Maintain responsive and proactive dialogue with donor governments in order to build relationships, ensure regular communication, manage substantive annual bilateral consultations with donor governments, and raise awareness and support for UNHCR's priority actions.
Identify and leverage donors' key areas of interest, priorities and concerns as they influence funding decisions and their partnership with UNHCR.
Identify and access new funding opportunities and sources.
Monitor use of contributions; take necessary action to satisfy donor requirements and ensure earmarking is respected.
Monitor earmarking levels and alert country offices/regional offices/Public Partnerships and Financing Service/PSP as relevant of potential excessive or minimal earmarked contributions.
Provide donor counterparts with information on UNHCR operations including responding to donor governments' ad hoc requests in coordination with other stakeholders in UNHCR.
Draft internal and external correspondence, including talking points and briefing notes for senior management as necessary, to support them in advocacy, negotiation and follow-up of contributions with donors.
Organize, coordinate and facilitate donor briefings, donor missions and missions by UNHCR staff as relevant in order to support fundraising and donor engagement.
Additional duties for positions in Headquarters
Establish targeted donor engagement strategies to strengthen partnerships, sustain support and leverage additional fundraising opportunities in coordination with donor capitals, Regional Bureaux and the Executive Office.
Identify opportunities to diversify income streams, grow current level of contributions, as well as requirements to protect and sustain donor income where at risk within donor portfolio.
Continuously review actions and strategies for assigned donors with a specific focus on monitoring and analysing: key decision points, donor policies on humanitarian assistance, potential for accessing transition and development funding sources, and situation of organizations competing with UNHCR for funds. Develop and maintain donor profiles and plans.
In collaboration with respective Bureaux, Divisions and UNHCR Offices, prepare submissions for specific funding fr
Benefits
Vision insurance
Additional Information
Please note that this vacancy is only open to eligible staff members who have been individually notified of their eligibility to apply for positions advertised in the Accelerated Posting Compendium.
Deadline for Applications
June 12, 2026
Hardship Level
A (least hardship)
Family Type
Family
Residential location (if applicable)
Grade
PR4
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Professional
Reason
Regular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date
2026-05-26
Standard Job Description
Senior Donor Relations Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Donor Relations Officer is part of a team which strives to maintain a responsive and proactive dialogue with donor governments and regional and local donors, in order to build relationships, raise awareness and mobilize political and financial support for UNHCR's work and priority actions. This function involves pursuing opportunities for donor engagement, strengthening partnerships, sustaining support and leveraging additional fundraising opportunities. The incumbent will also identify opportunities to diversify income streams, grow current level of contributions, as well as requirements to protect and sustain donor income. S/he will also provide support to counterparts in other operations, especially to offices dealing with emergency situations to be able to serve donors' information needs on all aspects of UNHCR's work.
The incumbent's primary role is pursuing opportunities for donor engagement, strengthening partnerships, sustaining support and fundraising opportunities. Due to the specific nature of these responsibilities, Donor Relations Officer posts are based only in Geneva Headquarters, major donor capitals or Regional Bureaux. S/he with also provide support to counterparts in Field Operations, especially to offices dealing with emergency situations.
The incumbent reports to a senior staff in the function of Donor Relations and/or External Engagement; the reporting relationship may vary and depends on the size and structure of the office/operation. S/he may supervise professional and/or general service staff.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Unhcr · Panama (rb), Panama