Partnerships Advisor

Drive strategic partnerships and lead donor coordination as a senior Partnerships Advisor, shaping the future of UNOPS' initiatives.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.  

UNOPS CAMCO - Multi-Country Office for Central Africa based in Cameroun

CAMCO covers 12 countries: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe. CAMCO has close to a $400million portfolio, comprising over 42 projects close to 250 personnel. Growth and geographical expansion are key priorities for CAMCO, with special attention to the African SIDS: Cape Verde and Sao Tome & Principe, as well as on growth and consolidation of those lagging in portfolio development such as Angola, Cameroon, Burundi, and Rwanda.

About the Role

The Partnerships Advisor, as the Head of Partnership Development Office (HPDO), is the senior Partnerships Development Lead for the Multi-Country Office, managing and advising other partnerships officers and/or adjacent roles. Directly reporting to and under the general guidance of the Multi-Country Office Director, the Partnerships Advisor is a member of the Office Senior Management Team and responsible for developing and implementing the sub-regional partnerships and programme development strategy and donor and client coordination activities. This includes new countries wherein UNOPS is planning to initiate or broaden operations. Under the direction and guidance of the CAMCO Director, the HPDO is responsible for the elaboration of the annual CAMCO strategic plan, working in close collaboration with AFR Regional Office, the Head of Programme & PMO, the Head of Support Services, and CAMCO’s country managers/Heads of Offices.

The Head of Partnership Development Office provides situation analyses, donor mapping and programme/project development documents and concept notes/proposals in collaboration with UNOPS’s existing and potential partners, including national governments, the UN System, multilateral and bilateral donors and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). In addition,  s/he liaises with these and other relevant stakeholders to identify partnership opportunities for UNOPS, based on the organisation’s mandate and role as part of the UN system.

The Partnerships Advisor serves as the senior partnerships lead in the office, managing and guiding partnerships officers and related roles. As a member of the senior management team, the incumbent develops and implements the partnerships strategy and leads donor and client coordination activities. The Partnerships Advisor provides situation analyses, donor mapping, and programme development support in collaboration with national governments, UN system entities, donors, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The role also liaises with these and other stakeholders to identify and advance partnership opportunities for UNOPS, in line with the organization’s mandate and its role within the UN system.

Integrated Partnerships Development Strategy

• Lead the development of a comprehensive partnerships development strategy in line with UNOPS’ Strategic Plan, regional strategy, and Office Plan. This includes analyzing the country context and regional and national development landscape, identifying key partners, and positioning UNOPS strategically within potential operational niches. The plan should also foster a pipeline of opportunities, reflect in-house capacity, promote a diverse project portfolio, and leverage internal tools and knowledge resources.
• Advise the senior management team on the implementation of the partnerships strategy.
• Advise and support the senior management team throughout the project development planning process, including the definition of high-priority partners, countries, sectors and service areas.
• Research and analyze specific donor strategies, programming priorities and political situations in order to identify potential funding opportunities appropriate to UNOPS’ strategy and mandate.
• Drive a disciplined Partnerships approach to project and programme development which balances costs, risk, revenues and beneficiary impact within the mandate and spirit of the UN and UNOPS’ pricing policy.
• Drive a disciplined Partnerships approach to project and programme development which balances costs, risk, revenues and beneficiary impact within the mandate and spirit of the UN and UNOPS’ pricing policy.

Partnerships Development and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead the partnerships team to develop, extend and maintain strong partnerships with selected key partners, including governments, UN agencies, donors, foundations, NGOs, foundations, academia and the private sector.
• Work closely with the Head of Programme (HoP), Head of Support Services (HoSS), and Project/Programme Management Office (PMO) to ensure new projects are developed by project managers and partnerships officers in line with programme and support services.
• Develop and model the high standards of partnership positioning and development necessary to inspire and guide the partnership officers in their work.
• Work closely with Communications to ensure the external positioning of UNOPS is aligned with the Office strategy and Partnerships Plan.
• Participate and lead in key partnership-building meetings and negotiations with donors and clients, ensuring that cost-effective and mutually beneficial terms are achieved for UNOPS’ services while ensuring systematic and timely follow-up on agreed actions.
• Coordinate, advise, mentor and coach relevant partnerships and programme personnel at country, programme and project levels to ensure aligned and coherent interactions with partners.
• Connect and collaborate with peers, regional and HQ levels of the Partnerships function to stay in touch with good practices and share and build UNOPS’ capabilities in partnerships development.
• Facilitate and/or manage and lead meetings between senior management and key government representatives as and when required.
• Plan and facilitate high-level meetings between UNOPS senior management and sub-regional/country-level partners, including during key events such as conferences and other fora.
• Support partners in examining available options for effective project implementation and achievement of results while promoting national ownership.
• Showcase the office’s capabilities and set office standards for developing and distributing corporate communications materials, capacity statements and success stories which enhance clients’ understanding of the impact of various services provided and/or delivered by UNOPS.

Partner Relations and Inter-Agency Collaboration

• As delegated, participate in meetings with senior government counterparts on behalf of UNOPS and represent the office leadership (Director-level) in meetings and negotiations with partners as required.
• Participate in inter-agency planning and cluster meetings for the UN System development and humanitarian plans.
• Contribute at the sub-regional/country level to the harmonization of policies, practices and approaches within the UN System, including the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).

Monitoring and Reporting

• Ensure programmes/projects developed are in line with the Results-Based Management (RBM) principles.
• Ensure partnerships, projects, and programmes are developed with appropriate monitoring and evaluation frameworks that allow for effective oversight and evaluation of impact.
• Collaborate with project managers to formulate the project results frameworks and establish measurable long- and short-term targets for performance monitoring.
• Ensure up-to-date/informative/accurate reports are prepared and submitted on time in relation to the office’s partnerships development activities.
• Lead the design and roll-out of internal feedback mechanisms which provide insights for continuously improving the form and content of partner outreach and project development activities.
• Develop and lead the setup of tracking systems for tracking partnerships development and progress.

Project Identification, Formulation and Support

• Guide partnerships officers in researching and assessing the stakeholder landscape to identify priority themes and opportunities.
• Guide partnerships officers on various activities/ deliverables that help take potential partnerships forward, including drafting concept notes, preparing project proposals, producing relevant knowledge products, and participating in negotiations on new projects and programmes with key partners.
• Provide inputs and suggestions across all aspects related to the project formulation phase and analyze implementation approaches for soundness, sustainability, gender mainstreaming, feasibility, resource availability and cost implications.

Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Implement standards, tools and templates provided by HQ to strengthen partnership and project development within the team, enhancing UNOPS’ effectiveness as a trusted provider of project services for sustainable results.
• Contribute to research, development and application of best practices and innovative approaches that maximize performance and ensure long-term impact in project and partnership development.
• Build partnership capacity and negotiation skills among Project Managers, enabling stronger engagement with stakeholders.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing by contributing to the dissemination of lessons learned and best practices in project and partnership development, supporting organizational learning and planning.
• Provide regular feedback on systems, tools and resources to strengthen their effectiveness and ensure continuous improvement.