Executive Specialist, P-3, Fixed Term Position, Public Partnerships & Resource M

About UNICEF
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.

Role Overview
The Executive Specialist plays a central strategic, analytical and coordination role within the PPR Global Director's Office. The incumbent supports the Global Director by ensuring effective management of information flows, facilitates decision‑making processes, strengthens coordination across the Division and with external partners, and translates emerging issues, partnership priorities and operational developments into timely action. The role contributes directly to enhancing the Global Director’s capacity to lead, influence and position UNICEF within the broader UN system and global public partnerships landscape.

Responsibilities

Strategic executive coordination of the Global Director's Office

Coordinate the effective functioning of the Global Director's Office by managing priority workflows, overseeing scheduling processes in collaboration with the Executive Associate, and ensuring efficient tracking of key deliverables, correspondence and documentation.

Manage the flow of information to the Global Director, identifying priority issues requiring attention, synthesizing inputs and facilitating timely decision-making.

Ensure timely organization, quality assurance and follow-up of high‑level meetings, briefing materials and internal communications, in close collaboration with relevant PPR colleagues and the Executive Associate.

Monitor decisions and action points arising from senior‑level meetings and engagements, ensuring accountability and timely implementation by relevant stakeholders.

Maintain and continuously enhance Front Office knowledge management systems to support strategic coordination between the Global Director, Pillar Directors, Team Leads and the broader Division.

Knowledge management and divisional coordination

Lead internal communication and information‑sharing processes across PPR to ensure alignment, coherence and transparency of priorities and actions.

Oversee and optimise coordination tools, including calendars, shared platforms, trackers and dashboards, to support efficient planning, monitoring and reporting.

Coordinate the preparation, consolidation and dissemination of intra‑ and inter‑divisional updates, strategic inputs and follow‑up on key decisions and action points.

Strengthen systems for collecting, organising and disseminating partner intelligence, contact information, engagement history and follow‑up actions to support coherent resource mobilisation, influence and stewardship efforts across PPR.

Engage regularly with Pillar Directors and Team Leads to ensure timely provision of accurate, relevant and decision‑ready information.

Maintain and improve systems for tracking donor engagement and divisional priorities, ensuring data accuracy, accessibility and strategic use.

Strategic engagement and stewardship of partnerships

Coordinate the preparation of high‑quality materials and ensure logistical readiness for high‑level engagements, meetings and strategic briefings involving senior leadership.

Draft and consolidate substantive background notes, briefing packages, talking points and other executive materials for the Global Director and senior leadership, incorporating analytical insights and ensuring alignment with UNICEF priorities.

Manage and enhance the high‑level donor engagement tracking system, ensuring systematic monitoring of interactions, commitments and follow‑up actions.

Provide analytical and coordination support to strengthen donor stewardship efforts and ensure consistent messaging and positioning across engagements.

Contribute to ensuring that partnership engagements are strategically aligned with divisional priorities and effectively followed through.

Analytical and advisory support for leadership decision‑making

Identify, synthesize and elevate emerging issues, risks, opportunities and cross‑cutting priorities requiring the Global Director's attention.

Prepare concise analysis and decision notes to support leadership engagement, divisional planning and external positioning.

Facilitate cross‑divisional alignment on priority initiatives, ensuring that relevant teams are engaged and that decisions are translated into clear actions and timelines.

Qualifications

Education: An advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration, Communications/Media or another relevant technical field.

Work Experience: A minimum of five years of relevant professional work experience in external relations, public affairs, partnership management, executive coordination, strategic planning, communications or international development cooperation, preferably within the UN system, a government institution, NGO or other international organization.

Skills: Excellent communication, drafting and editing skills; strong analytical, synthesis and judgement; ability to act with discretion, diplomacy, integrity and confidentiality; strong judgement, discretion and political sensitivity, particularly in handling confidential information and senior‑level interactions; proven ability in planning, organising and time‑management; ability to manage competing and urgent priorities under pressure; proactive and results‑oriented work style with limited supervision; ability to coordinate across teams and levels of seniority, including with Pillar Directors, Team Leads, Regional Offices, Country Offices and other HQ divisions; ability to work effectively in multicultural teams and establish harmonious working relationships; good knowledge of AI tools, office software, collaboration platforms, trackers and knowledge‑management tools.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English (written & verbal) is required.

Desirables

Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

Prior experience working in coordination, planning, analytical support or an executive office and field experience is an asset.

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

Core Competencies

Builds and maintains partnerships

Demonstrates self‑awareness and ethical awareness

Drive to achieve results for impact

Innovates and embraces change

Manages ambiguity and complexity

Thinks and acts strategically

Works collaboratively with others

Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.

Equal Opportunity
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence.

#J-18808-Ljbffr