Corporate Fundraising Specialist

UNOPS; Genf; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

UNOPS Geneva, supporting UNICEF's Digital Inclusion team, seeks a Corporate Fundraising Specialist to translate partnership opportunities into funded initiatives.

You will leverage commercial fluency and tech sector know-how to structure collaborations, build a high-value sales funnel, and secure signed partnerships with senior corporate and internal stakeholders.

Include a strong track record in closing complex deals and a deep understanding of telecom/digital infrastructure markets.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree or equivalent with 5+ years in fundraising/corporate partnerships.
• Experience closing high-value corporate deals is essential.
• Familiarity with UNICEF fundraising systems and tech-sector business models.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute tailored corporate fundraising strategies for assigned sectors and markets.
• Build and manage a prioritized pipeline and sales funnel of partnership opportunities.
• Design outreach and lead generation activities to originate new opportunities.
• Position UNICEF Digital Inclusion/Giga with partners and internal stakeholders.
• Develop pitches, notes, and proposals with program, technical, and communications teams.
• Lead negotiations and drive signed partnership agreements and follow-up.
• Monitor pipeline health, funding potential, and progress; address bottlenecks.

Skills

Account management

Donor engagement

Donor management

Fundraising

Proposal management

Stakeholder management

Strategic partnerships

Commercial fluency

Negotiation

Executive presentation

Education

Master’s degree preferred

Bachelor’s degree + 7 years experience

Job description

Organizational context: The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) in Geneva supports sustainable development and climate action globally. It collaborates with governments, UN agencies, and international financial institutions to deliver project management, fund management, and HR support. This role specifically supports UNICEF’s Digital Inclusion team, focusing on expanding equitable digital connectivity for children.

Job purpose: The Corporate Fundraising Specialist will translate partnership opportunities into signed agreements and funded initiatives, strengthening UNICEF’s Digital Inclusion team’s ability to engage corporate partners. The role focuses on leveraging commercial fluency and understanding of technology sectors to structure collaborations that raise funds and advance digital inclusion goals. This involves identifying companies with strategic interests in connectivity, developing relevant propositions, and building a strong sales funnel to convert interest into funded partnerships. The specialist will operate with private sector discipline, engaging senior corporate and internal stakeholders to advance resource mobilization and engagement priorities, ultimately generating significant value and income for UNICEF’s digital inclusion efforts.

Responsibilities: Develop and execute tailored business development strategies for assigned corporate sectors and markets, aligning with Digital Inclusion/Giga priorities. Build and manage a prioritized pipeline and sales funnel of qualified financial or shared-value partnership opportunities, utilizing market intelligence to identify prospects and conversion pathways. Design and implement targeted outreach and lead generation activities to originate new opportunities, leveraging established UNICEF fundraising practices and navigating its ecosystem. Position Digital Inclusion/Giga credibly with prospective partners and internal stakeholders through tailored engagement and strategic use of networks. Develop compelling pitches, concept notes, and proposals in collaboration with program, technical, and communications teams. Drive negotiations and internal processes to secure signed partnership agreements, ensuring disciplined follow-up and active deal management. Monitor pipeline health, funding potential, and conversion progress, identifying and addressing bottlenecks and growth opportunities.

Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Economics, Non-Profit Management, Technology, or a related field, with 5 years of relevant experience is required. Alternatively, a first university degree with 7 additional years of professional experience may be accepted.

Work experience: Requires a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in corporate fundraising or high-value resource mobilization, with familiarity in UNICEF’s fundraising systems. Proven track record in closing complex, high-value corporate deals is essential. Deep understanding of tech-sector business models and commercial drivers is necessary. Experience in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, cloud computing, satellite, data analytics, and frontier tech is required.

Skills: Account Management, Donor Engagement, Donor Management, Fundraising, Proposal Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Partnerships, Commercial Fluency, Negotiation, Executive Presentation.

Required languages: English

Desired languages: