Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

UNICEF is the world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foun...

Responsibilities or duties

Under the leadership of the Senior Advisor for Public and Private Sector Partnerships, this position aims to support the implementation and development of multi-country partnerships with the private sector that have financial and non-financial engagement modalities.

This includes supporting the participation of African companies, as well as key stakeholders such as platforms and associations and Country Offices (COs) in Business engagement and Child Rights and Business (CRB) initiatives that aim to advance programmatic goals. This position will also support COs in their evidence generation, CRB and business engagement strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation initiatives, as well as lead capacity building in the region.

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results:

Partnerships development and support

– provide advice and support COs in the identification, development, and finalization of financial and non-financial partnerships/engagements or in holistic partnerships, including those which require CRB, advocacy or other non-financial elements.

This includes due diligence, pitch development, and negotiation, particularly in relation to sensitive industries (eg. Extractives). In addition, as required for multi-country partnerships or as requested by COs and RO, interact directly with prospective partners in the regions to develop strong financial and non-financial results within partnerships in the regions, and provide account management in order to steward and grow existing partnerships. .

Accelerating business engagement through technical Support and capacity building at CO level

– Support the implementation of UNICEF strategic guidance on business engagement, industry engagement, and broader CRB and advocacy/influence.

This includes providing technical guidance to COs and the regional office on business engagement (income and influence).This also includes training, use of business engagement and CRB tools, documentation of best practices. It also entails working closely with COs and RO sections to support their engagement with business and its relevant stakeholders to advance their programmatic outputs and outcomes. This requires planning, implementation, and monitoring of private sector regional strategies and action plans as a main tool towards achieving programmatic results.

Business engagement, influence and CRB initiatives

– advise on Business engagement, influence and CRB initiatives at the country level and lead on selected multi-country/regional initiatives with industry bodies, business industry associations, multi-stakeholder platforms, and and Governments.

Advancing programme outcomes through business action

– provide technical guidance, in collaboration with CO and RO colleagues, to businesses and its relevant stakeholders on the integration of child rights considerations in their policies, practices, investments and operations. This includes leading on key industry agendas such as with the extractive industry and also the use of UNICEF’s CRB tools/reports as well as regional/global programme guidance to influence business and its stakeholders to further promote family and child friendly policies that mitigate and respond to negative impacts and enhance the positive ones from the workplace to the communities where they operate.

Integrating business into programmes

Provide technical support to COs in integrating business into the analysis and research that informs the Country Programme Document (CPD) including Situation Analyses, as well as the monitoring of reporting indicators for non-financial engagement. Provide support to COs on how to best position business influence and advocacy within planning processes including Strategic Moments of Reflection (SMR), CPD reviews, etc.

Evidence generation

– Lead regional/multi-country and support country initiatives that aim to build evidence around the positive and negative impacts of business activities on children rights, including business investments, to inform programming and strategic engagement with business and its relevant stakeholders.

Development and Provide support in other related tasks and larger partnership team objectives to ensure an integrated approach.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Minimum requirements

Education: Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Development, Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Administration or related field is required.

Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables

Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Direct experience in establishing and stewarding partnerships with the private sector in Africa is desirable.

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is considered an asset.

Experience needed

Work Experience: At least five years of professional experience in sustainability, human rights or children's rights is required.

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Provide advice and support COs in the identification, development, and finalization of financial and non-financial partnerships/engagements or in holistic partnerships, including those which require CRB, advocacy or other non-financial elements.
• Interact directly with prospective partners in the regions to develop strong financial and non-financial results within partnerships in the regions, and provide account management in order to steward and grow existing partnerships.
• Support the implementation of UNICEF strategic guidance on business engagement, industry engagement, and broader CRB and advocacy/influence.
• Provide technical guidance to COs and the regional office on business engagement (income and influence).
• Train on the use of business engagement and CRB tools, documentation of best practices.
• Work closely with COs and RO sections to support their engagement with business and its relevant stakeholders to advance their programmatic outputs and outcomes.
• Plan, implement, and monitor private sector regional strategies and action plans.
• Advise on Business engagement, influence and CRB initiatives at the country level and lead on selected multi-country/regional initiatives with industry bodies, business industry associations, multi-stakeholder platforms, and Governments.
• Provide technical guidance, in collaboration with CO and RO colleagues, to businesses and its relevant stakeholders on the integration of child rights considerations in their policies, practices, investments and operations.
• Lead on key industry agendas such as with the extractive industry and also the use of UNICEF’s CRB tools/reports as well as regional/global programme guidance to influence business and its stakeholders to further promote family and child friendly policies that mitigate and respond to negative impacts and enhance the positive ones from the workplace to the communities where they operate.
• Provide technical support to COs in integrating business into the analysis and research that informs the Country Programme Document (CPD) including Situation Analyses, as well as the monitoring of reporting indicators for non-financial engagement.
• Support COs on how to best position business influence and advocacy within planning processes including Strategic Moments of Reflection (SMR), CPD reviews, etc.
• Lead regional/multi-country and support country initiatives that aim to build evidence around the positive and negative impacts of business activities on children rights, including business investments, to inform programming and strategic engagement with business and its relevant stakeholders.
• Provide support in other related tasks and larger partnership team objectives to ensure an integrated approach.

• Partnership development
• Due diligence
• Pitch development
• Negotiation
• Account management
• Technical support
• Capacity building
• Business engagement
• Child Rights and Business (CRB) initiatives
• Advocacy
• Evidence generation
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Strategic planning

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Development, Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Administration or related field is required.
• At least five years of professional experience in sustainability, human rights or children's rights is required.
• Proficiency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Direct experience in establishing and stewarding partnerships with the private sector in Africa is desirable.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is considered an asset.