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General Information

Position Title
Partnerships Specialist
Job Category
Partnerships
Duty Station(s)
Washington DC
Seniority Level
Mid Level
ICS Level
ICS 10
Contract Type
ICA - IICA - Regular
Contract Level
IICA 2
Posting Start Date
11-Feb-2026
Posting End Date
25-Feb-2026
Duration
Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

Job Highlight

Drive strategic growth by building key relationships, mobilizing resources, and expanding the office's portfolio to achieve sustainable development results.

About the Group

The Partnerships and Liaison Group (PLG) is a global functional entity within UNOPS, responsible for driving the strategic development and growth of both new and existing partnerships. Working in close collaboration with UNOPS groups, regional and country offices, PLG engages with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to advance the goals outlined in the UNOPS Strategic Plan. PLG comprises a network of liaison offices strategically located in Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo, Rome, and Washington D.C., each responsible for managing relationships with designated key global partners. These offices also provide partner-specific advice and support to UNOPS offices at the operational level. A cross-cutting Partnerships Development Team, based in Copenhagen, provides strategic guidance, conducts partner intelligence and analysis, and develops tools and resources to enhance the outreach and positioning efforts of partnership colleagues worldwide.

Job Specific Context

This position will focus considerably on supporting the growth and excellence of UNOPS’s partnership with the World Bank and other strategic Washington-based partners. It will involve a mix of external engagement to develop partnership approaches and unlock new opportunities for funding and visibility for UNOPS; internal support to country and regional offices to address operational issues and portfolio management, supporting high level visits and positioning for UNOPS, and strengthening internal knowledge management on working with the World Bank.


The contract modality (Local ICA or International ICA) will be determined based on the nationality of the preferred candidate.

Role Purpose

The Partnerships Specialist develops and implements partnership and programme development plans for the office. The role focuses on building and maintaining effective working relationships with governments, UN agencies, donors and other stakeholders to mobilize resources, expand the office’s portfolio, and strengthen the UNOPS positioning as a reliable development and implementation partner. The Partnerships Specialist also ensures that partnership initiatives are aligned with UNOPS’ global and regional priorities, contribute to sustainable results, and support the achievement of the office’s strategic objectives.


Functions / Key Results Expected

Partnership and Programme Development Planning

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive partnership and programme development plan aligned with the UNOPS Strategic Plan and Regional Strategies. 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.
  • Examine risks and opportunities related to the strategic positioning of office(s) and recommend appropriate measures to ensure sustainable growth.
  • Coordinate and collaborate with relevant Partnerships personnel at global, national and liaison levels, as well as Project Managers and project teams, to ensure coherent and aligned interactions with partners.


Develop Partnership Opportunities

  • Monitor and analyze humanitarian and development trends to identify areas of collaboration aligned with UNOPS’ mandate and capacity.
  • Research and track events, publications and announcements to screen opportunities and identify emerging trends that can drive new partnerships.
  • Advise UNOPS HQ and the Regional Office on the development of framework partnership agreements to expand opportunities at the regional level.
  • Contribute to the identification, design, formulation and negotiation of new projects and programmes, including drafting concept notes and project briefs for partner discussions.
  • Manage and maintain partnership opportunities and engagement records in ERP, ensuring alignment with corporate guidelines.
  • Coordinate technical and financial inputs, and lead negotiations to finalize new project proposals.
  • Draft agreements and contractual documents are required for the approval and implementation of new projects.
  • Clearly communicate UNOPS pricing policies and value proposition to partners.
  • Support the diversification of the office portfolio in line with UNOPS' strategic, regional and country objectives.
  • Collaborate with Communications and Reporting colleagues to gather content for outreach materials.


Representation and Inter-Agency Partnership

  • Establish and strengthen partnerships with UN agencies, international organizations, governments, foundations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private-sector actors to diversify project opportunities.
  • Lead or support advocacy, public information, and communication initiatives in collaboration with the Communications team, as required.
  • Participate (as authorized by line manager) in inter-agency, donor, and government coordination forums, providing updates on project development issues in consultation with UNOPS project managers and technical experts.
  • Contribute to UN common planning and programming processes, including strategic country analyses, United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), and response plans.
  • Build and maintain a strong network of key partners, staying informed on social, economic and political trends and leveraging innovation to strengthen project and partnership development.


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.



Skills

Business Development, Partnerships, Planning, Proposal Writing, Stakeholder Engagement
Strategic Perspective
Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.
Respect
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Collaboration
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnerships
Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Excellence
Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Adaptability
Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Decision-making
Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Communication
Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 7 years of relevant experience OR
  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 5 years of relevant experience is required.


Experience Requirements

Required

  • Relevant experience is work in international development, involving execution of partnership and programme development plans, project development and proposal writing, establishment of partnerships with UN agencies, international development organizations, governments, foundations or private-sector organizations, or related areas.


Desired

  • Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
  • Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
  • Experience in project and programme management is desired.


Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirement
EnglishFluentRequired
FrenchBasicDesirable
SpanishBasicDesirable
ArabicBasicDesirable
Chinese, MandarinBasicDesirable
RussianBasicDesirable

Additional Information

  • Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
  • Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
  • Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
  • Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
  • UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
  • Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. 
  • We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
 
Terms and Conditions
 
  • For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
  • For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here
  • For more details about the contract types, please click here.
  • All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
  • It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.