Stretch Assignment: Humanitarian Partnerships Specialist, People-Centered Humanitarian Partnerships (PCHP), EMOPS Geneva (Remote, unless selected candidate is based in Geneva)
Title: Humanitarian Partnerships Specialist
Level: P3 – we encourage staff from all levels with the relevant experience to apply
Reports to: Humanitarian Partnerships Manager (OIC), PCHP
Duration: 3 months
Section: People-Centered Humanitarian Partnerships (PCHP), EMOPS
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Dates/Duration: Stretch assignment from 15 May 2026 until15 August 2026.
Eligibility: All Fixed-Term, Permanent or continuing appointment UNICEF staff members currently working in UNICEF worldwide.
Background
The People-Centred Humanitarian Partnerships (PCHP) section within UNICEF's Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) leads UNICEF's humanitarian partnerships with other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, including IFRC, international organizations (IOs), and local civil society organizations (CSOs).
Purpose of the Position
The PCHP section seeks a Humanitarian Partnerships Specialist (P3) (stretch assignment) to support the advancement of UNICEF's humanitarian partnerships with UNHCR, IFRC and other humanitarian actors.
Under the general guidance of the Humanitarian Partnerships Manager, the postholder will contribute to the operationalization of the UNHCR–UNICEF Strategic Collaboration Framework (SCF) and the partnership with IFRC, while also contributing to the broader inter-agency humanitarian partnerships portfolio of the section. The incumbent might need to travel to GVA, if needed and if not already based there.
Duration
This stretch assignment will be for a period of six (3) months.
Main Responsibilities
Partnership management and inter-agency coordination
Support the management of the UNHCR–UNICEF Strategic Collaboration Framework — across all aspects of secretariat support, ensuring continuity of dialogue between agencies at headquarters, regional and country levels.
Service the UNHCR–UNICEF Joint Coordination Team (JCT) and related governance and coordination meetings, including agenda-setting, preparation of briefing materials and talking points, minute-taking, tracking of action points and follow-up with responsible focal points across both agencies.
Coordinate regional and country office rollout of the IFRC partnership guide, acting as the reference focal point for country and regional teams seeking guidance on operationalization.
Analysis, evidence generation and reporting
Produce and maintain partnership factsheets, dashboards and analytical products, including key funding and programmatic data on UNICEF's partnerships with UNHCR and IFRC and national societies, to inform senior-level engagement and reporting.
Draft briefing notes, talking points, reporting inputs and thematic analyses on humanitarian partnerships, projects and cross-cutting topics, calibrated for an inter-agency audience and for senior UNICEF leadership within a series of international forums (IASC, Grand Bargain, etc.)
Joint planning, implementation support and representation
Convene and organize consultations and meetings with IFRC, UNHCR, and other UN/IO counterparts.
Support UNICEF’s participation at AidEx, including by liaising and coordinating with a variety of stakeholders (organizers, other sections within EMOPS, other UNICEF’s division)
Participate in meetings, conferences and other events on humanitarian issues (such as Member States’ briefings, official meetings organized by partners, ect.) as assigned, and prepare substantive reporting back to the section and wider division.
Perform any other task relevant to the work of the PCHP section and the broader humanitarian partnerships agenda.
Expected Deliverables
Partnerships actively co-managed and coordinated
Assigned inter-agency humanitarian partnerships are serviced end-to-end, with functioning secretariat support, timely preparation for governance meetings and disciplined follow-through on action points.
Joint action plans advanced at country and regional level
Rollout of joint action plans with UNHCR, IFRC and other partners progresses against agreed milestones, with country and regional offices receiving timely guidance, tools and troubleshooting support from the postholder.
High-quality analysis and partnership products delivered
Factsheets, funding dashboards, briefing notes and talking points are produced to standard, support senior-level engagement, and are used by PCHP, EMOPS leadership and counterpart agencies.
Inter-agency events and convenings delivered
Meetings, consultations and events with IFRC, UNHCR, and other UN/IO counterparts are attended and/or organized and documented, with clear outcomes and follow-up captured.
Performance tracked and acted upon
Progress, risks and bottlenecks across the assigned partnership portfolio are reviewed regularly with the Humanitarian Partnerships Manager, with corrective actions and opportunities for deepening collaboration identified and pursued.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Advanced university degree in International Relations, International Law, International Development, Political Science, Human Rights, Social Sciences, or a related field. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
Work experience:
Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian affairs, inter-agency coordination, humanitarian partnerships, donor relations, or a related area.
Demonstrated experience drafting partnership documents (joint action plans, MoUs, frameworks) and briefing notes (including talking points) and supporting senior-level inter-agency dialogue.
Familiarity with the humanitarian–development–peace nexus and the broader UN humanitarian coordination architecture is an asset.
Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
Funding arrangement
For UNICEF staff:
Since the selected candidate retains his/her current position and no changes will be made to his/her employment status (e.g., post level, post number, remuneration, etc.), the releasing office will continue to cover his/her full salary.
Once the selection process has been completed, the receiving and releasing offices will communicate to reach an agreement on the start date for the selected staff member.
This assignment is not linked to a vacant position and subsequently, the selected candidate would not be eligible to a Special Post Allowance (SPA) – please see CF/AI/2012-002.
For UNICEF National Committee Staff:
An agreement will be signed between PCHP/EMOPS and the UNICEF National Committee.
Application Process
To be eligible to apply, you should have:
For UNICEF staff:
An existing Fixed-Term, Permanent or Continuing appointment within UNICEF that runs through the duration of the assignment.
An agreement from your supervisor to go on a stretch assignment for the full duration. The agreement of your supervisor is a pre-requisite for any stretch assignment.
Two most recent PERs must be at a minimum of Solid achievements.
For UNICEF National Committee Staff:
An agreement from your supervisor & HR to go on a Secondment for the full duration. The agreement of your supervisor & HR is a pre-requisite for Secondment.
Upon receipt of your supervisor's agreement, please apply via TMS application.
Cover letter outlining your motivation to apply for the stretch
Current CV
For UNICEF staff, your last two PERs / For NatCom colleagues, please provide names of 2 work referees
Authorization email from your supervisor, preferably endorsed by the Head of Office, to release you if selected
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