UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, opportunity

The purpose of this position is to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders and provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge exchange, resource mobilization, and policy influence within the scope of the assignment. You may also serve as a focal point and resource for colleagues on specific thematic areas of strategic relevance for partnership development. The key result is ensuring greater visibility for UNICEF and influence in support of its mission.

The Partnership Specialist will report to the Representative in the Country Office and assist in developing high-level strategic partnerships with executive governmental counterparts, in line with the political cycle of Mexico.

How can you make a difference? 

If you are selected you will have the following generic responsibilities, as well as more specific yearly established targets that are connected to the political context in the country:

1. Implement the work plan for the assigned area, to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of results, following UNICEF’s partnership strategy.
2. Seek and promote new partnerships and resource mobilization, working with UNICEF colleagues to identify partnership and resource mobilization needs and broker resource mobilization agreements to meet those needs.
3. Receive and screen inquiries from potential collaborators and facilitate communication with appropriate UNICEF staff. Scans and scouts external environment within designated partnership areas for opportunities and risks and shares information in a timely fashion with relevant UNICEF staff.
4. Provide strategic, logistical, and programmatic support to senior management and other UNICEF staff in corporate engagement and interaction with assigned partners.
5. Develop and maintain deep knowledge and familiarity with current and prospective partners and relevant stakeholders, contributing to a database of key contacts and UNICEF’s base of knowledge on partnership and resource mobilization.
6. Expand UNICEF’s network of key interlocutors to build stronger relationships between UNICEF and governments, other key decision makers, regional development institutions, foundations, civil society organizations, international financial institutions and/or other relevant constituencies.
7. Develop and implement annual partnership engagement and resource mobilization plans.
8. Act as a focal point for identification and pursuit of opportunities for outreach, engagement, policy influence, and collaboration, including how to anticipate and respond to partners’ concerns and priorities, ensure that UNICEF’s interests, perspectives, and knowledge are taken into account in relevant policy and institutional processes, and ensure that they are fully aware of UNICEF’s perspectives, policies, priorities and capabilities. Contribute to the development and management of initiatives for high-level outreach, including for UNICEF’s Senior Management.
9. Contribute to the development of new partnership and resource mobilization practices and approaches by formulating recommendations for action based on ongoing monitoring, analyzing current trends within designated partners, and formulating recommendations for strategy approaches and message development.
10. Contribute to strategies for engagement and the development of communications products to enhance UNICEF’s visibility and influence with existing and prospective partners and key stakeholders by providing analysis of the current environment and trends and formulating recommendations for strategy approaches and message development. Works closely with UNICEF’s colleagues to ensure that policy advocacy and outreach are strongly grounded in the experience and insights of the programmes that UNICEF supports. Contributes written inputs for communications instruments that best inform and influence decision-makers.
11. Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure the success of the team, including guiding, training, and coaching short-term staff, including interns and consultants, as needed.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  GJD Partnerships Specialist NO-3.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant areas.

  Experience developing partnerships in the political context of Mexico is required.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish is required. Advanced knowledge of English (proficiency, not fluency) is required. 

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category. 

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.