Partnerships Manager (Private Sector), P-4, ESARO, Nairobi, Kenya, #87508

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, a chance

Since the formal inception of UNICEF’s private sector operations in 2014 on the African continent, UNICEF has developed regional level strategies for strong growth in private sector fundraising and partnerships and non-financial engagement with the private sector across two regions – Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and Western and Central Africa (WCA). These strategies take a holistic approach to engaging with the private sector – which is defined as the business sector, key influencers (e.g. high net worth philanthropists, opinion leaders and private foundations) and individual supporters – to achieve both financial results (fundraising targets) and contribute to programmatic and advocacy results (non-financial contributions). This includes harnessing the power of business for children, fundraising and partnerships with key audiences, tapping into business core assets and their influence to support programme and advocacy, and changing business policy/practice through the Child Rights and Business agenda.

The post is part of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (RO), focusing primarily on that region but also coordinating with the Western and Central Africa region. It reports to the Senior Advisor, Public Private Partnerships, ESARO (P5).

How can you make a difference?

The staff member will provide strategic and technical advice in the region, leading to:

1. Results for children through: a. increased financial resources for UNICEF programmes and advocacy b. tapping into the core business and assets of companies, their voice and influence to support programmes and advocacy. c. Promoting respect and support to child rights and changes in policies or practices within business.

2. Strong partner and stakeholder satisfaction, resulting in expanded or renewed partnerships and engagement.

3. Increased brand recognition and advocacy through communication of private sector strategy, key partnerships, and overall positioning in the region.

4. Strongly enhanced, strategic private sector operations in Stage 1 and 2 Country Offices, and significant progress in Stage 3 Country Offices.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:  

Develop and Implement Regional Private Sector Strategies:

• Guide the development, implementation, and regular updating of a comprehensive regional framework for private sector fundraising and non-financial engagement strategies, aligning with global and Africa-wide strategies.
• Collaborate with Country Offices (COs) to ensure strategies are in sync with programmatic priorities and integrated into Country Program Documents (CPDs).
• Regularly update the situation analysis impacting private sector engagement, focusing on trends in sustainability, and priority industries affecting children’s rights and well-being.

Strategic Partnerships and Regional Fundraising Initiatives:

• Lead the identification, development, and management of high-value regional and multi-country partnerships, including Public-Private Partnerships, with major donors, foundations, and businesses.
• Guide research on prospects and ensure a continuously updated list of high-priority regional partnerships, including those that bring increased financial resources and non-financial benefits to COs.
• Explore and develop new regional or sub-region-wide fundraising initiatives to enhance resource mobilization efforts including for emergencies.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for some of the high-priority regional partnerships, ensuring proper stewardship, renewal, and expansion of these partnerships.

Technical Assistance and Capacity Building:

• Provide strategic and technical support to COs, particularly those in earlier stages of private sector engagement, on the development and implementation of private sector plans and holistic partnerships.
• Share global and regional best practices, provide direct technical support on key processes like due diligence and agreements, and guide the integration of child rights into business operations.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and learning across the region, including the organization of webinars, workshops, and sharing of best practices to build CO capacity.

Risk Management and Compliance:

• Identify risks associated with private sector engagement and guide COs in implementing risk mitigation measures.
• Ensure compliance with internal reporting and operational processes, particularly in the development of new fundraising channels and partnerships.

Support to Broader Partnership and Resource Mobilization Efforts:

• Contribute to broader regional and global partnership objectives by supporting related tasks and ensuring an integrated approach across the partnership team.
• Guide the transition of COs through different stages of private sector engagement, coordinating with PFP and other relevant stakeholders to ensure appropriate support and accountabilities.

 

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

• An advanced university degree in social sciences, business administration, management, Corporate Social Responsibility marketing, fundraising or related field. A first level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 8 years relevant and progressively responsible professional work experience including private sector fundraising, philanthropy, and corporate social responsibility /sustainability.
• Knowledge of private sector fundraising, philanthropy and corporate social responsibility /sustainability is required.
• Experience working or living in Africa is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required; fluency in French is highly desirable.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

i) Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

 

ii) Core Competencies (For Staff with Supervisory Responsibilities) *

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

 

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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