Denmark: Partnerships Officer, Private Partnerships and Innovation

Organization: UN Office for Project Services
Country: Denmark
Closing date: 13 Oct 2014

Background information - GPSO

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Global Portfolio Services Office (GPSO) develops and manages a portfolio of projects and services delivered in various locations across the globe. GPSO supports partners such as the World Bank, the European Union, the Department of Peacekeeping operations, the United Nations Mine Action Service, the Global Fund, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, amongst others. This global portfolio constitutes a substantial volume of UNOPS project delivery.

The Partnerships Practice Group (PPG) supports UNOPS efforts to build closer ties with partners across the full spectrum of UNOPS activities. By forging strategic relationships and working with partners, both in the field and at headquarters, PPG seeks to not only ensure high partners satisfaction with UNOPS project implementation and support, but also to integrate best practices and innovative solutions from experienced non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector into UNOPS operations. Based in Copenhagen, PPG has active liaison offices in New York, Geneva, Brussels, Washington DC, and Nairobi. Besides managing our private sector engagements, the Partnerships Practice Groups (PPG) also supports partners such as the World Bank, the European Union, the Department of Peacekeeping operations, the Global Fund etc.

Functional Responsibilities

Located in Copenhagen, the Partnerships Officer, Private Partnerships and Innovation is part of the team that drives UNOPS corporate approach to private sector partnerships and UNOPS innovation agenda with private partners, foundations, institutions and non-UN/non-governmental entities.

In doing so, the Partnerships Officer is guided and supervised by the Partnership Practice Group management, also located in Copenhagen. The incumbent will be expected to work with a productive and collaborative approach, with colleagues at all levels and across all offices of the organization.
The Partnerships Officer, Private Partnerships and Innovation will be supporting the implementation of our global framework for entering into private partnerships. This includes implementing the legal and due diligence framework which will establish the UNOPS foundation for entering private partnerships.

It will be his/her responsibility to act as a business developer by identifying and help oversee new private partners including foundations in line with UNOPS values and areas of expertise, to establish private partner dialogue and frameworks for potential collaboration.

Sustainable innovation is critical for UNOPS strategic plan and it will be part of his/her responsibility to promote innovative partnerships with private companies and foundations. This includes bringing external inspiration, innovation and best practices into the organization from outside. It will also be part of the responsibility to ensure close collaboration across UNOPS and other UN entities, in particular with other HQ units that drive innovation within their respective areas.

Key functional responsibilities include:

• Establish potential partnerships within various private sectors (private companies, foundations, financial institutions):
• Map and engage potential partners relevant for UNOPS to deliver on it’s strategic plan
• Develop and help execute key partner management plan for private sector
• Conduct analysis of potential fit with private partner from an organizational view, thematic and geographic orientation and work to identify of shared projects
• Conduct due diligence processes on selected companies/organization – leveraging existing frameworks and practices
• Initiate new partnerships as relevant
• Liaison with private sector partners including monitoring and evaluation of partnership results
• Follow up and support field offices in order to extract benefit from those partnerships in terms of concrete projects and meaningful impact to beneficiaries.
• Coordinate UNOPS innovation agenda with private sector :
• Coordinate and communicate UNOPS innovation agenda, internally
• Help develop and facilitate selected innovation projects in the organization
• Liaise with other UN entities & partners involved in sustainable innovation
• Share knowledge and educated to help lift global capabilities for private partnership agreements
• Act as internal ambassador and field trainer to improve our global capabilities in this area
  Education/Experience/Language requirements
• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent), preferably in Business Administration, Public Administration, Engineering, Political Science, International Relations, or other related field.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience of an international business development environment, including leading roles in organizational change projects, sustainability and innovation
• Strong track record in developing and executing change strategies, plans and initiatives.
• Demonstrated success in entrepreneurial / entrepreneurial activities.
• Prior experience with international organizations and the development sector is an asset.
• Prior experience with Public Private Partnerships is an asset.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential; working knowledge of Spanish or French is considered an asset.

Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA2
Contract duration: one year, renewable

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-of...

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

How to apply:

https://gprs.unops.org/pages/viewvacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=5966