Team Leader - Funding Partnerships [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]

Better Than Cash
Better Than Cash

Sales & Business Development

New York, NY, USA

Posted on Jul 1, 2026
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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

For six decades, and in some 170 countries and territories, UNDP has shaped the progress of human development, providing integrated support at scale to improve lives for millions of people worldwide. UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2026-2029 helps countries and communities in their progress towards high human development while protecting the planet through four strategic objectives – prosperity for all, effective governance, crisis resilience, and healthy planet. The plan is powered by three accelerators: digital and AI transformation; gender equality; and sustainable finance. All are underpinned by a commitment to human rights and to leaving no one behind.

The Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) lead and supports UNDP to build and deliver essential strategic relationships and alliances. It creates and delivers a strong public narrative about the organization, impact of our work, and how we align with partners to identify and build solutions towards achieving sustainable development. The Bureau also leads UNDP’s work with traditional donors, as well as building innovative and diversified funding relationships. BERA communications enable strong political and financial backing by providing partners and supporters with a clear understanding of what UNDP does and how our mission, capabilities and services reinforce global, regional, and national development priorities.

The Funding Partnerships team within the Partnerships Group, in collaboration with UNDP’s Global Policy Network (GPN), Bureau of Management (BMS), Regional Bureaux (RBx) and country offices, builds and manages strategic partnerships with OECD-DAC partners including protecting and strengthening UNDP’s core and flexible resource base. The team provides political analysis and partner intelligence to position the organization and regularly advises its senior leadership with key partner governments. The team also builds networks and partnerships with a “whole of UNDP” approach to deepen partnerships and expand non-core resources for the organization within the framework of the Corporate Resource Mobilization Strategy.

Position Purpose

The Team Leader – Funding Partnerships provides strategic leadership to a high-performing team of professionals supporting UNDP’s engagement with Member State donors. Reporting to the Deputy Director of BERA, the incumbent advises BERA senior management on negotiation strategies to protect and grow the core resource base. The Team Leader facilitates the management of alliances with Member State Representatives in New York to align UNDP’s value proposition with the interests of partners. By fostering synergistic linkages across New York and Bonn based operations and BERA Representation Offices, the incumbent ensures a "one voice" approach that strengthens UNDP's corporate positioning within the competitive global financing landscape.

The Team Leader supports the modernization of UNDP’s resource mobilization culture, moving the organization from a donor-recipient dynamic toward a "donor-to-investor" model. This involves supporting the redesign of UNDP funding windows into simplified, high impact "products" that attract both traditional and emerging strategic partners. The incumbent plays a critical role in rebalancing internal incentives, providing Country Offices and Regional Bureaux with tools, training, and donor intelligence necessary to scale up non-core mobilization and flexible funding mechanisms. Through rigorous performance management, the Team Leader ensures that the team delivers "game-changing" solutions that stabilize UNDP’s financial future and maximize its development impact.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide senior-level strategic leadership for the development and management of partnerships with Member States and bilateral donors

  • Establish strategic alliances and partnerships with Member States and bilateral donors to promote, negotiate and/or advocate partnerships and common interests and interventions.
  • Transition the partnership model from "donor-recipient" to "donor-to-investor," aligning UNDP’s value proposition with the specific interests of Member States.
  • Mobilize appropriate and sustainable core resource base, in line with relevant Executive Board legislation and UNDP strategies, working to protect traditional ODA while piloting new models for non-traditional and emerging strategic partners.
  • Participate in developing corporate positions on issues that influence positively donor political will.

2. Lead the building of networks and synergistic linkages across UNDP offices at headquarters and country levels

  • Liaise with relevant UNDP units on the maintenance of open communication/networking and relationships with the donor community in New York.
  • Play a central role in corporate UNDP efforts to demonstrate quantifiable Return on Investment (ROI) and evidence of impact to Member States and bilateral donors.
  • Organize donor annual consultations and contribute to intergovernmental fora and inter-agency forums on funding for the UN in development.
  • Work closely with colleagues within the Partnership Group, Representation Offices and in units across UNDP to build synergistic linkages and enhance coordination on all donor relations activities.

3. Provide high-level advisory support for the implementation/integration of resource mobilization strategies

  • Contribute to the development of corporate policies and positions on issues relevant to donor relations and concerns that influence positively the case for increased resources to UNDP;
  • Assist the Deputy Director and Director of BERA in providing strategic advice and support to UNDP senior management on optimal corporate strategies and policies for core and non-core resource mobilization.
  • Contribute to identifying opportunities for non-core resource mobilization and work across UNDP to secure the necessary product development, packaging and marketing of the same, including support to the redesign of UNDP funding windows to create issue-based or regional windows that are "investor-ready," simple to deploy, and aligned with high-demand areas like climate resilience and stabilization.

4. Strategic coordination and provision of policy and operational support for non core resource mobilization

  • Provide advise and support on non-core resource mobilization to Country Offices, Regional Bureaux and substantive units, including donor intelligence, and use of UNDP policy, tools and procedures.
  • Empower Country Offices, particularly in High/Middle-Income Countries and New Strategic Partners—with the specialized analytics and tools needed to unlock government development financing and philanthropic flows.
  • Contribute to the collection and dissemination of good practice to promote a culture of continuous learning with regard to resource mobilization.
  • Guide and support with the development of relevant corporate policies and procedures, and the promotion of corporate-wide actions that improve non-core resource mobilization efficiency, enhance UNDP’s performance, and build a resource mobilization culture.

5. Lead the effort of knowledge management and dissemination.

  • Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to UNDP goals and activities.
  • Provide substantive and sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories.

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


Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:

  • Oversee performance management for a multi-disciplinary team ensuring high engagement and effective performance.
  • Foster a culture of learning and knowledge sharing within the team.
  • Promote team integration across all functional areas to enhance collaboration.
  • Promote and execute integrated ways of working within a distributed organizational model to ensure seamless delivery across global locations.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
  • Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management - UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction and Strategy

  • System 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 to alter one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Management

  • Portfolio Management
    • Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity.
    • Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment.
    • Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Partnership Management

  • Resource Mobilization
    • Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements
  • Emerging Partnerships
    • Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships.
  • Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding
    • Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.

External Relations & Advocacy

  • OECD/DAC Partnerships
    • Knowledge and understanding of OECD DAC Members policy, strategy, systems and decision-making processes related to ODA.

Communications

  • Marketing
    • Ability to communicate the value of a product or service.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degrees (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Finance, International Relations, Political, Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Public Policy, Business Administration, or related fields are required. Or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 10 years (with master’s degree) or 12 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible work experience in partnership development, resource mobilization and team management with Member States, bilateral donor agencies, international organizations, philanthropies, NGOs, or the private sector.
  • Demonstrated ability to deliver superior performance in fast-paced environments using "out-of-the-box" thinking and adaptive strategies is required.
  • Demonstrated expert‑level interpersonal and relationship‑building experience, supported by an extensive and active professional network is desired.
  • Proven senior-level support and advisory skills, significant experience in policy and inter-agency coordination; strong understanding of development finance policies is desired.
  • Experience in designing and overseeing innovative resource mobilization, partnership and outreach/engagement strategies and initiatives is desired.
  • Demonstrated experience with high‑level analytical and writing skills, as well as strong coordination, negotiation, and communication abilities is desired.

Language Requirements:

  • Experience with the UN, including UNDP at a headquarters, regional or country level is desired.
  • Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other UN languages is desirable.

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.

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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