Job Description

Deadline for Applications

October 11, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA7

Target Start Date

2026-10-19

Terms of Reference

1. General Background

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect and assist refugees and other persons of concern. The Private Sector Partnerships Service (PSP), within UNHCR's Division of External Relations (DER), mobilizes resources and builds strategic engagement with individuals, companies, foundations and philanthropists in support of UNHCR’s protection assistance and solutions priorities. PSP works across Individual Giving (IG) and Private Partnerships and Philanthropy (PPH), combining fundraising, donor engagement, communications and partnership development to secure sustainable support and maximize impact for people forced to flee.

The Private Sector Engagement Strategic Framework 2025–2033 calls for a step change in how the organization mobilizes private philanthropy, moving beyond transactional fundraising towards strategic, long-term partnerships that deliver income, influence, and solutions for people most at risk. Building on strong growth to USD 1.2 billion in private sector income in 2022, the organization aims to significantly increase both the financial and non-financial value generated through private philanthropy over the coming decade.

Japan is a priority market for the development of private philanthropy. Japan for UNHCR (J4U), UNHCR’s National Association Partner in Japan, mobilizes support from individual donors, major donors, high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, companies, foundations, faith-based organizations, and other private-sector partners. Building on J4U’s established fundraising platform, there is significant potential to expand strategic, high-value and longer-term philanthropic support for UNHCR.

The Senior PPH Associate will contribute to the growth of J4U’s Major Donor and HNWI programme by identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding prospective and existing major donors, HNWIs and UHNWIs. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing a well-researched and prioritized pipeline, converting prospects into donors, encouraging donors to reach their giving potential, and building sustained relationships that can generate flexible, multi-year and transformational support for UNHCR.

The incumbent will engage not only directly with existing and prospective donors, but also with the wider private-philanthropy ecosystem in Japan, including family offices, private banks, wealth advisers, philanthropic networks, professional advisers, corporate leaders and other intermediaries capable of facilitating access to major-donor networks.

Under the supervision of the Senior PSP Officer (Asia and the Pacific), the incumbent will be embedded within J4U’s PPH team and will work in close coordination with J4U’s existing Major Donor colleagues. The incumbent will contribute distinct capacity for new business development and portfolio growth while ensuring a coordinated approach to prospect allocation, donor engagement, solicitation and stewardship. The role will collaborate with J4U’s Individual Giving team, Legacy colleagues, Board and senior leadership, and work in close alignment and coordination with PSP Asia, the HQ Private Philanthropy team, relevant UNHCR operations and other internal stakeholders.

1. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

In coordination with Japan for UNHCR, PSP Asia and the HQ Private Philanthropy team, the incumbent will support the growth of major-donor and private-philanthropy income in Japan through systematic prospect development, relationship management and high-quality donor engagement.

The incumbent is expected to:

• Build and manage a prioritized portfolio of prospective and existing major donors, HNWIs and UHNWIs, covering the full donor cycle from identification and qualification through cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, renewal and upgrading.
• Conduct and coordinate prospect research, wealth screening and relationship mapping, in accordance with applicable policies and data-protection requirements, to assess giving capacity, philanthropic interests, connections to UNHCR and potential routes of engagement.
• Develop documented cultivation and solicitation strategies for priority prospects and donors, including clear relationship objectives, next actions, engagement opportunities, proposed asks, responsibilities and timelines.
• Prepare and deliver tailored donor approaches and solicitations, in coordination with J4U and UNHCR colleagues, with the objective of securing significant, flexible, multi-year and, where feasible, transformational philanthropic commitments.
• Develop and implement bespoke stewardship plans for assigned donors, reflecting their interests and preferences and providing appropriate opportunities for engagement with UNHCR’s work, leadership, technical experts and field operations.
• Cultivate relationships with family offices, private banks, wealth advisers, philanthropic advisers, giving networks and other intermediaries that can provide access to new philanthropic audiences and strengthen J4U’s presence within Japan’s major-giving ecosystem.
• Identify and coordinate high-level donor engagement opportunities, including private briefings, roundtables, speaking opportunities, philanthropic forums, donor missions and other tailored events, ensuring that each activity supports defined cultivation or stewardship objectives.
• Work with J4U’s PPH colleagues, senior leadership and Board to identify and responsibly activate relevant networks, including relationships connected to existing corporate partners, founders, CEOs and senior business leaders.
• Collaborate with J4U’s Individual Giving and donor-development colleagues to establish appropriate pathways for identifying, qualifying and transitioning suitable middle-value donors into the Major Donor and HNWI programme.
• Develop high-quality and persuasive donor-facing materials in Japanese and English, including cases for support, concept notes, proposals, presentations, briefing packages, correspondence, impact updates and donor reports, ensuring consistency with UNHCR priorities, global private-philanthropy guidance, evidence and brand requirements.
• Coordinate with relevant UNHCR operations, regional bureaux, PSP Asia and the HQ Private Philanthropy team to match donor interests with organizational priorities and to ensure that donor propositions, engagement and reporting are accurate, feasible and appropriately coordinated.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of prospects, donors, opportunities, interactions, next steps, income projections and stewardship commitments in J4U’s designated CRM and other agreed systems.
• Monitor the health and progression of the assigned pipeline, contribute to income forecasting and annual planning, and provide regular analysis of results, risks, opportunities and support required to advance priority relationships.
• Ensure that prospective and existing donor relationships are managed in accordance with applicable due-diligence, data-protection, contribution-management, ethical fundraising and reputational-risk requirements, escalating issues to the supervisor as appropriate.
• Monitor developments in Japan’s philanthropic and wealth-management landscape, including changing donor expectations, next-generation philanthropy, family-office activity, collaborative giving and interest in measurable and sustainable impact, and apply relevant insights to prospect and donor strategies.
• Contribute to emergency fundraising approaches for major donors and HNWIs when required, ensuring rapid, coordinated and appropriately tailored donor engagement.
• Adapt relevant global private-philanthropy best practices and approaches to the Japanese context, contribute to relevant global initiatives and knowledge exchange, and share learning and market insights from Japan across UNHCR’s private-philanthropy network.
• Perform other related duties as required.

1. Qualifications and Experience

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

• High School Diploma or university degree (BA) in business, marketing, international relations, development, political science or a related discipline

b. Work Experience

Required:

• Minimum 4 years of relevant experience with a secondary school diploma, or 2 years with a bachelor's degree or higher.
• Experience in private philanthropy, major-gifts fundraising, donor relations, wealth management, private banking, family-office engagement, or related fields.
• Experience identifying, cultivating and managing relationships with major donors, HNWIs and other senior external stakeholders.
• Experience developing donor strategies, proposals, presentations and other fundraising materials.
• Experience contributing to fundraising results through prospecting, solicitation, stewardship and pipeline management.
• Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders and managing complex opportunities.
• Experience maintaining accurate donor and pipeline records.
• Strong judgement, discretion and ability to manage confidential information.

Desired:

• Experience in an international environment.
• Experience within the UN system, an international NGO, or another mission-driven organization.
• Knowledge of Japan's philanthropic and fundraising landscape.
• Knowledge of humanitarian and/or development programming.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM systems.

c. Key Competencies

Required:

• Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Results-oriented, self-motivated and able to work independently with a strong sense of accountability.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong networking, influencing and donor-engagement skills.
• Sound judgement, discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive information and relationships.

d. Language Requirements

• Fluency in Japanese and English (written and spoken).

1. Location and Conditions

This vacancy is open for applicants residing in Japan.

This position is initially up to the end of the year with possibility of extension subject to budget availability and overall performance of the incumbent. It is a full-time role starting from 9:00am to 17:00pm Monday to Friday (40 hours per week).

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.

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This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No