Position: Partnerships Advisor

About UNOPS

UNOPS serves as the implementation arm of the United Nations, supporting partners in delivering peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development initiatives around the world. The Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR), headquartered in Geneva, manages a wide-ranging portfolio covering the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Türkiye. Through hands-on project delivery and capacity development, UNOPS contributes to lasting results in sectors such as health, education, governance, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability.

The Role

UNOPS is recruiting an experienced Partnerships Advisor to take on the role of senior partnerships lead within the regional office. This is a high-level strategic position responsible for shaping and executing the partnerships and resource mobilization agenda. You will oversee donor engagement, supervise a partnerships team, and work closely with senior leadership to expand collaboration with governments, UN entities, donors, NGOs, and other stakeholders, in line with UNOPS’ mandate and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Role Overview

The Partnerships Advisor provides strategic direction for external engagement and funding initiatives. You will analyze the regional development landscape, coordinate donor relations, and support programme formulation to ensure UNOPS is well positioned to deliver effective and sustainable interventions across the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Direction: Design and implement a comprehensive partnerships strategy aligned with UNOPS’ regional and corporate objectives, identifying priority partners and areas of engagement.
• Partnership Management: Lead and support the partnerships team in establishing and sustaining strong relationships with governments, UN agencies, donors, NGOs, and private-sector partners.
• High-Level Representation: Act as a senior representative of UNOPS in negotiations and strategic discussions, ensuring partnerships are efficient, value-driven, and mutually beneficial.
• Programme and Proposal Support: Guide partnership inputs into project identification, concept development, and proposal preparation, ensuring adherence to Results-Based Management principles.
• UN System Coordination: Contribute to inter-agency collaboration through participation in UN coordination platforms, including the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
• Knowledge and Capacity Building: Promote best practices, strengthen team capabilities, and support organizational learning related to partnerships and resource mobilization.

Education and Experience

Minimum Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree combined with at least nine (9) years of relevant professional experience, or
• A Master’s degree with a minimum of seven (7) years of experience in areas such as international development, partnership management, programme or project development, or proposal writing.

Desirable Experience:

• Prior work in multicultural or UN system environments, particularly within developing or transition contexts.
• Experience in humanitarian or development programmes and project or programme management is an added advantage.

Core Competencies

The ideal candidate demonstrates strong strategic thinking, integrity, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence. You should be adaptable, decisive, and an effective communicator with a clear focus on building partnerships that deliver sustainable results.

Contract Information

The role may be home-based. The specific contract modality (I-ICA or L-ICA) will depend on the selected candidate’s duty station.

Why Work with UNOPS?

This senior-level position offers the opportunity to influence regional development outcomes within the UN system. You will lead strategic partnerships, mentor a skilled team, and contribute directly to impactful projects across Europe and Central Asia. UNOPS offers an inclusive, professional environment focused on learning, collaboration, and meaningful results.

If you are a seasoned partnerships professional with a strategic mindset and a strong interest in international development, we encourage you to apply and support UNOPS in delivering projects that make a difference.

Application Process

Interested applicants should follow the instructions provided in the official vacancy announcement, which typically involves submitting a CV and cover letter through Palladium’s careers portal.

Click Here to Apply

Application Deadline: 30 January 2026

Disclaimer:
Due to the large number of applications usually received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. MarkDona.com does not take part in the recruitment process and does not guarantee shortlisting or selection for any role.