Job Description
Devex is assisting the World Food Programme (WFP) in looking for talented Partnerships Officers to join the Future International Talent Pool (FIT Pool) at the P-3 level. You will operate across an assigned area and work independently, using technical knowledge and experience, to analyse data and identify solutions for partnerships activities. You will typically support process improvements and partnership opportunities with a host of public, private sector and external entities. These can include governments, UN agencies, intergovernmental institutions and their member states, international financial institutions, individuals, corporations, foundations and NGOs. While at HQ level Partnerships Officers are likely to focus on either public, private sector or external entities, those at RB and CO level may cover a whole range of such partnerships.
These jobs are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RB) and Country Offices (CO) and generally report to a more senior Partnerships Officer or a Director. At HQ level, the partnership work is led by the Partnerships & Advocacy Department (PA) which includes four Rome-based Divisions dedicated to government, private sector and external partnerships. In addition, PA manages WFP Global Offices in UN hubs and selected donor capitals which are at the frontline of strategic partnership engagement.
ABOUT THE FIT POOL
The Future International Talent Pool (FIT Pool) is an excellent opportunity for a professional international career within WFP. WFP is looking to build a pool of highly qualified and dynamic talents interested in serving in any of the 80 countries where WFP operates.
Qualifying for the Partnerships FIT Pool gives you priority to be considered for vacant Fixed Term positions anywhere in the world and consequently to commence your global journey in the humanitarian world, often at the forefront of world affairs. (https://www.wfp.org/countries)
For more information: http://www1.wfp.org/fit-pool
JOB PURPOSE
You will drive WFP’s effective positioning with public, private and external partners to attract policy support, resources, technical assistance and innovative solutions to advance the work of WFP, while supporting member states in the achievement of the SDGs and Zero Hunger and emphasizing WFP’s contributions in this regard. You will lead the development of long-term partnerships with the private sector in order to advocate the work of WFP, and raise and mobilise resources to support food assistance programmes.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
You will:
- Lead the implementation of a work plan for an assigned area to enable WFP to identify, develop and strengthen quality partnerships in support of WFP strategic objectives.
- Engage with other functional units, RBs and COs on WFP’s thematic, regional and country-specific offerings, developing content and language that speak to individual audiences and align with on-going policy dialogue in national and global fora; Support alignment of partner engagement across the organization.
- Proactively support a wide range of aspects of a partnerships portfolio, including partner profiling, data/trends analysis and outreach plan, to maximize resources and leverage policy and technical support for WFP’s work; Ensure partner visibility and that partner conditions are met.
- Facilitate corporate dialogue with partners through preparation of quality briefing materials; Proactively highlight strategic opportunities and issues to senior management and propose options for the best course of action to nurture trust and interest in the work of WFP; Support the preparation of joint events (e.g. UN pledging conferences) that can advance WFP interests and objectives.
- Gather and share partner intelligence (including forecasting), using key information systems and asses results.
- Support functional units, RBs and COs on partnerships strategies (including the development of Partnership Action Plans); Extend support on contribution management, in line with corporate norms, processes and legal agreements, on quality proposal and report writing by engaging with other WFP entities.
- Facilitate partnership growth, by exploring opportunities to expand existing partnerships and scope of new partners, guided by assessments, analysis and due diligence; Present recommendations to senior management and ensure follow-up.
- Contribute to the preparation of partnership proposals, strategic agreements, joint strategies and/or MOU, taking into account corporate norms, processes and external regulations; Ensure quality control of content by engaging with relevant functional units, RBs and COs.
- Use socio-political insights to support WFP’s effective positioning vis-à-vis national governments, regional and international institutions with the aim to influence the policy agenda.
- In the context of the UN system and multilateral fora, support the development of partnerships with member states, civil society and intergovernmental organizations to advocate for the SDGs and Zero Hunger on the global agenda, and advance WFP priorities and policies, based on a good understanding of member states’ dynamics and interests.
- Solicit inputs from other WFP entities that contribute to inter-governmental/inter-agency work to ensure that WFP positions are properly explained and taken into account in decision making.
- Manage staff, providing coaching, training and guidance to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance.
- Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work to ensure equal participation of women and men.
- Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance; Monitor defined risks and make recommendations how to manage these effectively.
- Other as required.
STANDARD MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Education:
- You have an Advanced University degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics, International Relations, Law, Marketing, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Experience:
- You have a minimum five (5) years of relevant professional work experience in advocacy, fundraising, marketing, strategy development and/or other partnership roles.
- You have experience in international organizations/companies and /or outside of home country.
- You have experience in coordinating or managing a team, contributing to a gender-balanced, inclusive and sound working environment.
Language:
You have a fluency (level C) in English language.
You have an intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language of Portuguese.
Mobility:
You are able and motivated to work in any of WFP’s Offices throughout the world, including hardship locations.
DESIRED EXPERIENCES
In addition, you have some of the below skills:
- A good understanding of government and corporate policies, strategies, and priorities and gained experience in developing multi-stakeholder partnerships.
- Experience in developing relationships with partners, in networking and expanding engagements across geographies and sectors.
- Experience in fundraising activities and other related resource mobilization processes, such as in marketing, campaign management.
- You have drafted funding proposals, negotiated contract terms and provided advice to seniors on related engagements.
- A sound understanding of partner’s focus areas and knowledge of internal capabilities to create a Unique Value Proposition for the partners.
- Experience in using technology and digital tools for data collection, analysis and shared data-based insights to add value to all partnerships.
- A sound understanding of Return On Investment and/or has conducted this.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Building the pool is a comprehensive process and it will take approximately 8 months. The recruitment steps are an Online Test > Video Interview > Language Test > Panel Interview > Background Verification.
If you are looking for a career with WFP, it is important to understand that mobility is the essence of WFP and continues to be a core contractual requirement. The majority of positions within WFP are “rotational”, meaning that staff members are subject to regular mobility processes and depending on the classification of the assigned duty station, may transfer to any other location every 2 to 4 years.
If you are selected, you will be placed in the future International Talent Pool for a period up to 2 years. You may be contacted as needs arise for fixed-term international positions in any of the countries in which WFP operates, including hardship duty stations, which may be classified as “non-family”, for example Afghanistan, Nigeria, DRC, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. All Fixed Term positions are generally between two to four years duration and following this initial assignment you will be eligible to apply as an internal candidate to other assignments within WFP. However, once qualified for the Fit Pool, you will be expected to accept the first proposal.
You may learn more about the process and this initiative at: http://www1.wfp.org/fit-pool
WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, dependency allowances, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 working days’ annual leave, home leave/travel, education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. For more information, visit https://icsc.un.org/
