DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

To meet growing needs, WFP must operate differently. Traditional donor funding is increasingly volatile, and the humanitarian system is under strain. In this context, the private sector must become a strategic cornerstone of WFP’s operations, unlocking not only financial capital, but also innovation, influence, and systems-level solutions.

The Private Sector Partnerships and Fundraising Division (PSP) is leading this transformation. PSP forges high-impact partnerships with corporations, foundations, philanthropists, and non-traditional actors. These partnerships go beyond fundraising: they bring technical assistance, co-created innovations, digital capabilities, and advocacy power to help WFP deliver on its mission. PSP also provides strategic guidance and technical support to WFP’s Country Offices, Regional Bureaux, and HQ units, ensuring that private sector engagement is aligned with organizational priorities and compliant with global standards.

This position is based at WFP Headquarters in Rome, Italy, and reports to the Director of the Private Partnerships and Fundraising Division (PSP).

THE ROLE

This role is central to delivering the ambition of the 2026–2030 PSP Strategy, which aims to scale private sector income to $3–3.5 billion by 2030 and embed private sector collaboration as a core institutional capability across WFP.

To co-lead the implementation of WFP’s 2026–2030 Corporate Strategy by scaling high-value partnerships that integrate financial capital, in-kind contributions, technical capabilities, and innovation co-creation. This role is central to delivering WFP’s ambition to grow corporate income to USD 300 million annually by 2030, in line with the Private Sector Partnerships (PSP) Strategy.

The Senior Strategic Partnerships Officer – Innovation & Systems Engagement will unlock strategic, cross-sector collaborations that go beyond traditional donor relationships—embedding new models of engagement that deliver measurable impact aligned with the SDGs. Operating at the intersection of field operations and global influence, the incumbent will drive systemic shifts in how WFP engages with the private sector, enabling co-created innovations and integrated solutions across humanitarian and development contexts.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

• Translate the 2026 - 2030 Corporate Strategy into operational action—driving implementation of sector roadmaps, account scoring systems, and bundled giving models (cash + in-kind + co-marketing), while supporting priority country and sector strategies across key markets.

• Develop and operationalize next-generation engagement models, including co-creation frameworks, blended finance mechanisms, and on-demand service delivery, to unlock new value streams for WFP and its partners.
• Identify and activate high-potential, underleveraged fundraising markets—such as Italy, where private humanitarian giving exceeds $500 million annually—by supporting country-level strategies, developing local partnership ecosystems, and guiding the restructuring of Friends Organizations to align with WFP’s global fundraising model.
• In comparison, UNHCR raised over $30 million from individual fundraising in 2024 alone, demonstrating the scale of opportunity available when local markets are effectively engaged.
• Develop and institutionalize value proposition models combining cash, in-kind, technical expertise, employee giving, and visibility-focused mechanisms—expanding WFP’s capacity to deliver high-impact partnerships aligned with operational needs.
• Drive strategic engagement in frontier sectors—such as immersive media, gaming, blockchain, geospatial AI, and digital ID—to forge transformative alliances that enhance WFP’s operational capabilities, visibility, and outreach.
• Provide strategic foresight by monitoring global geopolitical trends and advising on implications for private sector engagement, investment climates, and risk landscapes.
• Position WFP as a solutions partner across global platforms, public–private fora, and academic institutions, shaping discourse and advancing WFP’s innovation and partnership agenda within the broader humanitarian-development ecosystem.
• Translate the Private Sector Strategy into actionable initiatives, ensuring alignment between external partnership opportunities and internal programmatic and operational priorities across WFP’s Global HQ and Country Offices.
• Lead the structuring and negotiation of complex, high-value partnerships, ensuring alignment with WFP’s policies and compliance frameworks while maximizing flexibility, predictability, and strategic value.
• Manage and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of innovation, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration in line with WFP’s leadership framework.
• Represent WFP in high-level dialogues and multilateral settings, including UN Country Teams and inter-agency platforms, to support WFP’s global influence objectives and SDG commitments.
• Identify and manage strategic, reputational, and operational risks associated with innovative partnerships, ensuring alignment with WFP’s due diligence and compliance standards.

• Other as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education: Advanced university degree in Political Science, International Development, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field, or First University degree with two additional years of related work experience.

Desired experiences for entry into the role: Minimum of 11 years of progressively responsible postgraduate professional experience, including:

• Leading the design and development of strategic partnerships with private sector entities, governments, and international financial institutions.

• Experience in blended finance, innovation ecosystems, or digital transformation is highly desirable.

• Familiarity with WFP friends’ organizations and strong knowledge of the Italian private sector market.

• Proven track record in negotiating complex, high-value partnerships.

• Experience working in multilateral settings or with UN agencies is an asset

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese (a WFP working language).

MORE ABOUT YOU
You bring:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align partnerships with organizational goals and global trends.

• Innovation Leadership: Familiarity with frontier technologies (e.g., blockchain, AI, immersive media).

• Negotiation & Influence: Strong skills in structuring and negotiating partnerships.

• Risk Management: Ability to identify and mitigate strategic and operational risks.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to represent WFP in high-level forums.

• Team Leadership: Experience managing diverse, high-performing teams.

• Track record in building and scaling transformative structures within decentralized organizations, driving internal change management, and mainstreaming partnership-enabling systems, including KM, M&E, and digital workflows.

• Analytical Skills: Ability to interpret geopolitical and market trends to inform strategy.

• Cross-sector Collaboration: Experience in co-creation with private sector, governments, and philanthropic actors.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Mobility is and continues to be, a core contractual requirement in WFP. The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed term rotational contract with a probationary period of one year.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards(http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, visa, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.

The position is based in Rome, Italy and the selected candidate will be expected to relocate.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.

• If you experience challenges while submitting your online application, please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org for technical support only.

• Please note that applications sent to this email address cannot be considered.

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.