Partnerships Advisor

Organizational Context

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office oversees over 250 projects in 40 countries, focusing on fragile and conflict-affected settings. The Central Africa Multi-Country Office (CAMCO), based in Kinshasa, supports 15 Central African nations with fund management, technical assistance, and capacity-building across various sectors. CAMCO manages a portfolio of approximately $400 million and aims for growth and geographical expansion.

Job Purpose

The Partnerships Advisor is the senior lead for partnership development within the Multi-Country Office, reporting to the Director and serving as a key member of the Senior Management Team. This role is responsible for developing and implementing the sub-regional partnerships and programme development strategy, and for leading donor and client coordination activities. The incumbent will conduct situation analyses, donor mapping, and develop programme/project documents and proposals in collaboration with a wide range of partners, including governments, UN entities, donors, and NGOs. A primary objective is to identify and advance new partnership opportunities aligned with UNOPS' mandate and its role within the UN system, contributing to the office's strategic goals and operational expansion.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive partnerships development strategy aligned with UNOPS' strategic plans, analyzing the regional and national development landscape to identify key partners and strategic positioning. Advise senior management on strategy implementation and project development planning, including defining priority partners, countries, and sectors. Research and analyze donor strategies to identify funding opportunities. Lead the partnerships team in developing and maintaining strong relationships with governments, UN agencies, donors, NGOs, and the private sector. Collaborate with Heads of Programme and Support Services to ensure new projects align with programme and support services. Lead high-level meetings and negotiations with partners, ensuring mutually beneficial terms and timely follow-up. Mentor and coach partnerships and programme personnel. Participate in inter-agency planning and cluster meetings, contributing to UN System harmonization and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. Ensure developed programmes and projects adhere to Results-Based Management principles and include appropriate monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Guide the team in identifying themes and opportunities, drafting concept notes, proposals, and knowledge products. Implement HQ standards and tools to strengthen partnership and project development, contributing to best practices and organizational learning.

Work Experience

Requires experience in international development, including partnership and programme development, project development, proposal writing, and establishing partnerships with UN agencies, international organizations, governments, foundations, or private sector entities. Experience in multicultural environments, UN system organizations, developing countries, development or humanitarian contexts, and project/programme management is desirable.

Skills

Business Expansion, Partnerships, Planning, Proposal Writing, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Thinking

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