International Consultant- External Partnerships Officer – CST Level III
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WFP encourages female candidates and people with disabilities to apply.
WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and disability.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Job Title: Consultant- External Partnerships Officer
Grade: CST III
Type of contract: Regular International Consultancy
Duration : 6 months
Duty Station: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Vacancy Number : 828331
Date of Publication: 13.07.2023
Deadline of Application: 27.07.2023
WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Please visit the following website for detailed information on working with WFP: http://www.wfp.org
Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.
JOB PURPOSE
The Asia-Pacific is the most disaster affected region in the world, especially susceptible to sudden- onset disasters that can outstrip short-term national response capacities. It is also home to several conflicts, adding to the risks that the region faces. WFP Country Offices in the Asia and Pacific region work in close collaboration with government and partners to strengthen national capacity, provide technical assistance and, where needed, direct food assistance to achieve zero hunger. Important to WFP’s approach is testing and applying innovative and gender transformative programmatic approaches – including the broadening of transfer modalities, increasing focus on resilience-building and national capacity-development. Excessive debt, the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 and decline in tourism (accounting for a large part of national revenues), and the compounding impact of the Ukraine crisis on access to fertilizer, food, fuel, and hindering the government’s capacity to service debts – has culminated in a wave of unrest and a significant decline in food security and access to basic services. According to the recent Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM), 3.9 million of people are food -insecure (17 percent). Rising food costs are making it harder for the population to meet their food needs. Amidst the deteriorating context, in July 2022, Sri Lanka was elevated to the Corporate Alert System with some initial surge support deployed. To drive WFP’s effective positioning with public, private, and external partners and to attract policy support, resources, technical assistance and innovative solutions to advance the work of WFP – an External Partnerships Officer will support the Country Director in scoping and mapping partnership opportunities, based on a consistent analysis of current political and social events, and evolving donor priorities.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Country Director, the incumbent shall ensure the successful completion of WFP mission objectives, including following duties:
1. Lead the implementation of a partnerships action plan and strategy to enable WFP to identify, develop and strengthen quality partnerships in support of WFP strategic objectives.
2. Engage with other functional units, RBs and COs on WFP’s thematic, regional and country-specific needs and programmes, developing content and language that speak to individual audiences and align with evolving donor priorities.
3. Proactively manage a range of bi-lateral and multi-lateral opportunities/ relationships and high-value grants; establishing links with international financial institutions as relevant; working closely with Communications to ensure a consistent flow of relevant information and visibility to and from the Country Office.
4. Facilitate the development of the WFP Country Strategic Plan, in alignment with the Partnerships strategy and action plan
5. Lead donor and programme monitoring missions to the field; and facilitating strategic meetings with donor representatives
6. Proactively support partner and grant management, working with the Resource Mobilisation unit on funding trends/ analysis and outreach plan, to maximize resources and leverage policy andtechnical support for WFP’s work; gather and share partner intelligence (including forecasting) using key information systems (eg. WINGS, Salesforce, WFPGo) and assess results.
7. Produce high-quality briefing material; 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
8. Writing donor reports and internal/ external briefs as needed; supporting the OIM unit to ensure consistency in Country Briefs, situational reports, and factsheets
9. Developing talking points and briefs for the Country Director, the regional office, and headquarters as needed
10. 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.
11. Ensure the legal review of partnership proposals, strategic agreements, joint strategies and/or MOU with HQ, taking into account corporate norms, processes and external regulations.
12. 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.
13. In the context of the UN system and multilateral partnerships, support engagement 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.
14. 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.
15. Manage staff, providing coaching, training and guidance to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance; build the team required to support the adequate management of the CO’s resources and partnerships.
16. Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work to ensure equal participation of women and men.
17. Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance; Monitor defined risks and make recommendations how to manage these effectively.
18. Participate in Working Groups/Task Forces as assigned by the CD.
19. Any other tasks assigned by the Country Director
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
• Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Experience:
• At least 6 years of continuously progressive work experience in the field of international development or humanitarian assistance, in various field locations, with at least 3 years of direct relevant experience in Partnership Management activities at Country Office/Field Offices
Desirable criteria:
• Has in-country operational experience in fragile/emergency contexts.
• Has worked with government and non-government agencies and gained policy experience;
• Has led a country office programme team or a substantial component of a complex programme, with coordination and field support responsibilities.
Knowledge and Skills:
• Has a good understanding of government and corporate strategies and priorities and gained experience in developing multi-stakeholder partnerships.
• Has gained significance experience in exploring new opportunities and providing inputs to design and develop solutions with prospective partners.
• Has developed long-term partner relationships and expanded engagements across geographies and sector.
• Has designed and managed all resource mobilization processes and resource strategies, negotiated contract terms and provided resourcing advice to seniors.
• Has used understanding of partner’s focus areas and knowledge of internal capabilities to create a Unique Value Proposition for the partners.
Languages:
Proficiency in both oral and written communication skills in English.
ABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger (SDG 2) in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need. WFP has been present in Sri Lanka since 1968 providing assistance to the country in emergency situations and conducting protracted recovery interventions in the aftermath of man-made disasters such as the 27-year conflict and recurrent natural disasters (droughts and floods/landslides). The country’s on-going economic crisis — the worst in decades – has triggered a spike in the cost of living, along with lost jobs and reduced incomes. Coupled with the lingering effects of COVID-19 and impacts of climate change, the country is experiencing a concerningly high level of food insecurity. These challenges threaten to reverse years of development gains, undermining the country’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Even before the ongoing crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lankan women and children had very high rates of malnutrition: 17 percent of children under 5 were too short for their age (stunted) and 15 percent were too thin for their height (wasted), a figure which is considered 'very high’ in WHO classifications. The current economic crisis will likely aggravate this further. WFP commenced its second-generation five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2023 – 2027 (CSP 2018-2022) which aims to address immediate food and nutrition needs while building medium to long-term solutions through four strategic outcomes.
All WFP Employees are expected to demonstrate the competencies and standards of behaviour aligned with our core values and defined in the WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK, namely:
Leading by example with integrity,
Driving results and delivering on commitments,
Fostering inclusive and collaborative teamwork,
Applying strategic thinking,
Building and maintaining sustainable partnership.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.
In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly
80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas. In Sri Lanka. a lower-middle-income country, WFP is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in tandem with sister UN Agencies and the government, and in particular, SDG 2, Zero Hunger.
Despite sound health indicators in Sri Lanka, in comparison to its South Asian neighbours, maternal, new born and child malnutrition continue to pose major challenges for the country, which is characterized by a high level of acute malnutrition, mild to moderate level of chronic malnutrition and widespread micronutrient deficiencies. Further compounding the issue is the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, as the country undergoes a dramatic nutritional transition influenced by economic growth, urbanization and shifts in the quality and quantity of diets.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
Thursday 27 July 2023
HOW TO APPLY
To be considered, interested candidates are invited to apply via (https://www.wfp.org/careers/job-openings). Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.
Request for Disability related Reasonable Accommodations:
It is important to WFP to create an accessible and inclusive workplace for everyone. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection and hiring process, please direct your request and inquiries to the Diversity and Inclusion team on: global.inclusion@wfp.org, cc’ing gimhani.kariyawasam@wfp.org. A member of the reasonable accommodation team will contact you to confidentially discuss your needs.
This email is only to be used for any disability related accessibility requirements, and not for sending the application itself. Due to volume of applications, any applications or CVs sent through this email address will not be considered as a formal application and will not receive a reply from WFP.
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WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment
WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.
