Stretch Assignment: Stretch assignment (3 months) – Partnerships Officer/Specialist (P2/P3), Kyiv, Ukraine (Remote)

Title: Partnerships Officer / Specialist

Reports to: Partnerships Specialist (P3)

Duration: 3 months

Section: Partnerships Unit

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine (remote)

Eligibility: All Fixed-Term, Permanent or continuing appointment UNICEF staff members currently working in UNICEF worldwide.

Background & Purpose of the Position

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the Organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give more children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

The Partnerships Officer/Specialist position’s purpose is to ensure internal coordination, quality assurance and delivery of key products (including proposals, reports and briefing notes) and sustain internal knowledge and pipeline management, with a view to enable collaboration and partnerships with key partners and stakeholders (including but not limited to embassy and capital level public sector partners). S/He may also serve as focal point and resource for colleagues on specific thematic areas of strategic relevance for partnership development. The key result is to enable and ensure reliable, timely, and consistent engagement with partners.

Key Tasks and Deliverables

Specifically, during the period of stretch support, the incumbent will be expected to perform the following tasks. The tasks and deliverables listed are indicative and may be adjusted, reprioritized or expanded based on the evolving requirements of the office.

1. Partner Engagement Support and Briefing Materials
   • Support office and senior management preparation for engagement with key partners through timely, high-quality briefing materials and talking points.
   • Develop and roll out standard templated sections for talking points and briefing notes for the Partnerships section.
   • Prepare briefing notes and background materials for the office's top 10 partners, sequenced against the upcoming meeting calendar, for onward review.
   • Maintain up-to-date partner background information to inform senior management engagement.
2. Resource Mobilization and Proposal Development
   • Support fundraising efforts through proposal development, donor priority mapping and pipeline management.
   • Advise and provide analysis for donor requests on emerging funding opportunities.
   • Develop funding proposals and concept notes aligned with donor funding cycles and request for expressions of interest or proposals.
   • Map and match donor priorities against office funding needs and programme priorities.
3. Grant Management, Compliance and Knowledge Management
   • Support ongoing grant management, including grant kick-off processes, compliance analysis and fund utilization monitoring – including through improvement of internal knowledge management systems.
   • Organize and support grant kick-off meetings with programme sections.
   • Analyze and advise on partner queries on utilization, status update, and others.
4. Donor Tracking and Reporting
   • Ensure systematic tracking of donor obligations and timely delivery of quality donor reports.
   • Support preparation, quality assurance and submission of donor reports.
   • Track reporting obligations, deadlines and conditions across the active grant portfolio.

Minimum Qualifications and Competencies

Education:

• An advanced university degree in international relations, political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field

Work experience:

• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external relations, or a related area, preferably in an international or multilateral setting.
• Experience drafting, editing, and proofreading donor reports, proposals, briefing materials, or similar documents in the humanitarian or development sector.
• Experience conducting background research and political or contextual analysis, synthesizing information from multiple sources into clear written outputs for senior staff review.
• Experience monitoring donor landscapes, development assistance trends, or multilateral policy environments and translating findings into actionable summaries.
• Experience coordinating inputs from multiple stakeholders across teams or organizations and consolidating them into coherent documents under tight deadlines.
• Experience working within the UN system or with an international development or humanitarian organization.
• Experience working with international counterparts across cultures, both verbally and in writing.

Skills

• Strong attention to detail and high standards of accuracy in written work and data handling.
• Excellent drafting, editing, and proofreading skills in English, with the ability to adapt tone, register, and format across document types and audiences.
• Ability to conduct independent analytical work — researching, synthesizing, and presenting findings clearly for review and use by senior staff.
• Sound understanding of the international donor landscape and development assistance architecture, with an interest in deepening knowledge of Ukraine-specific context.
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks, manage competing deadlines, and flag risks or issues proactively to supervisors.
• Comfortable working with financial data and budgets at a support level — compiling, cross-checking, and summarizing for review.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and familiarity with SharePoint or similar internal knowledge management platforms.
• Ability to work effectively and flexibly in a multicultural team environment, including in a complex security context.
• Self-motivated, reliable, and professional, with the ability to deliver quality outputs under supervision and within tight deadlines.
• Genuine commitment to UNICEF's mission and the rights of children, and a motivated interest in contributing to the Ukraine humanitarian and development response.

Language requirements:

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

How to Apply:

Qualified NO/P staff with matching profile are encouraged to apply. Interested UNICEF staff should discuss this opportunity with their supervisor and seek the approval of their management before applying. If interested, please discuss this assignment with your supervisor and obtain your supervisor’s agreement for your application to be submitted as part of your learning and development plan for the year. The agreement of your supervisor endorsed by the Head of Office is a prerequisite for any such stretch assignment. Upon receipt of the supervisor and Head of Office’s agreement, please submit your application by 01 October 2026.

Kindly attach:

1. Your last two performance evaluations,
2. A cover letter detailing your interest, qualifications, and suitability,
3. Approval of your supervisor and Representative.

Candidates considered potentially well matched for the stretch assignment may be contacted for an informal interview. Supervisors may also be contacted for references.