Current vacancies

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, Sustainability

With over 850 indigenous languages and one of the most ethnically diverse populations, widespread poverty, and gender inequality make it hard for many children to realize their rights. In Papua New Guinea, UNICEF’s works effectively both ‘upstream’ (with governments) and ‘downstream’ (at the grassroots level) to carry out its mission through a programme of cooperation jointly developed with the government guides our work in the country.

How can you make a difference? 

The Partnership Specialist will play a pivotal role in securing immediate funding for key unfunded areas while refining the long-term partnership and resource mobilization strategy to align with sector and advocacy priorities. The role will focus on direct donor engagement, strategic advisory support, and enhancing the organization’s positioning for sustainable funding.

2. Scope of Work

The Partnership Specialist will:

• Engage directly with donors and partners (e.g., Australia, EU, Japan, NZ, Korea, WB) to strengthen relationships and secure additional funding.
• Identify and establish new funding opportunities with emerging donors (e.g., China, Climate Funds, ADB, IMF).
• Leverage private sector resources (non-direct funding) through partnerships and co-financing opportunities.
• Support leadership in donor and government engagement, particularly in strategic discussions with major donors and financial institutions (e.g., WB, ADB).
• Provide strategic advisory support on UN coordination - MPTF and government relations.
• Lead the refinement of partnership and resource mobilization strategy to ensure alignment with sector priorities, advocacy efforts, and funding gaps.
• Establish and implement an accountability framework to track partnership and resource mobilization performance, donor engagement effectiveness, and internal coordination.
• Enhance internal knowledge management to improve the organization’s ability to respond to funding opportunities.

3. Main Activities & Tasks

A. Immediate and Long-Term Funding (65%)

• Identify and pursue funding opportunities for immediate needs (40%) and long-term strategic priorities (25%).
• Develop compelling funding proposals and donor briefs that highlight organizational priorities and impact.
• Ensure donor intelligence mapping is up to date and informs strategic engagement.
• Negotiate funding agreements and support leadership in high-level donor discussions.
• Develop and maintain donor engagement plans for existing and new partners.

B. Strategic Advisory & Coordination (20%)

• Advise leadership on donor positioning and negotiation strategies.
• Support UN coordination efforts by advising on funding opportunities and inter-agency collaboration.
• Provide insights on co-financing mechanisms and potential government partnerships.
• Ensure the Partnership strategy integrates funding sources across sectors and cross-cutting themes.

C. Private Sector Engagement (15%)

• Identify private sector opportunities that can support programming through leveraged funding.
• Ensure private sector engagement aligns with sectoral and advocacy priorities.
• Establish relationships with corporate entities and explore innovative financing mechanisms that support local provincial development aligned with sector and advocacy priorities.

D. Knowledge Management & Capacity Building (10%)

• Develop a system for tracking donor engagement, proposal submissions, and funding secured.
• Strengthen internal knowledge-sharing on donor trends, funding mechanisms, and best practices.
• Provide targeted guidance to staff on partnership and resource mobilization best practices (limited capacity-building focus).

4. Key Deliverables

• Immediate Funding Strategy – Clear action plan for securing urgent funding within the next 6 months.
• Long-Term Partnership and Resource Mobilization Plan – Updated strategy that includes donor intelligence mapping and sectoral funding alignment.
• Donor Engagement Reports – Regular reports tracking engagements, outcomes, and follow-up actions.
• Accountability Framework – Defined performance benchmarks for Partnership and Resource Mobilization efforts, tracking tools, and donor feedback mechanisms.
• Proposal & Concept Notes – High-quality proposals developed and submitted to key donors.
• Private Sector Engagement Plan – Identification of non-traditional funding/leveraging opportunities and partnership models.
• Internal Coordination Metrics – Regular assessment of Partnership and Resource Mobilization integration with sector and advocacy priorities.

5. Reporting & Accountability

• Reports to Representative.
• Works closely with Programme, Advocacy, and Operations teams to align funding priorities.
• Regular updates to leadership on funding landscape, donor trends, and strategic opportunities.
• Performance evaluated based on funding secured, donor engagement effectiveness, and strategic positioning outcomes.

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

• Education: An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: Marketing, Economics, Communication, Fundraising or Business Administration.
• Work experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: programme management, communication, resource mobilization, programme monitoring and evaluation or other relevant area; two years of which should be in developing countries.
• Supervisory experience in managing at least one staff member is required.
• Previous experience in partnership relations, communication/reporting with UNICEF is an advantage.

Technical skills and knowledge and Competencies:

• Skill and experience in securing new high-value multi-year partnerships is required.
• An in-depth understanding and knowledge of new business best practices (from first meetings with prospects to partnership development to negotiation, through to contracting) is required.
• Good awareness skills and proven public and private sector acumen, particularly in respect of the development partner environment including an understanding of what development partners and businesses are looking for, is required.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.