Assistant Executive Director, Partnerships and Governance Department

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is saving lives, changing lives, to end global hunger.  Every day, WFP works in partnerships 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. 

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

The Partnerships and Governance Department provides leadership and expertise to WFP's global partnership and resource mobilization efforts, ensuring that WFP gets maximum resources to fully meet the needs of the people we serve, in order to support Member States in achieving zero hunger and Agenda 2030.  WFP raised USD 6 billion in funding in 2017.

The Assistant Executive Director, Partnerships and Governance Department will provide strategic leadership and guidance, and ensure timely and effective support to WFP’s extensive partnerships, fundraising and governance activities. The post carries the grade of Assistant Secretary-General and is located at WFP’s global headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the AED Partnerships and Governance Department, as part of WFP’s senior management team, will be responsible for:

• Providing strategic leadership and guidance to the Partnerships and Governance Department, setting direction at corporate level to ensure management effectiveness, strong partnerships, effective and productive government and private donor relationships and secure diverse funding bases to meet the ever-changing needs and challenges of WFP’s operating environment;
• Guiding, directing and seeking continual improvements in the organization’s partnership and fundraising activities with governments, the United Nations System, including Rome-based agencies and the private sector, as well as WFP’s offices in Washington, Brussels, New York, Geneva, Berlin, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, Madrid, and Paris;
• Support engagement in United Nations processes that shape the humanitarian and development environment, including the corporate engagement with the United Nations Reform;
• Guiding and managing WFP’s relations with the Executive Board and overseeing Secretariat services;
• Supporting the development and implementation of the Executive Director’s strategic objectives and contributing towards enhancing WFP’s relevance and impact;
• Providing intellectual leadership and strategic guidance to the team and taking decisions to ensure delivery of overall corporate initiatives at the headquarter, regional and country office levels;
• Encouraging a focus on outputs, outcomes and results whilst encouraging innovation.

CORE REQUIREMENTS

• Advanced university degree (or Master’s equivalent) in economics, management, business administration, diplomacy, communications, corporate governance, political sciences, international relations, international development, law or in any other relevant area.
• At least 20 years of progressively responsible professional experience in building and maintaining internal and external network and partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver change and results in operationally sensitive contexts.
• A proven track record in substantial resource mobilization through both sustained support of current funding sources and expanding to new, diverse funding sources.
• A leader with a high degree of integrity and forethought in his/her approach to making decisions.
• A strong sense of diplomacy and instincts for organizational dynamics in order to manage complex and trusted relationships tactfully and effectively. 
• Excellent presentation, public speaking and overall communication skills.
• Knowledge of WFP’s business context including the delivery of large-scale humanitarian and/or development operations.
• Experience managing large multi-disciplinary teams of experts across a variety of job functions and creating an enabling environment.
• Strong business acumen; analyse trends and adapt to changing conditions and priorities to enable strong strategic and tactical execution.
• Strong networking and relationship building skills, evidenced by an extensive network of contacts with key players and stakeholders at the international level.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
• Intellectually curious, creative and strategic thinker. Able to think out of the box, challenge conventional norms, and try new approaches, with tact and judgement. A team player with a high level of energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to the mission and objectives of WFP.

LANGUAGES

• Fluency (level C) in English language. Working knowledge of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese is desirable.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. For more details please visit icsc.un.org.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

All applications should include a cover letter and the curriculum vitae of the candidate and must be submitted through WFP Careers website by 12 May 2018.