Partnerships Liaison Officer, Multiple positions

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. 

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of East and Southern Africa  Hub Director or Head of Partnership, and in close coordination with the the Partnerships Group, the Partnerships Liaison Officer will be responsible for developing and implementing the partnership and programme development plan for specified country where UNOPS is planning to initiate or broaden operations.

The Partnership Liaison officer will work closely with the KEOH PDO Office in defining needs and matching opportunities for UNOPS. The incumbent will exercise a strong sense of commercial diplomacy, articulate the operationalization of the sustainable development goals as partnering opportunities especially within the mandate of UNOPS, understand policy and operations as well as represent the value of the organization in his/her personal interaction and communications. 

   Under the overall guidance of and reporting to the KEOH Head of Partnerships or East and Southern  Africa Hub Director, –, (s)he will be tasked to: 

• Contribute to the analysis, mapping and identification of potential opportunities with partners such as UN, governments, foundations, NGOs, academia, think tanks and private sector.
• Initiate and or Participate in partnerships meetings with potential partners and ensure their systematic and timely follow-up. 
• Contribute to the identification, design, formulation and negotiation of new projects and programs and draft concept notes and project document briefs for discussion with partners.
• Coordinate with the Hub leadership and KEOH PDO  team.
• Advises the Head of Partnership on opportunities for expanding the UNOPS portfolio with partners
• Understand and clearly explain UNOPS pricing policy to partners
• Build a network of key partners, keeping abreast of evolving trends (social, economic, and political), including the application of innovation to project and partnership development.
• Provide intelligence and analysis on the strategic partners to support meeting, projects, and negotiations
• Contribute to the ongoing research, development and implementation of best practice and innovative approaches to maximise performance and sustain achievements in project and partnership development.

A Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Public Administration, International Development, Engineering, Political Science, Communications or International Relations is required.

• Minimum of 5 years experience in development or related field is required.
• Experience working in developing and implementing partnerships programmes is required.
• Experience in developing countries and project implementation is  required.
• Working experience in Zimbabwe or Tanzania is an added advantage.
• Experience working with a development partner and donors in-country, is highly desirable.
• Working experience within the UN system and/or an international organization is an added advantage
• Skills in partnership building,project proposal development and development management are essential.

• Full working knowledge of English is essential.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

1. Contract type:  ICA
2. Contract level : LICA Specialist 10
3. Contract duration; Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 


East Africa Hub

Located in Nairobi, Kenya, the East Africa Hub manages a growing portfolio of engagements, including associated strategic and operational risks. The East Africa sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in South Sudan and a portfolio of engagements managed by the Kenya based East Africa Hub office. This includes primarily transactional projects in partnership with the Nairobi based UN Agencies UN-Habitat and UNEP, and multiple ‘operational’ projects in Somalia, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, Kenya and several island states.

Work life harmonization: UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types