Director Partnerships and Development

Background Information

UNOPS hosts Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Secretariat/Programme in Vienna, Austria. Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an independent organization with a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. We work at the intersection of energy, climate, and development. We collaborate with governments and partners worldwide to end energy poverty, accelerate the deployment of renewable energy solutions, and combat climate change.

Our vision is a world where everyone, everywhere, can lead a dignified life on a healthy planet, powered by sustainable energy. We promote this vision by pushing for higher ambitions, stronger policies, greater finance flows, increased localization and green jobs, and faster results toward an energy transition that leaves no one behind.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Since then, our CEO has served as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.

This role leads the Partnerships and Development team. The Partnerships & Development team is responsible for developing partnerships and all aspects of securing resources for the organization’s work from the donor community including governments, multilateral agencies, philanthropies, corporations and individuals. The team identifies prospective donors, initiates and advances funding conversations, writes proposals and grants, manages negotiations with donors and oversees contracting. The team is also responsible for grant management and donor relations, including financial tracking and reporting to ensure deliverables are met and funds are expended in line with donor expectations, particularly towards stewardship of major donors and nurturing and securing repeat donors. The programme focuses on securing funding at the seven and eight-figure (USD) level, with the exception of events sponsorships that can be in the five to six-figure range.

The main objectives of the Partnerships & Development team are to:

• Secure financial and in-kind resources to enable the delivery of the organization’s strategy and annual work plan;
• Mobilize resources for the organization’s joint initiatives with strategic partnerships (jointly with partners);
• Manage relationships and communications with the organization’s current and prospective funders and fundraising partners, including contracting, reporting, and outreach, including through the Funders Council and Leadership Council processes;
• Manage all grants, including tracking against expenditures and deliverables and providing financial and narrative reporting to funders, and;
• Ensure the organization’s strategy, business plan, work plans, systems and partnerships are designed and articulated appropriately to attract, cultivate and manage funders.

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions

Fundraising Strategy and Development

• Identify and develop significant high value (USD) funding opportunities, partnerships and projects, including donor identification, scoping and risk assessment.
• Develop a fundraising vision and strategic direction to the P&D team and for SEforALL.
• Oversee and conduct institutional fundraising, including working directly with and/or in support of the CEO, Governing Board and Executive Management Committee members in efforts to mobilize core (unrestricted) and programmatic funds from sovereign donors, philanthropy, the private sector and other sources.
• Oversee production and/or co-ordination of fundraising materials including research briefs, decks, concept notes, full funding proposals and grant applications
• Work with the CEO, DCEO, Chair of the Governing Board to develop and deploy a Leadership Council of VIPs to assist in fundraising for the organization’s work.
• Lead the management and delivery of a functioning Funders Council process including the Council’s quarterly meetings, agenda preparation and follow up, support to the Funders’ Council Chair, and interface between the Council and the Governance Board. in particular, to ensure adequate consultation and agreement on the organization’s multi-year strategy and annual work plans.
• Advise the CEO, DCEO, Executive Office and Executive Management Committee on governance measures to maximize chances of funding success, including; mobilizing the Governing Board Chair and members to solicit funding; ensuring appropriate legal and regulatory designations for the organization and/or its fiscal sponsors; and ensuring appropriate listings/designations to assist in fundraising (e.g. OECD DAC list, charity ratings).

Programme Leadership and Delivery

• Provide input to organizational strategy, annual work plans and programme design to maximize success for funding.
• Work with the CEO, DCEO and wider SEforALL team to diversify the organization’s funding base, including putting in place mechanisms and processes for seeking, receiving, and managing individual giving.
• Manage execution of the P&D work plan and budget, updating to reflect changes and new funding, internal reports as required.    
• Motivate and lead a team of professionals, including performance management, objective setting, allocation of task assignments and work programs, strategic course correction.
• Oversee grant management, including tracking against expenditures and deliverables, providing financial and narrative reporting to funders in line with grant contracts and agreements.
• Provide quality control and leadership in the management of concept notes, funding proposals and grant applications.
• Working closely with the Director of Finance & Operations and the Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) to ensure that grant contracts are completed in a timely fashion and do not entail unfavorable restrictions or burdens on the organization’s future work.
• Track progress on fundraising and grant management and report on a regular basis to the CEO, DCEO, Governance Board, Funders Council, Finance Team and Executive Management Committee on status and projections.
• Serve as a senior member of SEforALL’s Executive Management Committee and contribute to the strategic direction of the organization through active participation in team meetings and processes.

Donor Outreach and Relationship Management

• Conduct donor outreach, relationship management and stewardship, particularly for major donors and prospects.
• Oversee donor communications, including working closely with SEforALL’s communications team, to ensure that the impact of the organization’s work is communicated clearly and regularly to the donor community
• Manage CRM services in the organization, including ensuring team members have access to, are trained and use tools timely and appropriately.
• Oversee sponsorship outreach for events, reports and other communications opportunities as appropriate, with key elements as above for institutional fundraising.
• Represent SEforALL in public fora and through public speaking engagements in high-level events, seminars, workshops, etc.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

a. Education

Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Energy, Economics, Business Studies, Public Policy, Law or a related discipline. A Bachelors degree with an additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a Masters degree.

b. Work Experience & Language Requirements

Minimum of 10 years of work experience in forming multilateral partnerships for international organizations and international institutions/companies, preferably in sustainable development and/or energy sector

c. Language

Fluency in English is required.

Knowledge and ability to work in another UN language, particularly French, Chinese, and/or Spanish is desirable.

Please note, that this is a summary of the complete job offer, which can be found on the application link.