Consultancy: Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant – Req.#579849

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, hope

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station:, UNGEI Secretariat team, New York HQ 

Duration: April 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ/ Remote (The consultant will be required to overlap substantially with New York hours (approximately 6 hours a day)

About UNICEF 

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: 

UNGEI is a global partnership for gender equality in and through education. Our mandate is to catalyse and galvanize action locally, nationally, regionally and global for girls’ education and gender equality in education. The UNGEI Secretariat is governed by UNICEF policies of employment. We strive to uphold feminist and anti-racist principles in how we work and offer flexible work arrangements. 

This is an exciting time to join the UNGEI Secretariat team as we strengthen, grow and consolidate our programs and partnerships and look to identify and secure the resources needed to do so. The topics the Secretariat team and the UNGEI Partnership work on are: addressing harmful gender norms in and through education, girls’ and women’s rights, young, feminist leadership, school-related gender-based violence. Our programmes include Gender at the Centre Initiative, Ending Gender Stereotypes in Classrooms, Ending School related GBV, Feminist School, the Feminist Network for Gender Transformative Education.

The Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant is a creative, dynamic and exciting role. You will be responsible for building and growing relationships with some of the most exciting donors and partners in the world, encompassing bilaterals and governments and philanthropies in several countries. 

Scope of Work:

As an experienced professional in building and managing partnerships with donors and other multiple stakeholders, you will support UNGEI to design and implement a robust partnership and resource mobilization strategy in the area of gender equality in and through education. Your partnership and relationship building skills as well as your strategic thinking and ability to connect the dots will enable you to excel in this important role supporting the UNGEI Partnership and the Secretariat. The Director of the UNGEI Secretariat will be the supervisor for this consultancy assignment. Successful performance in this role will mean stronger relationships between UNGEI partners and increased funding for the UNGEI Secretariat. 

Terms of Reference / Specific Deliverables

Deliverable 1: UNGEI fundraising workplan with mini individual strategies per donor 

• A live document workplan with individual strategies for 20 current and potential new donors for UNGEI,
• A live document dashboard (e.g. on Excel) on the state of play with each donor, categorized into at least three priority/ pipeline stages,
• Development of 8 short briefs (2-3 pages) focusing on UNGEI’s specific areas of work, working closely with the UNGEI Secretariat Communications and Advocacy team and Programme Managers, based on existing documents such as web site pages and blogs.

31 December 2025

Deliverable 2: Outreach and follow up with potential donors and partners

• Follow up and action on meetings, events and emails with donors – approximately 15-20 follow ups per week.
• Follow up and action on meetings, events and emails with at least ten partnerships related to fundraising (e.g. collectives and collaboratives at global, regional and national levels) – approximately 4-5 follow ups a month

31 December 2025

Deliverable 3: Proposals 

• Development of 8-10concept notes over the course of the year, in collaboration with UNGEI Secretariat and UNGEI Partners where relevant
• Development of 5-6 proposals over the course of the year, in collaboration with UNGEI Secretariat and UNGEI Partners where relevant

31 December 2025

Deliverable 4: Meetings and events related to UNGEI current and future donor relationship management 

• Development of a calendar of important events and conferences and strategic prioritization of these based on changing priorities (of all involved entities).
• Development of the plan for UNGEI Partnership and Secretariat presence at events and conferences.
• Identification of at least 20 meetings and other opportunities with current and potential new donors related or on the sidelines of events and conferences.
• Facilitate, support and join approximately 60 meetings of the Director of the UNGEI Secretariat (and in some cases Programme Managers) with notes and follow up action points.

31 December 2025

Deliverable 4: Donor reports and knowledge management 

• Compilation of results and good practices from UNGEI programs and drafting of at least 4 case studies to feed into donor reports
• Development and submission of semi-annual and annual donor reports for eight current donors in coordination with UNGEI Secretariat team programme managers

31 December 2025

Deliverable 5: Facilitation and follow up of meetings related to UNGEI Partnership and Collective Impact Partnership 

• Organize and manage at least ten meetings (of both) throughout the year, developing meeting agendas in close collaboration with UNGEI team members, ensuring drafting and sharing of meeting outcomes.
• Identify connections between partners and follow up to develop and nurture connections – approximate 4-5 over the course of the year.

31 December 2025

Qualifications

(1) Education

Fundraising partnerships, gender equality, girls’ rights, women’s rights, education

Please submit a proposal or concept note you have written. Names of organizations can be anonymized.

Language Proficiency: 

• Fluency in English mandatory. Fluency in another UN language is highly desirable.

(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required: 

• 5-7 years in a role with a global organization with documented success in fundraising, ideally in the field of education and/ or gender equality.
• At least 3 years of experience in working with international organizations in international development.
• Experience in philanthropy is an asset.
• Strong commitment to and understanding of gender equality is essential. Experience is education is highly desirable.
• Strong writing skills in English. Knowledge of other languages is an asset.
• Proficient in standard tools like Adobe, Microsoft Office, Google Drive, etc.
• Strong people skills, diplomacy and independent work ethic are essential.
• Commitment to and interest in strong collaboration and ability to have fun with colleagues

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and 

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

o the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.

o travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR. 

o Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

o Indicate your availability 

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4. 

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

Read Full Description