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We are looking for a UN Partnership Manager to join our Global Programmes Division to lead and manage our partnerships with the UN and provide vision and strategic direction to SCUK, influencing a complex global network of internal and external stakeholders to optimise our engagement with the UN.

About Us

Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

The Partnership Development (PD) Team is comprised of partnership experts across a portfolio of institutional partners. The team seeks to deliver exceptional global partnerships, optimising both funding and influence. The team works closely with colleagues from across the Global Programmes and Policy, Advocacy & Campaigns Division, other Save the Children members, and with Save the Children International (SCI) country and regional teams to deliver on our partnership objectives. The team is at the forefront of driving the institutional partnership agenda and approach for both Save the Children UK (SCUK) and the Save the Children global movement, ensuring Save the Children is the partner of choice.

About the role

As the UN Partnership Manager you will provide vision and strategic direction to the organisation and wider movement influencing a complex global network of internal and external stakeholders to optimise our engagement with the UN.

You will strengthen, develop and optimise both existing and new partnership opportunities across the global Save the Children movement.

As a senior member of the PD Team and a senior staff member in the organisation contribute to the development of the wider strategic agenda, lead on cross departmental/divisional projects and deputise for the Head of Partnership Development, as required.

The UN Partnership Manager will lead on six active partnerships with the UN (UNICEF, OCHA, WHO, UNFPA, FAO and UNOPS) all at different stage of maturity and with specific strategic opportunities. Some of these partners are solely with SCUK, while others require active interactions with other Save the Children Members.

In this role, you will:

Influence a complex global network of stakeholders, particularly those at the most senior level, to optimise our engagement with the UN, including:

• Liaising with key stakeholders across the global organisation, providing evidence and advice and leadership on key partnership opportunities.
• Developing and pro-actively driving both Save the Children's overall strategy with UN agencies, and strategies for each partnership opportunity.
• Providing leadership in 1) maximising synergies and leveraging expertise across all appropriate Save the Children divisions and SC members; and 2) ensuring effective participation in existing/new co-ordination mechanisms across SCUK's full suite of thematic areas.
• Monitoring the value of the portfolio against set targets, as well as explaining/escalating variances.
• Securing support and buy-in of other teams from across the organisation to contribute to our quality engagement with UN agencies.

Be responsible for external engagement and positioning of Save the Children as a key partner with the UN, including:

• Providing current analysis, insight, intelligence on UN and using these in the most efficient way to drive the potential of UN relations.
• Holding oversight and leadership of SCUK's overall engagement strategies and key moments (including CEO, Board level) across the UN and actively engage, representing Save the Children externally.
• Holding external relationships and networks within the sector with both technical and managerial staff, at all levels of seniority, particularly at the most senior levels.
• Ensuring Save the Children's ‘offer' adds value beyond delivering programmes – leveraging impact through co-creation, evidence generation, convening and influencing.
• Identifying and develop ‘partnership making' and ‘relationship building' opportunities with UN agencies globally, regionally and locally by working closely with partner contacts, supporting, and facilitating engagement across SCUK and the partner, and working closely with other Save the Children teams.

About you

To be successful, it is important that you have:

• Extensive experience in partnership development - knowledge of UN agencies and the UN system preferred.
• Strong existing external network/working relationship with key, and particularly senior staff within institutional partners - preferably UN agencies – in global, regional and local contexts.
• Strong record of accomplishment in strategic account management.
• Proven record of accomplishment in partnership building, brokering relationships with partners and engagement at a senior level.
• Experience of influencing and delivering results cross organisationally within a large and complex organisation.
• In depth experience and knowledge of current thinking and future trends and thorough understanding of contemporary development and child rights issues.
• Strong and demonstrated team leadership skills
• Excellent relationship building skills with the ability to network with, and influence, senior people both internally and externally to achieve a pre-defined outcome.
• Strategic planning skills, in relation to positioning with donors, and in prioritising engagement focus.
• Commitment to Save the Children's mission, values and approach (includes child focus and equal opportunities).

To learn more about the position, please review the Job Description in the attached Documents.

What we offer you:

Working for a charity provides one of the best benefits there is – a sense of purpose and reward for helping others. However, we understand the importance of giving back to our employees to ensure a happy and healthy working environment and work/life balance.

• We focus on flexibility, inclusion, collaboration, health and wellbeing both in and outside of work.
• We provide a wide range of benefits which will reward your hard work, motivate you, and inspire you to work to improve the lives of children every day. You can read more about our benefits here.

Closing Date: 13/7/23

Please note:

To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Ways of Working:

Remote First – The majority of our roles can be performed remotely, however you may work from the office as often as you wish. Whilst you will be predominantly working from home, we may at times require you to come to your contracted office (up to 2-4 days per month or 6-8 days per quarter). Note: This will be agreed with your Line Manager and team. This is intended to be time spent on collaborating with colleagues and relationship building.

On-site – There are certain roles that cannot be performed remotely and so your role will be based in an office location and you may occasionally be able to work from home.

Flexible Working - We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be "Free to Be Me". We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think.

We are especially interested in people whose childhood experiences - of life on a low income, of migration, of being in a racialised community, of the care system, of being LGBT+ or in an LGBT+ family or living with (or with someone with) a disability - help us to see things we might otherwise miss. Whatever your story is we want to hear it because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world. This is the reason why we are all here.

To see our full statement please visit this link: https://jobs.savethechildren.org.uk/our-policies/diversity/

Salary Structure:

Save the Children is committed to paying staff in a fair and equitable way and will benchmark all salary offers in line with the pay of existing staff. To see our full offer please visit this link: https://jobs.savethechildren.org.uk/what-we-offer/

Interview Expenses:

Candidates should note that unfortunately it is not our policy to reimburse expenses accrued when attending interviews at Save the Children UK unless you are requested to attend an interview in an alternative location to where the role is based.

Pre-employment Checks:

Any Employment with Save the Children UK will be subject to the following checks prior to your start date:

• a satisfactory police record check to include a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and/or an International Criminal Record Check (If applicable)
• receipt of satisfactory references
• proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role

If you have any questions, we have an FAQ section. For anything else you can email us on: [email protected]