Partnership Officer 45 views0 applications 213 views

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

UNHCR’s mandated responsibility for finding solutions to refugee situations has long required stronger cooperation with a variety of partners and the inclusion of persons of concern (PoC) within national strategies and the SDGs.

Due to a variety of factors, including the changing nature of conflicts over the last decades, the proportion of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in protracted displacement situations continues to be very high, while the overall number of people who have access to durable solutions remains marginal. At the same time, most forcibly displaced persons can be found in developing countries, and more often than not in marginalized and lagging regions within these countries, i.e. with high levels of poverty and fragility, often affected by or bordering conflict-areas.

These elements have driven the realization that humanitarian assistance alone is ill-suited to address the needs of forcibly displaced populations and host communities in protracted situations in a sustainable manner, i.e. to reduce aid dependency by fostering socio-economic inclusion and self-reliance of forcibly displaced people. In line with the commitments made by the international community at the World Humanitarian Summit, among others, broadening and strengthening UNHCR¿s engagement with development actors and national governments is a key objective of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR).

The GCR frames a new approach towards a more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing. In line with the GCR, UNHCR therefore engages a wider range of stakeholders, including governmental, non-governmental, faith¿based and other non-traditional partnerships to enable more comprehensive responses to refugees and other displacement situations.

The Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), supports this approach, among other things by engaging with development partners, including Multilateral Development Banks (MDB), to pursue positive outcomes for refugees, IDPs and stateless people in the areas of resilience and solutions, developing policies, approaches and tools in support of development-oriented interventions with lasting measurable impact, and coordinating the production of analytical research that advances the understanding, management and eventually resolution of specific country-level displacement situations.

Within the context outlined above and under the supervision of the Snr Partnerships Officer – the role of the Partnerships Officer is to – facilitate UNHCR’s engagement and cooperation with Multilateral Development Banks (MDB).

It is anticipated that these partnerships will grow in significance in future years due to the greater importance attached to addressing protracted displacement situations from a development angle, in line with the Leaving No One Behind principle underpinning the Agenda 2030. The role the Partnership Officer will be pivotal in identifying opportunities for developing effective partnerships with MDBs, managing these partnerships, promoting UNHCR¿s objectives and strategies with these partners, and ensuring that PoC are taken into account in their planning, programming, and policy work.
In close collaboration with RB, the Partnerships Officer will furthermore support country operations in their engagement and collaboration with MDBs.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Conduct research, analysis and advise accordingly the operation(s) on identifying partners that are able to engage with long-term political, economic and social planning that will define the opportunities for inclusion of PoC to UNHCR as well as more sustainable and whole-of-society approaches to refugee and stateless protection and solutions management
• Identify, develop and manage new collaboration opportunities with MDBs, with a strong focus on the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank Group (support and backup);
• Take stock and monitor country-level engagement and engagement opportunities and keep abreast of an engagement plan for MDBs;
• Provide strategic guidance to field operations on how to build, operationalize and sustain effective partnerships with MDBs in order to leverage their analytical, technical and financial capabilities
• Ensure relevant MDBs are provided relevant knowledge and data to influence their planning, programming and advocacy around resilience for and inclusion of UNHCR PoC.
• Assist in strengthening and managing partnerships and networks with MDBs, through joint activities including the implementation of joint research and analysis, capacity building, knowledge dissemination, the organization of joint external events and facilitation of staff exchange initiatives, to engage them in pledging processes, and policy dialogues with host governments on institutional arrangements, sectors, locations and programme content of consequence to UNHCR and PoC;
• Assist in the management of the Community of Practice on Development Partnerships and Comprehensive Responses, supporting the sharing of knowledge and experience between UNHCR and development actors and across UNHCR operations globally by documenting and disseminating good practices
• Support requests for background notes, talking points, briefing materials to support UNHCR’s engagement with MDBs and in the humanitarian-development nexus;
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

• Public Policy;
• Public Administration;
• Law;
• International Relations;
• Political Science;
• Social Sciences;
• Development;
• or other relevant field.
• (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
not specified

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:

• At least four (4) years of partnership management experience in international context, of which preferably at least two (2) years in field operations. Experience in managing a variety of internal and external relationships in a cross-cultural professional environment.

Desirable:

• Experience in coordination of UN interventions with other actors, in a refugee, humanitarian or development context. Solid experience in lobbying and advocacy with Government and other institutions. Experience in drafting and editing, in particular on protection and solutions strategies, advocacy strategies, or partnership building. Experience in primary data collection, quantitative research methods and results-based management.

Functional Skills

• *Partnership Development;
• CL- Strategy Development and Monitoring;
• MG-Project Analysis/Development/Implementation/Management/Coordination;
• *SO-Critical Thinking and Problem Solving;
• *MS-Networking;
• *PO-Policy Advocacy in UNHCR;
• *Knowledge Management;
• SO-Negotiation Skills;
• PG-Results-Based Management;
• *CM-Strategic Communication,
• *MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation;
• PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework;
• (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

• For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
• For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
• For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.