Communications and Partnerships Senior Officer

Job Highlight

Lead strategic communications and partnership positioning, developing high-impact communications products while supporting donor engagement, resource mobilization and strategic partnerships.

About The Project Office

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

Role Purpose

The Communications and Partnership Senior Officer contributes to the development and execution of strategic communication initiatives.The role also supports partnership development through preparation of donor engagement materials, partner intelligence, proposal development, strategic positioning and resource mobilization activities. The role involves conducting research on partnership opportunities, and drafting high-level concept notes and background papers. The Senior Officer oversees the creation of all high-quality editorial content, including press materials, videos and knowledge products, ensuring that all messaging is consistent and targeted to the right audience. The role is furthermore accountable for building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, new and prospective partners, and media, providing guidance on communication standards and contributing to proposal development and strategic planning.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Strategic Communications, Partnerships and Positioning
• Coordinate strategic communications across the Country Office, ensuring coherent messaging aligned with corporate priorities and programme objectives.
• Identify and develop compelling stories and communications content from projects and programmes for internal and external audiences.
• Contribute to the development of the office's communications and partnership strategies, supporting strategic positioning and organizational objectives.
• Liaise with HQ, Regional Office and UN communications colleagues to strengthen coordinated messaging and organizational positioning.
• Monitor the communications and external operating environment, advising on strategic positioning, sensitivities and emerging opportunities.
• Identify and assess partnership opportunities through donor intelligence, stakeholder engagement and analysis, recommending opportunities for strategic engagement.
• Monitor partner priorities and funding trends, collaborating with specialists on partner outreach and proposal development.
• Prepare briefing packages for senior management meetings with partners and donors.
• Draft capability statements, partner profiles, strategic presentations and other partner engagement materials.
• Support strategic planning for visibility and external engagement activities across the Country Office.
• Communications and Partnerships Delivery and Coordination
• Coordinate delivery of communications activities across projects, ensuring consistency of messaging and effective promotion of programme results.
• Develop and maintain a forward pipeline of stories, visibility opportunities and communication products across the Country Office.
• Develop high-quality communications products, including success stories, human interest stories, press materials, digital and social media content, videos, publications and donor visibility materials.
• Support proposal development through strategic communications products and partner-facing materials.
• Contribute to the development of concept notes, presentations and other partnership products with technical specialists.
• Coordinate implementation of donor visibility requirements and UNOPS branding standards across projects.
• Input partnership engagement records, Opportunity+ updates and internal tracking processes, supporting timely reporting and management oversight.
• Support internal review and clearance processes for partnership products, communications outputs and external engagement activities.
• Contribute to Partnership Development Unit work planning, budget monitoring and compliance with corporate standards.
• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement and Representation
• Provide strategic communications and partnership advice to programme teams throughout the project lifecycle, supporting partner engagement, visibility planning and communications commitments from project design through implementation.
• Support projects in meeting donor communications and visibility commitments, ensuring compliance with donor agreements and corporate standards.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen programme positioning with donors through strategic communications, partner engagement and high-profile missions or events.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with partner focal points, donor representatives and communications counterparts.
• Represent UNOPS in communications and partnership working groups, UN coordination forums and external events, as delegated.
• Directly support the planning and coordination of partner missions, senior management visits and external engagement activities.
• Content, Internal Communications and Knowledge Management
• Coordinate internal communications that promote organizational priorities, programme achievements and knowledge sharing across the Country Office.
• Capture and disseminate lessons learned, success stories and good practices from programmes and partnership activities.
• Maintain editorial quality, consistency of messaging and compliance with UNOPS branding standards across communications products.
• Conduct research and prepare briefing notes, summaries and analytical products to support communications and partnership activities.
• Support the organization and delivery of communications, visibility and partnership learning initiatives.
• Contribute to Communities of Practice and knowledge-sharing networks, promoting innovation and continuous improvement.
  
  

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in communications, development, international relations, public relations or other relevant discipline with 4 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in communications, development, international relations, public relations or other relevant discipline with 2 years of relevant experience is required
  
  

• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in partnerships, resource mobilisation, communications, journalism, project management, or digital and social media is desired.
  
  

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience with a master's degree, or 4 years if with a bachelor's, in communications, development, international relations, public relations, or other relevant discipline, involving execution, partnership, and project development, including proposal writing
  
  

• Experience in establishment of partnerships with UN agencies and / or international development organizations
• Experience in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (e.g. MS Office, G-Suite, etc) and web-based management systems are required.
• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.
• Experience in developing and monitoring content for grassroots-level audiences is desired.