Partnerships Specialist

Background

Sudan is experiencing one of the world’s most complex and protracted crises, with over 10 million displaced and more than 25 million in urgent need of assistance. In response to the deteriorating security environment, UNDP Sudan has relocated the majority of its operational and programme teams to Port Sudan, where the Country Office continues to lead recovery, resilience, and peacebuilding interventions.

At the same time, most development partners, including bilateral donors and International Financial Institutions (IFIs), no longer maintain an in-country presence and now manage their Sudan portfolios from regional hubs—notably Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Cairo. To sustain strategic engagement with these actors, UNDP Sudan has established a small partnership outpost in Nairobi, embedded within the Resilience Hub for Africa.

This Nairobi-based unit provides critical support to the Sudan Country Office in positioning UNDP as a partner of choice, coordinating outreach to donors and IFIs, reviewing and editing proposals and reports, and managing partner intelligence. The Partnerships Specialist (IPSA-11) will lead this effort and serve as the principal external engagement focal point for UNDP Sudan outside of Sudan.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Positioning and Advocacy

• Serve as the external engagement coordinator for UNDP Sudan in Nairobi and the wider region.
• Prepare partner-specific pitch materials, talking points, and strategic briefs.
• Help reframe the Sudan narrative to highlight development opportunities amidst crisis, complementing the humanitarian response.

Proposal Review and Quality Assurance

• Provide in-depth review and editing support for donor proposals, concept notes, and reports to ensure alignment with partner priorities and UNDP quality standards.
• Support programme teams in the development of theories of change, log-frames, results frameworks, and budgets.
• Coordinate internal review processes for proposal submissions.

Donor Engagement and Intelligence

• Maintain an updated donor intelligence and engagement calendar covering Nairobi, Addis, Cairo, and relevant donor capitals.
• Monitor funding trends, donor strategies, and relevant trust funds.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager with selected bilateral partners and IFIs.
• Organize and support donor missions, technical meetings, and roundtables involving UNDP Sudan leadership.
• Coordinate development and dissemination of donor-focused communications and visibility materials.

Coordination with UNDP Regional Structures 

• Liaise with RBAS, RBA, the Resilience Hub for Africa, and UNDP’s global partnership and finance platforms.
• Identify and support the pursuit of sub-regional, multi-country, or cross-border funding opportunities.
• Track engagement with IFIs and emerging donors to identify new entry points and unlock financing.

Strategic Oversight of Alternative Resource Mobilization

• Lead the development and coordination of alternative resource mobilization approaches, including government cost-sharing, concessional loans, South-South and triangular cooperation, engagement with foundations, diaspora contributions, private sector partnerships, and innovative financing instruments. 
• Work closely with relevant UNDP units such as the Sustainable Finance Hub, Private Sector Centre, and BERA to ensure strategic alignment of Sudan CO’s diversified financing efforts.

Internal Coordination and Knowledge Sharing

• Provide regular updates to the Sudan CO on donor engagement progress, risks, and opportunities.
• Contribute to internal knowledge products, partnership lessons, and donor trends.
• Provide direct supervision and mentoring support to Partnership Analyst, based in the same Nairobi unit. Guide his/her gradual transition toward assuming a broader partnership portfolio, progressively enabling the Analyst to independently manage selected partner relationships and donor engagement activities.
• Build capacity among programme staff on donor requirements and proposal quality.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Partnerships Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Resident Representative and in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations Teams.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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