Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
The Regional Programme for Africa is part of the UNDP’s Regional Service Centre for Africa based in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The Regional Programme seeks to address regional issues on the continent, by providing programmatic support to countries facing similar challenges where a united front of affected countries is best suited to address the prevalent specific issues. Currently, the Regional Programme for Africa runs several flagship projects and is also involved in supporting other crosscutting and emerging issues within the Regional Service Centre such as gender equality and women’s empowerment, climate security, and strengthening UNDP’s engagement in the Sahel - all towards enabling Country Offices fulfilling their mandate. Furthermore, the Regional Programme serves as a liaison to support the African Union and other regional intuitions.
The Regional Programme requires dedicated partnerships and coordination capacity to deliver its mandate. Coordination capacity is required for the implements of flagship initiatives including the farmers-herders research, the regional research on investment opportunities in fragile contexts, and AU20. Furthermore, the Regional Programme engages key regional stakeholders, such as the African Union, RECs, civil society and academic institutions – these partnerships are critical to the accelerations, implementation and endorsement of UNDP’s development interventions, therefore capacity is required to initiate, sustain, formalize and advance these partnerships. The UNDP Africa Regional Programme is seeking to hire a Partnerships and Coordination Analyst to fill these critical capacity gaps.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Partnerships and Coordination Analyst will be responsible for the following tasks:
1) Supporting Regional Programme partnership efforts:
- Leading the expansion of UNDP’s engagement with civil society by supporting partnerships and coordinating engagements with regional institutions such as the African Union and RECs, as well as Identifying potential partners at the global, regional and country-level.
- Drafting concept notes, presentations, briefing notes and other materials.
- Commissioning and coordinating the due diligence and partnerships documentation processes for partners; formalizing partnerships where possible.
- Internally engaging with other relevant actors within UNDP on partnerships as needed.
- Undertake partner mapping and stakeholder analysis to identify opportunities for collaboration aligned with Regional Programme priorities.
- Support the preparation, review and follow-up of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding and related documentation in line with UNDP rules and procedures.
- Maintain partnership tracking tools and records to monitor engagement status, agreed actions and next steps with strategic partners.
2) Technically contribute to the coordination of multi-stakeholder flagship initiatives within the Regional Programme by:
- Ensure timely implementation of activities under the work plans of the regional programme in support to new flagship initiatives and assist in incubating new ideas.
- Coordinate planning meetings, technical consultations and follow-up actions with internal teams, consultants and external partners supporting flagship initiatives.
- Track implementation milestones, risks and dependencies for flagship initiatives and escalate bottlenecks to the supervisor in a timely manner.
- Prepare coordination notes, summaries of discussions and action matrices to support effective delivery and accountability across stakeholders.
- Provide analytical and organizational support to the design, rollout and reporting of multi-stakeholder initiatives led by the Regional Programme.
3) Facilitate knowledge building and sharing
- Provide inputs to the development and dissemination of good practices and lessons learned; ensure incorporation into programme planning including knowledge building and sharing.
- Compile, organize and synthesize information, evidence and partnership insights to support learning products, knowledge notes and internal briefings.
- Support the documentation of promising practices, success stories and lessons emerging from regional initiatives and partnership engagements.
- Contribute to maintaining accessible knowledge repositories and shared information platforms for the Regional Programme.
4) Support and coordinate communication and resources mobilization
- Focusing on partnership building, provide support to the implementation and planning of internal and external events, communications and outreach strategies, geared towards supporting the RSCA resources mobilization efforts.
- Coordinate communication events and conferences in line with the RSCA partnership and resources mobilization strategy and related annual work plan.
- In coordination with the Regional Communication Specialist, support the development and implementation the communications activities based on the RSCA and Regional Programme priorities and in line with the Regional Programme communications priorities and standards.
- Support the preparation of partner-facing communication materials, visibility content and talking points for strategic outreach and engagement.
- Contribute to resource mobilization efforts by researching prospective partners and donors and helping prepare background notes, concept summaries and engagement briefs.
- Support follow-up on outreach actions arising from communication campaigns, events and partner meetings to sustain engagement and visibility.
5) Coordination at Regional Platforms
- Coordinate UNDP’s engagement and positioning at key regional and multilateral platforms, including the AU Summit and Africa Climate Summit, ensuring strategic representation.
- Continue coordination and implementation of the Regional Partners Forum as a platform for dialogue and collaboration between UNDP, regional institutions, and development partners.
- Facilitate UNDP’s engagement in the TICAD process, including coordination with internal teams and external stakeholders to support partnership development and policy dialogue.
- Prepare background briefs, event matrices, coordination notes and speaking support materials for priority regional and multilateral engagements.
- Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to support participation planning, follow-up actions and coordinated messaging for regional platforms.
- Track key outcomes, partnership opportunities and commitments emerging from regional platforms and support their follow-up within the Regional Programme.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangements
The work of the Partnerships and Coordination Analyst will be supervised by the Regional Programme Management Specialist who will be directly responsible to the Regional Programme Director.
Competencies
Core Competencies
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline;
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements;
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback;
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible;
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident;
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships;
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.
Functional/Technical competencies
Digital
- Story Telling: Ability to empathize with people's perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narratives to build an emotive argument for change accordingly.
Communications
- Advocacy strategy and implementation: Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change.
Partnership management
- Emerging partnerships: Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships.
Partnership management
- Partnership management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
Systems Thinking
- Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Communication
- Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
Digital Awareness and Literacy: Digital Awareness and Literacy
- Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value.
- Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed.
- Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in social sciences, international development, or related field is required.
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Applicants with Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
- Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience at the national or international level in social sciences, partnership, international development, or other relevant social science fields.
Required skills:
- Partnership development and management with regional institutions, civil society, and other stakeholders
- Stakeholder coordination and multi‑partner engagement, including AU and RECs
- Programme coordination and support to multi‑stakeholder flagship initiatives
- Analytical and research skills for partner mapping and initiative support
- Strong drafting and communication skills (concept notes, briefs, presentations)
- Knowledge of partnership due‑diligence and documentation processes
- Proven knowledge management, learning, and information‑sharing skills
- Adaptability and ability to support emerging initiatives and evolving priorities.
Desired skills:
- Experience in internal coordination and collaboration within UNDP.
- Previous experience working with UNDP is a significant asset.
- Previous working experience in least developed, developing and crisis countries is an advantage.
- Proven experience in partnership, stakeholders engagement and coordination would be an asset.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Working knowledge of another UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic or Russian) will be an advantage.
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.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
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