Partnerships Officer

UNOPS has been present in Bangladesh since 2003. In 2014 UNOPS was established as a formal representation as a response to the UNOPS Executive Board in order to provide more substantial support to the Government of Bangladesh and other clients in the different areas focusing to Resilient Infrastructure Approach, Program & Project Management, Fund Management, Procurement, Human Resources, Financial Management emphasizing on building national capacities, improving the resilience of communities with a view of contributing to the implementation of the SDGs.

Under the overall supervision of the Partnerships Specialist the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

• Scan partnerships opportunities (facilitate assessments of client needs, UNOPS comparative advantages, and partner survey analysis, among others);

• Liaise extensively with Government departments, local government  and ministries at operational levels to promote UNOPS engagement, visibility and operations in Bangladesh

• Provide support in formulation and implementation of annual Partnerships work plans;

• Support active promotion of UNOPS services by building a network of key partners and clients, keeping abreast of social, economic, and political trends;

• Support establishing contacts with potential partners and organizing high-level meetings and negotiations, and prepare subsequent plan of action and follow-up for potential partnership development opportunities;

• Actively participate in the identification, design, formulation and negotiation of new projects and programmes;

• Draft concept notes and technical briefs for further discussion with partners and donors;

• Identify potential partners to pursue new partnership opportunities and ensure portfolio growth by promoting quality service to maintain a competitive edge;

• Prepare letters for Expression of Interest for potential partnerships when considered consistent with UNOPS’ mandate, goals and development strategy;

• Assist in the preparation of project proposals for tenders or donors’ requests.

• Close interaction with Programme/Project staff to share information and knowledge; and to provide proactive support and follow-up in building and maintaining effective partner relations;

• Carry out field visits for needs assessments for potential engagements;

• Liaise with UN partner agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations for programme development and information dissemination purposes;

• Attend the relevant working groups and coordination meetings; Contributes to UN and/ or national planning processes and engage with the Partnerships Team to seek necessary guidance and support;

• Draft agreements for the implementation of new projects, addressing questions and issues raised by colleagues and ensuring their expeditious approval;

• Support the engagement acceptance process on internal ERP system including engagement reviews;

• Review and comment on technical and progress reports prepared by projects and provision of advice as needed to improve content and quality;

• Perform other related duties as required.

• Advanced university degree (Master degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, political science, international relations or related fields. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Minimum of 2 years of progressively responsible experience project development, report writing, strategic planning including experience at the international level, partnerships and fundraising.

• Experience working on development and/or humanitarian assistance in the region is required.

• Previous experience in the UN is desirable. Experience dealing with bilateral and multilateral donors is required.

• Computer literate, in particular MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

• Full working knowledge of English and Bengali is essential.

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: Local LICA Specialist (LICA 8) [NOA Equivalent]
Contract duration: 1 year

• 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.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and it is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or disability.
  
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, 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 recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management, and human resources.

Working with us

We are proud of our people. With a wealth of knowledge and skills in various disciplines – engineering, finance, human resources, ICT, leadership, project management, procurement, and more – they help tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. Their work around the world supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At UNOPS, we offer a range of short- and long-term opportunities in various environments and duty stations – from Denmark and Kenya to Mexico, Switzerland, Myanmar, Senegal, Uganda, and many more.

Diversity

With over 5,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,400 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners, spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced and diverse labor force — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs. We continually strive to maintain our gender-balanced workplace. We encourage qualified underrepresented groups as per UNOPS Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy to apply for our vacancies.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

UNOPS offers a variety of arrangements that enable women to excel in their careers, including flexible working hours for work-life balance, maternity leave, childcare facilities, and career coaching. UNOPS ensures a safe and inclusive working environment for women and men through field security training and measures to provide secure working arrangements  on-site and in the office.