Position Overview

The UN Foundation employs a small team of high caliber policy professionals who work with the UN and key partners around the SDGs and other critical global issues on the UN’s agenda. This new role will function as a policy entrepreneur to lead UNF’s day-to-day engagement with the UN and its partners on issues related to the future of multilateralism to tackle key collective challenges, including the SDGs. This role will be directly responsible for UNF’s engagement around work related to Our Common Agenda, working with other policy leads, advisers, and leaders across the organization to design, develop, and help implement major streams of work in this area. This role will also lead a policy collaborative with other NY-based policy staff, shape NY-facing communications, and lead policy planning across the Foundation on pan-Foundation issues, relationships, and opportunities. This role is part of the Executive Office, reporting to the President & CEO with a dotted line to the Senior Vice President and head of Office in New York.

This position is based in New York, NY (Hybrid schedule).

Essential Functions

• Lead UNF's UN-facing strategy and approach to the future of multilateralism and generate ideas for policy, advocacy, coalitions, and other initiatives to shape UNF's contribution to key multilateral milestones, including the 2024 Summit of the Future, and related opportunities to support UN leadership and strengthen the UN for the futre
• Help build, strengthen, and diversify UNF engagement with key partners active on multilateral innovation in governments, academia, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector, including leading philanthropic partners, the Southern Voice think tank network, NY-based think tanks, Strategy Sharers, and others; and shape and oversee production of regular updates for partners about latest developments at the UN
• Contribute to UNF’s strategy and thinking on the SDGs and their future, working with the Sustainable Development Initiatives team and experts within and outside the Foundation, including to shape UNF’s contribution to the SDG Summit; generate ideas for policy, advocacy, and other initiatives to accelerate progress in SDG implementation, including the intersection of SDGs and climate
• Convene NY-based and other policy staff regularly to share insights and opportunities and strengthen connections and coherence in UNF’s policy posture at the UN
• Lead policy planning across UNF on emerging and cross-cutting issues, including development of key proposals to address the future of multilateralism across collective challenges, including the SDGs, climate crisis, humanitarian response, and peace and security, drawing on policy and related experts across the Foundation
• Develop organizational thought leadership on these issues across UNF, including with UNF leadership, senior fellows, and policy and advocacy leads across the Foundation
• Work with UNF’s communications and policy staff to shape strategy and execution of future of multilateralism and SDG-related communications products, including related blogs, op-eds or articles
• Represent UNF in key moments related to the future of multilateralism and SDGs
• Serve as a source of internal expertise and guidance to UNF and maintain a strong link with UNF teams that intersect with the agenda on the future of multilateralism and SDGs, including relevant multi-stakeholder alliances housed at UNF
• Build and oversee small team of professionals based in NY and elsewhere who conduct policy, research, and tracking around UN and other leading SDG efforts in New York, capitals, and other major for a (e.g., G20, G7)
• Oversee select major convenings related to the future of multilateralism and SDGs
• Cultivate strong donor relationships and lead fundraising for the future of multilateralism and SDG-related work
• Maintain line-of-sight on all future of multilateralism and SDG-related partnerships and external relationships
• Oversee future of multilateralism and SDG-related budget, financial tracking, and grants.
• Other duties as assigned

Selection Criteria

• Graduate degree, in the fields of international relations, diplomacy, economics, law, or a related field and or equivalent experience
• Minimum 15 years of progressively senior experience in international policy, multilateral relations, or UN affairs, with prior experience in a diplomatic or UN setting strongly preferred
• High degree of intellectual and policy versatility across top issues on the global agenda, with in-depth practical expertise in at least on key area such as climate change, international finance and economics, sustainable development, digital cooperation, or peace and security
• In-depth and expert understanding of the SDGs as well as global political dynamics, the United Nations and international cooperation
• Exceptional analytical skills, ability to synthesize complex ideas at a strategic level, and track record of thought leadership on a variety of policy and development issues at a high level
• Reputation for exceptional representational skills with external audiences and proven ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with a variety of partners, including diplomats, government officials, and civil society
• Exceptional oral and written communications skills
• Strong leadership and management skills, including ability to mentor staff and motivate diverse teams, ability to drive projects from inception to implementation with attention to detail, and proven ability to work across teams and with partners to accomplish mission
• Self-starter, flexibility, and a team player
• Ability to develop, maintain, and enjoy effective working relationships with people from a wide variety of geographies, organizations, and functional expertise
• Stress to thrive under pressure and manage competing demands with resilience
• Commitment to continuous learning, openness to critical debate, and ability to synthesize diverse perspectives and views
• Multi-sector experience and ability to thrive in a multi-cultural environment.

Benefits & Compensation

For full-time, benefit eligible employees, UNF offers an excellent range of benefits, including:

• a choice between two health plans through UnitedHealthcare (PPO or HDHP with HSA)
• dental insurance
• vision insurance
• flexible spending accounts
• 403b retirement savings plan with a generous matching contribution
• group term and supplemental life insurance
• short-term disability
• long-term disability
• health club discounts
• commuter subsidy
• back-up care
• employee assistance program

Additionally, all benefit eligible employees have 12 paid holidays, 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, 3 personal days, and 8 weeks of family leave care.

#LI-Hybrid

The United Nations Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative-action employer. The United Nations Foundation provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.