PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER, NOC

The Partnerships Officer provides advice and support to the Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team (UNCT) on strategic partnerships for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) achievement. The role involves supporting strategic planning, coordination, resource mobilization, financing for development, knowledge management, and capacity development related to partnerships at the country level in the UN Resident Coordinator Office in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Responsibilities

• Provides advice on the development and implementation of the UN Partnership Strategy in alignment with and support of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
• Supports a UNCT working group and agencies, funds and programmes for the effective implementation, monitoring and assessment of the strategy at regular intervals to harness new emerging opportunities, to anticipate changes to the internal direction and external environment, and to make mid-term adjustments.
• Provides substantive capacity to develop a national partnership strategy with all the relevant stakeholders in the context of the Cooperation Framework implementation and design.
• Conducts liaison and coordination with UN entities at country, regional and HQ levels, to help package and define a value proposition for local UN partnership that can engage a wide range of stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society and other non-traditional partners.
• Serves as one of the key entry points for external stakeholders seeking guidance and support in navigating opportunities to partner with the UNCT.
• Builds strong interface with critical Development partners, Government, private sector, civil society and other non-traditional partners.
• Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the UNCT in identifying risks and opportunities related to specific partnerships and suggests mitigation measures as relevant.
• Provides inputs on due diligence processes of potential investment and partnership opportunities, in accordance with UN regulations and procedures.
• Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally tailored partnerships.
• Serves as liaison to Private Sector Networks, assisting the Resident Coordinator in advising the Local Network Boards and strengthening local UN engagement with the private sector, working with UN Global Compact regional hubs to promote the UN Global Compact Ten Principles and business support for the SDGs.
• Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally tailored resource mobilization strategies and initiatives for Cooperation Framework priorities and identify appropriate data and benchmarks to measure progress and success.
• Monitors and analyzes existing resource mobilization partnerships and relationships, including traditional and non-traditional partners and development partners, donors (including private sector, government co-financing, IFI’s and other innovative funds) to be explored for direct funding to the UN.
• Supports the UNCT with analysis of funding streams from internal and external sources, enabling their timely and coordinated engagement around preparation of proposals.
• Supports the UNCT in preparation of the Funding Framework of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
• Provides support to the design joint programmes for use in joint resource mobilization and coordination during the implementation of joint programmes as needed.
• Advises RC/UNCT and external partners on offers from specialized UN entities for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and ensuring the development of a youth, disability inclusion, gender, indigenous, afro-descendants and thematic issues partnerships strategies to support the UN priorities.
• Advises the RC/UNCT on corporate policies relating to effective management of resources, including through the establishment and use of pooled funds.
• Assists in the establishment and management of the country-based MPTF Funds, in close collaboration with UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office.
• Provides advice on partnership opportunities to drive financing for development options, instruments, modalities to the RC/UNCT, in alignment with the UN Country Analysis (UNCA), Cooperation Framework, Integrated National Financing Framework and similar processes.
• Prepares briefing papers and discussion points on partnership issues related to financing for development for consideration by RC/UNCT.
• Contributes to advocacy, communications and dialogues with partners and platforms to improve development assistance policies and practices.
• Working in close collaboration with the RCO Economist, ensures effective engagement of relevant counterparts, especially private sector, civil society, government (national and local) and development partners, to develop engagement and partnerships around SDG financing and UN funding.
• Undertakes the design and execution of innovative proposals to strengthen the UNCT engagement and reputational risk analysis, to generate greater financial resources in support of the SDGs and UN funding.
• Promotes collaboration, peer support, innovation, good practices, lessons learned, needs, and opportunities through active participation to the local, regional and global communities of practice and knowledge networks within the Resident Coordinator System and across the UN.
• Researches, analyzes and presents best practices and lessons learned from implementation of UN partnership initiatives, with a view to advising the RC and UNCT on actions to strengthen the partnership orientation of the UN.
• Supports the UNCT with a knowledge repository of potential donors at national and sub-national levels.
• Monitors and analyzes best practices, successful models of SDG partnerships and resource mobilization, and public policy outcomes supported by the UN in country and elsewhere.
• Provides advice on global/corporate guidelines, tools and other materials related to partnerships, resource mobilization and donor engagement.
• Keeps abreast of emerging innovative approaches in the area of partnerships, resource mobilization and donor engagement, and proposes new ways of working, where relevant.
• Reflects on processes of his/ her work area at key milestones and generates knowledge valuable to others in the RC system/ UN Country Teams.
• Works closely with the Data Analyst and Communications officers on data, M&E, reporting, analytics, management response on evaluation recommendations, and communications.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Ensures that requirements, background information used for data analysis are documented.
• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, sustainable development, social sciences, education or related area is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience and track record in strategic support to partnerships, project/programme management, resource mobilization in the context of development cooperation or related area is required.
• Experience of developing strategic partnerships across government, private sector and civil society organizations is required.
• Experience of inclusion strategies that promote Gender equality, youth participation and inclusion of persons with disability is desirable.
• Experience in designing and implementing partnerships is required.
• Experience of resources mobilization strategies is required.
• Experience in UN interagency coordination is desirable.
• Work experience of two (2) years or more in data analytics or a related area is desirable.
• International experience, particularly in High Income Countries, is desirable.
• Experience in preparing project /programme proposals is required.
• Experience in supporting financing of SDGs and innovative finance is desirable.

Skills

• Strategic Partnerships
• Project Management
• Programme Management
• Resource Mobilization
• Partnership Design
• Data Analytics
• Business Analytics
• Proposal Preparation
• Inter-agency Coordination
• Sustainable Development Goals Financing
• Innovative Financing
• Knowledge Management
• Capacity Development
• Inclusion Strategies Design
• Gender Equity Promotion
• Youth Inclusion
• Disability Inclusion

Languages

English, Spanish