, explaining and demonstrating the added value that can be brought to their individual country strategies by UNOPS
• Undertake advocacy, public information and communication activities in collaboration with the Communications Officer, when required;
• Preparation of reports for external representation
• On behalf of the SAMCO Director and/or Head of Programme, participate in and report on the relevant inter-agency, donor and government coordination meetings including addressing project development issues in consultation with UNOPS project managers and technical experts when required. Take part in UN common planning and programming processes, including strategic country analysis, UNDAF, response plans, etc.
• Build and maintain a network of key partners, keeping abreast of evolving trends (social, economic, and political), including the application of innovation to project and partnership development;
• Support the Country Manager in positioning and reporting into frameworks, documentation and other publications of the UN;
• Stand in for the country manager in UNCT and other relevant platforms as required.

Knowledge management and innovation

• Implement standards, tools and templates provided by HQ to effectively manage partnership and project development within the team to enhance/maintain UNOPS effectiveness as a provider of project services for sustainable results.
• Contribute to the ongoing research, development and implementation of best practice and innovative approaches to maximise performance and sustain achievements in project and partnership development.
• Help build partnerships capacity and negotiation skills among project managers
• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building within project and partnership development.
• Provide regular feedback on existing systems, tools and resources to ensure its relevance to day-to-day operations.

Oversight of communications function - Support the Country Manager in overseeing the communications function within the mission; - Collaborate with the communications personnel to ensure strategic inputs into our external visibility - Supervision of the communications personnel; - Back up for communication staff during leave or absences on urgent tasks

Functional management of partnerships department - Manage partnerships personnel including recruitment, performance management and training; - Create and maintain systems enabling the smooth functioning of partnerships; - Ensure implementation of regional or HQ systems related to partnerships; - Preparation of departmental budgets, procurements or other functional requirements for the department.

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.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education: - A Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Public Administration, International Development, Engineering, Political Science, Communications or International Relations. - A combination of 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 5 years of experience in an international development including demonstrated experience in: Developing and executing partnership and programme development plans;
• Project development and proposal writing;
• Acquisition of projects;
• Project and programme management experience is an asset
• Establishing partnerships with UN agencies, international development organisations, governments, foundations, international NGOs or private sector organisations.
• Prior experience working in international organisations, international development, post-disaster and/or emergency contexts would be an advantage.

Language requirements - Full working knowledge of English is essential. - Fluency in one or more additional official UNOPS languages is an advantage; - Fluency in Urdu is a preference.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA

Contract level: L-ICA 10 Local ICA Specialist

Contract duration: ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

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 Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• 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 (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.