Partnerships Development Advisor

Responsibilities

Project Development Support

• Provide advice to the UNOPS Afghanistan team in the development of comprehensive project documents, aligned with the donor’s requirements and objectives.
• Participate in and, where delegated, represent UNOPS in meetings with the donor and other stakeholders as applicable during the project development process.
• Contribute to the refinement of project components, ensuring they are technically sound, financially viable, and aligned with the needs of the Afghan private sector.

Value Chain Resilience

• Provide advice for and support the identification and establishment of value chain linkages, especially in the manufacturing and agribusiness sectors.
• Provide technical guidance on the selection of businesses of varying sizes to link in key value chains.
• Identify and develop support mechanisms for select value chains, such as standards implementation, equipment upgrades, and processing capacity enhancements.

Incubation Services

• Assess relevant business support initiatives and develop recommendations for possible development of accelerator programs.
• Participate in and lead discussions with business support initiatives and similar stakeholders.
• Support the development of project implementation arrangements and relevant agreements with such initiatives and stakeholders.
• Advise on measures to de-risk investments.

Private Sector Advisory

• Engage with relevant stakeholders to gather insights on the private sector ecosystem in Afghanistan.
• Provide guidance on the strategy for private sector advisory, including advocacy, to inform project activities and ensure alignment with private sector needs.

Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Facilitate communication and coordination between UNOPS Afghanistan, the donor/s, and other relevant stakeholders as requested.
• Organize and participate in stakeholder consultations to gather feedback on project design and implementation strategies.

Qualifications and Experience

• Education:
  • Master's degree in Economics, Business Administration, Finance, or related field with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience; OR
  • Bachelor's degree in Economics, Business Administration, Finance, International Studies, or related field with a minimum of 9 years of relevant experience.
• Experience:
  • Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in private sector development, investment promotion, policy advisory, or economic policy in developing countries.
  • At least 3 years of experience working in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
  • Proven track record of designing and implementing successful private sector development initiatives.
  • Extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership building with senior representatives from the private sector, government, and international donor communities.
  • Experience in value chain analysis and development, particularly in the manufacturing and agribusiness sectors.
• Desired: Relevant certifications in private sector development or investment promotion.

Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Develops and implements sustainable business strategies; thinks long-term and externally to shape the organization.
• Integrity and Inclusion: Treats all individuals with respect; upholds organizational and ethical norms; role model for diversity.
• Leadership and Teamwork: Acts as a positive role model; collaborates and supports the development of others.
• Partnering: Understands the impact of own role on all partners and puts the end beneficiary first.
• Result-Oriented: Efficiently establishes courses of action to accomplish goals; ensures quality in all areas.
• Agility: Open to change and flexible in fast-paced environments; effectively adapts own approach.
• Analytical Decision-Making: Evaluates data to reach logical, pragmatic decisions; applies innovation to problem-solving.
• Effective Communication: Expresses ideas clearly and concisely; handles conflict effectively.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the UNOPS career portal. Visit United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) on careers.unops.org to submit your application.