Private Sector Partnerships Officer

UNICEF is a key UN agency working in Somalia in various aeras such as WASH, Child Protection, Social Policy, Health and Nutrition, and Education sectors. With a population of 3,798,828 people and a significant youth and adolescent proportion forming a huge youth bulge, Somalia faces an unprecedented challenge in addressing the youth and adolescent needs of the people in a complex context where conflict, natural disasters and climate change divert resources from the needs of this important cohort of the population. Approximately 62% of the population is between 5-29 years old, while three-quarters (72%) of the population is less than 30 years old. The unemployment rate is high (estimated at 50%) that also contributes to poverty.

The position of Private Sector Partnerships Officer is to be used in the UNICEF Somalia country office. The position fulfils a critical role in the Somalia Country Office as it enters the preparation of the new Country Programme 2026 - 2030. The staff member will be contributing to the overall office objectives by carrying out fundraising towards the new CPD by deepening and expanding UNICEF’s strategic engagements with the private sector, including through NatComs, and tap into its core business, leverage and expertise with a view to accelerate results for children.

Under the direct supervision of Chief of Strategic Partnerships, the UN Youth Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• contributing to the new resource mobilisation strategy,
• facilitating of office fundraising efforts in the private sector and tracking of funding trends and gaps in the private sector, initiate, maintain, and deepen relations with private sector.
• in close coordination with relevant sections, supporting the timely preparation and submission of proposals due to private sector stakeholders, as well as briefing documents and corporate publications relating to programme activities in support of the UNICEF mission in the country.
• engaging with NatComs, emerging private donors, international and regional development financial institutions and actors in the business sector to unlock public-private partnerships, fur-ther explore innovative financing options, including blended financing and matching funds, scanning funding, leveraging and influencing opportunities from cooperation partners’ priorities (e.g., on private sector development) 5)
• strengthening UNICEF staff capacity (particularly the Donor Relations Unit) to effectively engage with the private sector to achieve priority outcomes for children.
Key activities and results for the period include, but are not limited to:
• Establish and enhance positive relationships with private sector donors through donor/NatCom meetings, oversee final drafts of key private sector donor reports, monitor donor interests, in-formation needs and potential funding opportunities.
• Support the implementation of the new resource mobilization strategy and action plan in collaboration with the Resource Mobilization manager, the Deputy Representative and Section Chiefs. Support the streamlining of resource mobilization efforts with the Country Programme.
• Deepen current engagement with private sector actors and scans and scout the external environment within emerging partners at local, regional, or global level to identify financial and non-financial opportunities to achieve programme results for children in development and humanitarian programming.
• Act as the focal point for UNICEF NatComs, liaising with them to explore fundraising opportunities, engagement of global companies, advocacy with national governments, etc.
• Support private sector opportunities proposal development.
• Support the CO in identifying and strategically build strong public-private partnerships with bi-lateral and multilateral agencies, explore horizontal partnerships and innovative funding and financing opportunities.
• Support private sector fundraising and other related missions (e.g. a NatCom mission) in coordination with the Communication Section through the conceptualization, compilation, and prep-aration of briefing and other programme documents for advocacy and information sharing pur-poses.
• Work with colleagues to identify private sector partnership and resource mobilization needs and broker resource mobilization agreements to meet those needs. Scan external environment within designated partnership area for opportunities and risks and share information in a timely fashion with relevant UNICEF staff. Liaise with NatComs, PFP, ESARO, and PD on op-portunities.
• Develop and maintain deep knowledge and familiarity with current and prospective partners and relevant stakeholders, contributing to a database of key contacts and to UNICEF's base of knowledge on partnership and resource mobilization. Expand UNICEF's network of key private sector interlocutors to build stronger relationships be-tween UNICEF Somalia and NatComs, foundations, and the private sector.