The Position:

Under the overall guidance of the Regional Director for UNFPA ESARO, the position will be under the direct supervision of the Regional Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Advisor with functional reporting to the Head of the Middle-Income Country Technical Hub (MIC-Hub). The position will strengthen traditional and non-traditional partnerships and donor portfolios for Middle-Income Countries (MICs) as the primary focus with support to the rest of the East and Southern Africa region (ESAR). The position will focus on Government donors, International Financial Institutions (IFI’s), UN Joint Programmes, South-South Cooperations, Financing for Development, including blended finance and digital fundraising, Private Sector engagement, and Portfolio Compliance Management, to mention a few.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Specialist will support strategic partnerships and resource mobilization portfolios of country offices in the East and Southern Africa Region, with a particular focus on Middle-Income Countries. S/he will also work closely with management and programme officers at regional and country offices to advance UNFPA mandate through contributions to resource mobilization and partnerships. The position will support regional efforts towards identifying and closing resource gaps as well as ensuring integration of UNFPA mandate within key strategic partnerships.

The Specialist will be responsible for:

1. Resource Mobilization and Partnership management
2. Financing for Development
3. Knowledge management and Capacity development
4. Representation support

A. Resource Mobilisation and Partnership Management

• Provides support to Country Offices covering Middle Income Countries and the Regional Office on financing landscape analysis, identification of resource gaps and partnership opportunities including setting and tracking annual targets at Country and Regional Office levels.
• Co-lead the development, implementation and monitoring of the Regional Office and Country Office Resource Mobilization and Partnership strategies and plans with a special focus on Middle-Income Countries.
• Support the co-creation of UN Joint programmes guided by UN strategic priorities aligned with national development and humanitarian contexts.
• Guided by a robust engagement strategy, advance key relationships to strengthen tailored UNFPA positioning in the East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) with Bilateral and Multilateral Donors, IFIs, MDBs, Corporates, Foundations, Civil Society, Academia, and High Net Worth Individuals.
• Undertake regular scans of the Private Sector and corporate interests and partnership prospects for UNFPA mandate areas in the ESA Region with a special focus on the MICs. Facilitate the corresponding due diligence processes as may be required and ensure the Client Relationship Management System is up to date.
• In collaboration with the Regional Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Advisor and Regional Communications team, develop corporate engagement packages, and marketing materials to advance towards universal access to SRHR in East and Southern Africa.
• Liaise with Regional and country offices to ensure programme implementation issues are resolved in a timely manner to ensure full implementation of programmes, ensure on-time submission of donor grant documents and reports as per agreement with the donor. These include midyear and annual reports, midterm and final evaluation reports, quarterly financial reports, and annual financial statements, to mention a few.

B. Financing for Development

• Support COs in conducting analysis that leads to unlocking financing opportunities
• Strengthen capacities in COs and at the Regional level on Financing for Development, including greater proportions of Domestic Financing, Blended and innovative financing and digital fundraising, as may be guided by cause-related positioning, and targeted engagement.
• Support UNFPA offices in the region to identify and develop investment cases and financial gap analysis for sustainable financing.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with a wide range of partners to optimize Innovative Financing opportunities, including through National governments’ fiscal and monetary policy actions, UN Joint Programmes, Capital markets with de-risking strategies, Philanthropy, individual giving, and business development activities as applicable.

C. Knowledge Management and Capacity Development

• Co-lead capacity needs assessments guided by evidence in the prevailing country and regional contexts
• Develop training packages and tools in collaboration with UNFPA regional and country offices, as well as UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes to respond to capacity gaps where required
• Facilitate delivery of capacity development initiatives and plans for the regional and country offices in Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships
• Explore and co-create innovation solutions on resource mobilization and strategic partnerships to respond to identified needs.
• Document best practices on Strategic partnerships, Private Sector Engagement and Resource Portfolio Compliance, Financing for Development, Domestic Resource Mobilization, and Resource Management to mention a few.

D. Representation support

• Ensure appropriate representation of UNFPA at resource mobilization and partnership platforms for MICs and the wider ESA region to promote UNFPA brand visibility, corporate resource acquisition, and enhanced partnerships for results.

E. Undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the Regional Director

Note: The Portfolio split is to ensure concrete deliverables in fostering strategic partnerships and mobilizing resources with an estimated 80% focus on selected MICs and 20% on the wider ESA Region.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Advanced University Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Financing for Development, Sustainable Financing, Political Sciences or related field.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in fundraising, marketing, sponsorship, corporate social responsibility, CSR, Innovative Financing,
• Experience working in a Middle Income Country is preferred, communications or project management, including work with the private sector, ideally with a minimum of one year at the international level.
• Initiative, sound judgment, and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members from different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Knowledge of donor policies and procedures is a distinct advantage;
• Experience in editing/reviewing of donor agreements and reports;
• Proven experience in managing partners or a strong track record of developing effective partnerships with donors, media, and other stakeholders

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages is desirable.

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Leveraging the Resources of National Governments and Partners/Building Strategic Alliances and Partnerships
• Internal and External Communication and Advocacy for Results Mobilization
• Providing Conceptual Innovation to Support Programme Effectiveness
• Mobilizing Resources

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance, and other administrative requirements. UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing, or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.