Chief, Americas Liaison Office (*re-advertisement)

Organizational context

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

The mission of the Partnership and Resource Mobilization Office is to strengthen IFAD’s outreach and partnership performance and to ensure innovative, efficient and effective resource mobilization and supplementary and trust fund management by focusing on institutional strengths to build long-term relationships of mutual respect and benefit for IFAD and its partners.  PRM Office serves as a facilitator and broker in support of the partnership and resource mobilization efforts throughout IFAD.  PRM’s work is to ensure that IFAD proactively establishes itself as the preferred partner of key actors for initiatives and investments to enable smallholders to exit poverty sustainably.  It serves as a driver for global support to smallholders and their role in poverty reduction, food and nutrition security, and environment and natural resource management. The Partnership and Resource Mobilization Office has three Liaison Offices:

1. The America Liaison Office (ALO) with two offices(Washington and New York)

2. The Arab and the Gulf State (AGL) with the office in Rome

3. The Asia and the Pacific (APL) with the office in Rome.

The Chief of an IFAD Liaison Office is policy and strategy leader of this Liaison Office. S/he acts as authoritative professional expert and leads the team in the IFAD Liaison Office.  In this function, s/he leads and  manages the regional liaison work to improve IFAD’s partnership, corporate outreach and engagement in the region.  The Chief accountabilities/key results are:

• Leading the Liaison Office.

• Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization.

• Knowledge Management and Capacity Building.

• Managerial function.

The Chief works under the general supervision of the Director PRM; S/he works collaboratively with the Senior Partnership and Resource Mobilization Specialists heading the technical units.

In particular, the Chief ALO  is responsible for supervising and coordinating activities related to communication between U.S. lawmakers and IFAD management, transmitting IFAD's messages in a transparent manner and ensuring that the U.S. Administration and the U.S. Congress, and other key actors understand the Fund's objectives and how these align with U.S. objectives when it comes to foreign aid and foreign policy.

The Chief ALO supervises coordinated activities with IFAD colleagues at HQ and in ICOs as well as Congressional committees to communicate the status of IFAD's programmes and policies. Additionally, the Chief ALO coordinates and supervises the preparation and provision of materials representing the Fund's position on pertinent issues in preparation for Congressional hearings and other events. She/He is also a main interlocutor within a wider Washington community, including International Financial Institutions.

Key results expected / Major functional activities

1. Leading the Liaison Office

The Chief ALO manages the work of the Liaison Office and is responsible for day-to-day management and implementation of the programmatic and operational activities of IFAD Liaison Office. Accountabilities may include:

1. Provide policy guidance to the Director and develop forward-looking strategic proposals on resource mobilization.
2. Develop and maintain strategic partnership and collaboration with Governments, public and private institutions including NGOs, Foundations and Research entities in the Region through policy dialogue
3. Oversee advocacy and knowledge sharing within deliberative and policy processes in the region and leverage expertise to advise Senior Management on regional strategic issues as required.
4. Organize and coordinate representation activities to secure support for, and implement policy and achieve objectives of, the organization; prepare reports and write commentaries on.
5. Advise on issues affecting the organization's external relations;

2. Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization

The Chief ALO develops and maintains a network of key stakeholders in the region to enhance the Fund’s profile as a highly competent and viable partner. Accountabilities may include:

1. Ensure sustained support from current funding sources and identify and cultivate potential new sources of funds.
2. Ensure increased, consistent, and strategic visibility for IFAD. Position IFAD to exert greater influence by expanding partnerships and increasing resources for smallholders.
3. Represent IFAD with officials of intergovernmental organizations and international financial institutions based in the region, as required.

3. Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

The Chief ALO keeps management and staff informed on potential partnership’s criteria and priorities which may include:

1. Establish and maintain effective methods for regular communication and knowledge sharing between IFAD and key stakeholders in the Region.
2. Ensure on-going analysis; monitoring and reporting on the partnership activities in the Region available to senior management and IFAD colleagues.

4. Outreach with U.S. Government and partners

With specific reference to outreach with U.S. governments and partners, the Chief ALO:

a. Ensures the development and implementation of an effective outreach and advocacy strategy with the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Administration, identifying and cultivating champions, promoting increased awareness of IFAD and its mandate, highlighting synergies and complementarities with the U.S. position and strategy vis-á-vis issues of mutual relevance.

b. Ensures that ALO provides timely intelligence and analysis of relevant developments and activities within the Congress, the Administration, the U.S. Treasury and other partners of relevance to the Fund.

c. Develops and maintains strong relations with U.S. based advocacy groups, e.g. InterAction, the One Campaign, the Alliance to End Hunger, etc.

5. Managerial Functions: The Chief is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes:

1. People Management through support to recruitment of Partnership and Resource Mobilization Officers, capacity building, coaching and mentoring of new and/or more junior staff, supervision and evaluation of performance of consultants, short-term staff, interns and staff under his/her purview.
2. Resource Management by providing strategic and technical advice for Knowledge and Content Management.
3. Appropriate and up-to-date information and reporting are available to clients and peers.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Assignments require the provision of authoritative professional expertise. The Chief leads and manages the Liaison Office and represents IFAD with officials of intergovernmental organizations and international financial institutions based in the Region.

Work at this level is considered of critical concern to the Fund as it serves to improve IFAD’s partnership, corporate outreach and engagement in the region.  An inadequate handling of activities may result in damaging the credibility of the Fund with partners and the Region.

Representation / Work relationships

The Chief serves as the Fund’s senior regional expert in the Liaison Office and exercises wide professional latitude in developing and maintaining strategic partnership and collaboration with key contacts in the Region in order to expand partnerships and increases resources for smallholders. S/he acts as a credible voice of the organization and represents IFAD with officials of intergovernmental organizations and international financial institutions based in the Region. Representation combines the capacity to present, identify opportunities, establish frameworks for interaction and maintain and grow relationships over time.

Competencies

Organizational

• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Strategic leadership (Level 2)
• Demonstrating Leadership: Leads by example; initiates and supports change (Level 2)
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Challenges, innovates and contributes to a learning culture (Level 2)
• Focusing on clients: Contributes to a client-focused culture (Level 2)
• Problem solving and decision making: Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact (Level 2)
• Managing time, resources and information: Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources (Level 2)
• Team Work: Fosters a cohesive team environment (Level 2)
• Communicating and negotiating: Acquires and uses a wide range of communication styles and skills (Level 2)
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally (Level 2)
• Managing performance and developing staff: Manages staff and teams effectively (Level 2)

Technical/Functional

• Authoritative expertise at the regional level with the demonstrated ability to formulate new approaches in respect of partnership building and resources management and build strong relationships with clients, focusing on impact and results.
• Ability to conduct sound political analysis and understand complex environment in the region and provide options and advice
• Ability and skill in identifying best practices and implementing innovations in the field of work and adapting them to partnership issues in the Fund.
• Strong results-oriented decision-making ability with the ability to translate business strategies and needs into practical solutions.
• Strong diplomatic communication and negotiation with the ability to develop a close and effective working relationship with client and counterparts at the appropriate levels, demonstrated by a track record of developing and sustaining effective relationships with clients and stakeholders.

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education:

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in Economics, Political Sciences, Public Policy, Public Administration, Development Studies or related field.

Experience:

• At least 10 years progressively responsible experience in providing strategic policy advisory services and relationships building with progressively responsible supervisory / team leader experience is required.
• Successful track record in establishing, building and managing partnerships with various stakeholders in the Region and beyond.
• Knowledge of development finance systems of donor countries in the Region.
• Experience and knowledge of rural development in the Region.

Language requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Working knowledge of another official language (Arabic, French, or Spanish) is desirable.

Other information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.

*This position is being re-advertised. Those applicants who have previously applied to VA 1603 need not re-apply