General Information

Position Title

Partnerships Specialist

Job Category

Partnerships

Duty Station(s)

Kinshasa

Seniority Level

Mid Level

ICS Level

ICS 10

Contract Type

ICA - IICA - Regular

Contract Level

IICA 2

Posting Start Date

19-Aug-2026

Posting End Date

13-Sep-2026

Duration

Ongoing

Job Highlight

Drive strategic growth by building key relationships, mobilizing resources, and expanding the office's portfolio to achieve sustainable development results.

About the Region

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

Since 1999, the Central Africa Multi-Country Office (CAMCO), headquartered in Kinshasa, DRC, has partnered with UN agencies, international organizations, and governments in 15 Central African nations. CAMCO provides fund management, technical assistance, and capacity-building across critical sectors—infrastructure, health, education, governance, procurement, and environmental protection—while working with national and local authorities to secure local ownership and sustainable impact. The diverse portfolio spans rural-community empowerment, road rehabilitation, and peace consolidation in the DRC and CAR through Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programmes, alongside wide-ranging procurement and human-resource services. Recent initiatives include drinking-water systems in Cameroon, mining-sector capacity-building, health-system support in the DRC, and infrastructure development in Madagascar, funded by a broad array of international partners. Together, these projects advance regional stability, resilient infrastructure, and improved livelihoods throughout Central Africa.

Role Purpose

The Partnerships Specialist develops and implements partnership and programme development plans for the office. The role focuses on building and maintaining effective working relationships with governments, UN agencies, donors and other stakeholders to mobilize resources, expand the office’s portfolio, and strengthen the UNOPS positioning as a reliable development and implementation partner. The Partnerships Specialist also ensures that partnership initiatives are aligned with UNOPS’ global and regional priorities, contribute to sustainable results, and support the achievement of the office’s strategic objectives.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Partnership and Programme Development Planning

Develop and implement a comprehensive partnership and programme development plan aligned with the UNOPS Strategic Plan and Regional Strategies. This includes analyzing the country context and regional and national development landscape, identifying key partners, and positioning UNOPS strategically within potential operational niches. The plan should also foster a pipeline of opportunities, reflect in-house capacity, promote a diverse project portfolio, and leverage internal tools and knowledge resources.
Examine risks and opportunities related to the strategic positioning of office(s) and recommend appropriate measures to ensure sustainable growth.
Coordinate and collaborate with relevant Partnerships personnel at global, national and liaison levels, as well as Project Managers and project teams, to ensure coherent and aligned interactions with partners.

Develop Partnership Opportunities

Monitor and analyze humanitarian and development trends to identify areas of collaboration aligned with UNOPS’ mandate and capacity.
Research and track events, publications and announcements to screen opportunities and identify emerging trends that can drive new partnerships.
Advise UNOPS HQ and the Regional Office on the development of framework partnership agreements to expand opportunities at the regional level.
Contribute to the identification, design, formulation and negotiation of new projects and programmes, including drafting concept notes and project briefs for partner discussions.
Manage and maintain partnership opportunities and engagement records in ERP, ensuring alignment with corporate guidelines.
Coordinate technical and financial inputs, and lead negotiations to finalize new project proposals.
Draft agreements and contractual documents are required for the approval and implementation of new projects.
Clearly communicate UNOPS pricing policies and value proposition to partners.
Support the diversification of the office portfolio in line with UNOPS' strategic, regional and country objectives.
Collaborate with Communications and Reporting colleagues to gather content for outreach materials.

Representation and Inter-Agency Partnership

Establish and strengthen partnerships with UN agencies, international organizations, governments, foundations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private-sector actors to diversify project opportunities.
Lead or support advocacy, public information, and communication initiatives in collaboration with the Communications team, as required.
Participate (as authorized by line manager) in inter-agency, donor, and government coordination forums, providing updates on project development issues in consultation with UNOPS project managers and technical experts.
Contribute to UN common planning and programming processes, including strategic country analyses, United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), and response plans.
Build and maintain a strong network of key partners, staying informed on social, economic and political trends and leveraging innovation to strengthen project and partnership development.

Knowledge Management and Innovation

Implement standards, tools and templates provided by HQ to strengthen partnership and project development within the team, enhancing UNOPS’ effectiveness as a trusted provider of project services for sustainable results.
Contribute to research, development and application of best practices and innovative approaches that maximize performance and ensure long-term impact in project and partnership development.
Build partnership capacity and negotiation skills among Project Managers, enabling stronger engagement with stakeholders.
Facilitate knowledge sharing by contributing to the dissemination of lessons learned and best practices in project and partnership development, supporting organizational learning and planning.
Provide regular feedback on systems, tools and resources to strengthen their effectiveness and ensure continuous improvement.

Skills

Business Expansion, Partnerships, Planning, Proposal Writing, Stakeholder Engagement

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 7 years of relevant experience OR
Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 5 years of relevant experience is required.

Experience Requirements

Required

Relevant experience is work in international development, involving execution of partnership and programme development plans, project development and proposal writing, establishment of partnerships with UN agencies, international development organizations, governments, foundations or private-sector organizations, or related areas.

Desired

Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
Experience in project and programme management is desired.

Language Requirements

Language	Proficiency Level	Requirement
English	Fluent	Required
French	Fluent	Required

Additional Information

UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
For more details about the contract types, please click here.
All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

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