The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is seeking a Partnerships Specialist to serve as the external engagement coordinator for UNDP Sudan, based in Nairobi, Kenya. The specialist will lead strategic positioning, advocacy, and resource mobilization efforts to highlight development opportunities within the Sudan context, especially during crisis periods. The role involves reframing narratives, managing donor relationships, and ensuring the quality of proposals and reports to align with partner priorities and UNDP standards. This position also involves strategic oversight of alternative resource mobilization and coordination with UNDP Regional Structures.
Responsibilities
Lead Strategic Positioning and Advocacy
- Serve as the external engagement coordinator for UNDP Sudan in Nairobi and the wider region.
- Prepare partner-specific pitch materials, talking points, and strategic briefs.
- Help reframe the Sudan narrative to highlight development opportunities amidst crisis, complementing the humanitarian response.
Proposal Review and Quality Assurance
- Provide in-depth review and editing support for donor proposals, concept notes, and reports to ensure alignment with partner priorities and UNDP quality standards.
- Support programme teams in the development of theories of change, log-frames, results frameworks, and budgets.
- Coordinate internal review processes for proposal submissions.
Donor Engagement and Intelligence
- Maintain an updated donor intelligence and engagement calendar covering Nairobi, Addis, Cairo, and relevant donor capitals.
- Monitor funding trends, donor strategies, and relevant trust funds.
- Serve as the primary relationship manager with selected bilateral partners and IFIs.
- Organize and support donor missions, technical meetings, and roundtables involving UNDP Sudan leadership.
- Coordinate development and dissemination of donor-focused communications and visibility materials.
Strategic Oversight of Alternative Resource Mobilization
- Lead the development and coordination of alternative resource mobilization approaches, including government cost-sharing, concessional loans, South-South and triangular cooperation, engagement with foundations, diaspora contributions, private sector partnerships, and innovative financing instruments.
- Work closely with relevant UNDP units such as the Sustainable Finance Hub, Private Sector Centre, and BERA to ensure strategic alignment of Sudan CO’s diversified financing efforts.
- Liaise with RBAS, RBA, the Resilience Hub for Africa, and UNDP’s global partnership and finance platforms.
- Identify and support the pursuit of sub-regional, multi-country, or cross-border funding opportunities.
- Track engagement with IFIs and emerging donors to identify new entry points and unlock financing.
Internal Coordination and Knowledge Sharing
- Provide regular updates to the Sudan CO on donor engagement progress, risks, and opportunities.
- Contribute to internal knowledge products, partnership lessons, and donor trends.
- Provide direct supervision and mentoring support to the Partnership Analyst based in the same Nairobi unit.
- Guide the Analyst's transition toward assuming a broader partnership portfolio and independently managing selected partner relationships.
- Build capacity among programme staff on donor requirements and proposal quality.
Requirements and Qualifications
- Education: Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in International Development, Economics, Political or Social Sciences, or related field. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the same areas with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master's degree.
- Experience:
- Minimum of 7 years (with Master's degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor's degree) of extensive experience in monitoring & evaluation, resource mobilization, and partnerships building, especially in crisis settings.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, and experience handling web-based management systems and advanced programmes for data analysis.
- Experience in key UNDP programmatic areas of intervention in post-crisis and recovery settings is desired.
- Experience in design, monitoring, and evaluation of resource mobilization strategies is desired.
- Demonstrated project and programme design and management experience is an asset.
- Previous experience in resource mobilization and partnerships building with a multilateral or international organization is desired.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the UNDP career portal. Access the application link here.
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