Programme Specialist (Portfolio Strategist)

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development to its staff. UNICEF is known for its inclusive culture and attractive compensation and benefits package, emphasizing the importance of belonging and growth within the organization.

Job Overview:
As a Programme Specialist (Portfolio Strategist) at UNICEF, you will be responsible for strategically managing the UNICEF Venture Fund’s investment portfolio. Your role will involve ensuring that funded companies achieve strong performance, growth, and measurable impact for children and their environment. You will develop and implement portfolio management strategies, lead company selection and contracting processes, coordinate tailored technical assistance, track performance and ROI, and enable follow-on investment and partnerships to help scale solutions that ultimately improve outcomes for children. This position requires a proactive approach to managing investments and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by seed-stage companies, as well as the ability to leverage partnerships and technical assistance to drive success.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The key responsibilities of the Programme Specialist (Portfolio Strategist) include:

• Developing and executing the overall portfolio management strategy, including necessary systems, partnerships, and technical assistance for companies receiving funding.
• Advising on sourcing and selection of companies, leading the selection and contractual process for companies receiving seed and growth funding.
• Conducting a robust needs assessment process to develop a tailored technical assistance program for each portfolio company, with support from external partnerships and a network of mentors.
• Maintaining portfolio management systems and processes, including regular tracking of milestones and companies’ performance through KPIs, and applying data to guide portfolio management strategy.
• Identifying and managing growth strategies for portfolio companies to ensure they meet their objectives and contribute positively to the mission of UNICEF.

Required Qualifications:
To qualify as an advocate for every child, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree in finance, entrepreneurship, business administration, or a relevant field.
• Work Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional work experience in a relevant field, or seven years of experience in lieu of an advanced degree. Candidates should have demonstrated management-level experience in managing portfolios of company investments, ideally from venture capital and/or impact investment portfolios, from pre-seed to early growth stages.
• Experience in coordinating and monitoring complex projects, product development, and business growth analysis, including financial modeling, is required.
• Understanding of open-source and frontier technologies (such as AI and blockchain) and their possible applications to UNICEF strategic priorities is essential.
• Experience in managing technical teams/advisors to set and reach ambitious goals is required.
• Demonstrated experience in developing partnerships and entrepreneurial strategies, providing acceleration programs or similar support is necessary.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including external representation and presentations, are required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in finance, entrepreneurship, business administration, or a relevant field. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of managing investment portfolios and developing strategies that align with UNICEF's mission.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional work experience in a relevant field. Candidates with seven years of experience may be considered if they do not hold an advanced degree. The experience should include demonstrated management-level involvement in managing portfolios of company investments, particularly in venture capital and impact investment contexts, as well as experience in coordinating complex projects and business growth analysis.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is considered desirable, as it can enhance communication and collaboration in diverse environments.

Additional Notes:
This appointment is for an initial period of 364 days, with the possibility of a one-year extension subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds. UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities. The organization offers a wide range of benefits, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with its aims and objectives, including discrimination and harassment. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and adherence to UNICEF's standards and principles is expected.