Public Partnerships Specialist, Washington

UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund; Washington; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

UNICEF in Washington DC seeks a Public Partnerships Specialist (P-3) to fortify UNICEF’s engagement with International Financial Institutions and public sector partners. Based in the USA, you will monitor developments, provide strategic guidance, and support senior leaders in resource mobilization and policy influence.

The role emphasizes partnership development and diplomatic engagement with the World Bank Group and IMF.

Qualifications

• Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in International Business Relations, Political Science, Economics, Finance, International Development, or related fields.
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in public partnerships, external relations, resource mobilization, public policy, or diplomacy.
• Experience with International Financial Institutions is required and familiarity with multilateral organizations and governments is highly desirable.
• Ability to develop and implement partnership, engagement, or advocacy strategies and to prepare strategic analyses and executive briefing materials.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to developing, implementing and monitoring influence, engagement and advocacy strategies with World Bank Group and other public partners; advise senior management.
• Inform and influence partner agendas to position UNICEF as a partner of choice for income and influence.
• Coordinate with UNICEF offices (Washington DC, New York) and engage with partner fora and high-level engagements.
• Negotiate, plan and coordinate events to foster UNICEF's engagement on strategic issues for children with partners.
• Support senior management in engagement with partners and provide strategic analysis and recommendations.

Skills

IFIs governance

Political analysis

Executive communication

Partnership development

Stakeholder engagement

Relationship building

Project management

Diplomatic judgment

Education

Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree)

Job description

Public Partnerships Specialist (P-3), Fixed Term Position, #00117185, Public Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Division, Washington DC, USA

Job no: 594900
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Duty Station: Washington
Level: P-3
Location: United States
Categories: Partnerships

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a Future

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The Public Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Division (PPR) contributes to this mission by strengthening UNICEF’s position as a partner of choice for children’s rights among governments, inter-governmental actors and the broader public sector around the world. The Division is doing this by positioning children’s rights in governmental and multilateral foras and engaging with governments and public institutions as resource, policy and programme partners. The Division advances children’s rights through its core functions of income, influence, insights, and stewardship by:

• Maintaining and expanding flexible resources for children from a diverse range of key international development and humanitarian partners
• Leading UNICEF's engagement with public sector partners globally
• Providing strategic insights and analytics on public partnerships
• Undertaking evidence-based influence & engagement with public sector partners to raise income and to champion child rights
• Providing global strategic direction, guidance, and oversight of the public partnerships function

Job organizational context and purpose for the job

As part of the PPR Division, the North America & IFIs Pillar is the custodian of the global partnerships with the US and Canada Governments, International Financial Institutions and other partners. Based in UNICEF’s Washington DC Office, under the overall guidance of the Pillar Director and the direct supervisor of the Senior Advisor/Team Leader, the Partnerships Specialist will focus on UNICEF’s partnerships with the World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other IFIs.

The Partnerships Specialist contributes to strengthening UNICEF's strategic positioning with IFIs by monitoring institutional and political developments, identifying opportunities for policy influence, resource mobilization, and strategic collaboration, and supporting high-level engagement with senior partner counterparts. The position provides strategic analysis, partnership guidance, and coordination across the organization to ensure coherent and effective engagement with IFIs. The incumbent serves as a resource for colleagues on IFI-related partnership opportunities and contributes to positioning UNICEF as a trusted partner in advancing sustainable development outcomes for children.

Influence

• Contribute to developing, implementing and monitoring influence, engagement and advocacy strategies and plans with the World Bank Group and assigned public partners and advise senior management on the same
• Contribute to informing and influencing partner agendas to position UNICEF as a partner of choice for income and influence
• Contribute to developing and facilitating knowledge, familiarity and contact with assigned partner(s) and relevant stakeholders in Washington DC, New York or other locations.
• Arrange and attend relevant meetings with assigned partner(s), and provide support to management’s engagement in this regard.
• Contribute to coordinating with other parts of UNICEF on relevant discussions and issues as they relate to assigned partner(s)
• Negotiate, plan and coordinate events as a platform for UNICEF's engagement on strategic issues for children with partner(s) fora

Income

• Contribute to developing, implementing and monitoring resource mobilization strategies, plans
• Contribute to risk management including due diligence and compliance with assigned partner requirements
• Contribute to senior management's interactions with partner(s).
• Contribute to the day-to-day management of contact with resource partners
• Contribute to providing strategic and technical support to senior management

Insight

• Contribute to monitoring, analysis and reporting on global trends in development cooperation, partner policies, strategies, programmes, and budgets and their implications for children
• Contribute to provision of political analysis and advice by identifying political developments, assessing implication and making recommendations to senior management
• Support Senior colleagues to maintain strategic interaction with ROs and COs for enhanced geo-political intelligence
• Prepare comprehensive briefs, reports, and other documentation for the Executive Director and senior officials
• Monitor and report on discussions with partners
• Review and analyse key documents
• Develops and maintains deep knowledge and familiarities with partners, contributing to a database of key contacts and base knowledge on partnership.
• Collect and disseminate partner intelligence and mapping on a continuous basis to guide resource mobilization

Stewardship

• Contribute to developing policy papers and guidelines to enhance public partnerships
• Guide and support Regional and Country Offices on opportunities for partnerships and resource mobilization with assigned partner(s)
• Design and manage capacity building initiatives for Country and Regional offices
• Contribute to the development, dissemination and exchange of knowledge products within and outside of UNICEF
• Contribute to corporate policies, procedures, guidance and reports
• Provide support to senior management in corporate engagement and interaction
• Contribute to developing and implementing the Section’s contribution to Division wide corporate planning, monitoring, communication, knowledge management and operations processes

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in International Business Relations, Political Science,Economics, Finance,International Development, other relevant technical fields.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in:
  • Public partnerships, external relations, resource mobilization, public policy, diplomacy
  • Demonstrated experience working with or for International Financial Institutions is required.
  • Experience working with or engaging multilateral organizations, governments, or international financial institutions.
  • Experience developing and implementing partnership, engagement, or advocacy strategies.
  • Experience preparing strategic analysis, executive briefing materials, and recommendations to support senior leadership engagement.
  • Experience monitoring and analyzing political, institutional, and financing trends and translating them into actionable recommendations.
  • Experience coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives and high-level engagements.
• Skills: IFI Governance, Political Analysis, Executive Communication, Partnership Development, Stakeholder Engagement, Relationship Building, Project Management, Diplomatic Judgment.
• Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.
• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
• Familiarity with the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund is highly desirable.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• (1) Builds and maintains partnerships
• (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• (3) Drive to achieve results for impact
• (4) Innovates and embraces change
• (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
• (6) Thinks and acts strategically
• (7) Works collaboratively with others
• (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF . Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates’ willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel.

Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here .

Advertised: 21 Sep 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Deadline: 28 Sep 2026 Eastern Daylight Time