Partnerships Specialist

Background Information – Job specific

The South East Asia and Pacific Multi Country Office (EAPMCO), established in January 2023,  supports, develops, and oversees the UNOPS portfolio of projects in South East Asia and the Pacific.  EAPMCO currently covers 24 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific. With its head office in Bangkok, the Multi-Country Office comprises eight business units: EAPMCO Thailand, EAPMCO Indonesia,  EAPMCO Pacific Operations Cluster, EAPMCO Papua New Guinea, EAPMCO China, EAPMCO Vietnam, EAPMCO Mekong, and  EAPMCO Philippines.

The Multi Country Office head office in Bangkok provides strategic direction, operational support, delivery oversight and assurance of the excellence of business processes and quality standards across all of the entire Multi Country Office locations. It is also responsible for developing, delivering and managing the portfolio of engagements in the country of the MCO location itself. 

The Partnerships and Outreach Unit at  UNOPS EAPMCO:

The Partnerships and Outreach Unit supports all external relations of EAPMCO, including fundraising, stakeholder engagement, donor and client liaison, business document preparation, funding acquisition, and outreach. It works closely with the Director of EAPMCO and Country Managers to formulate and implement business development strategies, positioning UNOPS as a partner of choice across the 24 countries under EAPMCO’s remit.

The EAPMCO Partnerships and Outreach Unit has the following functions:

Stakeholder management and liaison: Establishing and maintaining donor and client relationships, facilitating high-level meetings, providing intelligence and follow-up support to country managers, preparing briefs and capacity statements, and coordinating with HQ and the Asia Regional Office.

Project development and fundraising: Scanning and assessing opportunities, developing concept notes, project briefs, proposals, and tender submissions, and supporting negotiations and agreement drafting.

Best practices: Ensuring the consistent application of UNOPS standards in project design, including the use of PRINCE2 methodology and corporate templates.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Head of Partnerships, the Partnerships Specialist will serve as Deputy to the Head of Partnerships, providing operational leadership, backstopping Country Managers, and UNOPS country operations on business development, and managing the day-to-day pipeline development across EAPMCO’s geographic scope.

The Partnerships Specialist will support the Head of Partnerships, and the broader partnerships unit, in advancing EAPMCO’s business development objectives year-on-year. Key functional areas include:

1. Partnership and programme development planning

2. Portfolio growth and pipeline development

3. Stakeholder management and partner engagement

4. Knowledge management and innovation
   
   

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in International Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, Business Administration, or another relevant field.
  
  
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) with two (2) additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in place of the Master’s requirement.

• Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in partnerships, business development, fundraising, and/or donor relations within international development is required.

• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing partnership or business development strategies is an asset. 

• Experience in drafting concept notes, proposals, and/or tenders for institutional donors is an asset.

• Experience in building and maintaining partnerships with UN agencies, international organizations, governments, foundations, or private sector partners is a strong asset.

• Experience in project design and acquisition is required.

• Programme or project management experience is an asset.

• Prior experience in international organizations or in post-conflict, humanitarian, or emergency settings is an advantage.

• Familiarity with major donors and financing institutions, and mechanisms is highly desirable.

• Full working knowledge of English is essential. 

• Knowledge of a regional language of Asia and the Pacific is considered an asset.

1. Contract type: International Individual Contractual Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level: ICS 10 / IICA 2
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• 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. 

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.

• 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.