Head of Account Management P4 - Rome, Italy

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WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger 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.

Join us and make a difference!

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency working to create a world with Zero Hunger. While hunger and malnutrition are the world’s largest solvable issues, the needs are still immense, and a growing 821 million people in the world suffer from chronic hunger.  WFP and its partners believe that no one should go to bed hungry and that individual and collective wellbeing can only be achieved if all children, women, and men get the nutritious food they need to lead healthy dignified lives. Each year, WFP works globally as an emergency responder, one that is often the first on the scene in the most difficult environments. WFP also works with partners to strengthen the resilience of communities most vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition through long-term development programmes aimed at boosting food security, local economies, education, employment, and gender equality.  

To contribute to a world with Zero Hunger, WFP is investing in and growing private sector fundraising and partnerships to reach more people. The Private Partnerships and Fundraising Division (PPF) is responsible for engaging the private sector (corporations, individuals, foundations) through high-impact partnerships in support of WFP's strategic priorities, and through individual giving to build and retain support from the general public worldwide. Partnerships are both fundraising and technical in nature, with some bringing purely financial resources to the organization, whereas others bringing in-kind support, in the form of expertise and assets.  PPF strives to mobilize funding, technical assistance, innovative solutions, visibility, and awareness to help WFP fulfill its mission and operations. PPF also provides guidance to WFP Regional Bureaus (RBs), Country Offices (COs), and HQ Technical Units on partnership development, best practices, as well as compliance with rules and regulations for engaging with the private sector.  Joining PPF is an exciting opportunity for experienced professionals to co-develop and implement our new private partnerships and fundraising strategy.
 

JOB PURPOSE

We are looking for a talented Head of Account Management based in Rome, Italy at a P4 level. The position is part of the leadership team and will manage and optimize the impact and results of WFP’s portfolio of global partnerships with international and national businesses.  Growth from within the existing portfolio is essential, so this role will support partnership managers to identify and capitalise on account growth and development opportunities. WFP takes a needs-based approach to developing partnerships with the private sector and therefore all collaborations aim to deliver on the WFP’s strategic objectives, while driving annual activity plans which align with this strategy. Successful outcomes will ensure that partnerships meet financial resource targets, as well as demonstrating impact, reach and influence.  

The position is responsible for managing a team of partnership managers and their portfolio of high-value partnerships, supporting their strategic direction, management, development, growth, and renewal, in coordination with technical and field-based colleagues. This post will work closely with other divisions in PPF and other Divisions, RBs, and COs to deliver upon the partnership’s strategies. 

This role will need to work closely with the Business Development function, ensuring that all new partnerships are absorbed within the team through the allocation of dedicated partnership managers. Once the handover from Business Development takes place, establishing the governance and stewardship for all new partnerships will be the responsibility of the team.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

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• Lead the account management team and drive strategy implementation, partnership maximization, and growth in revenue or/ and impact. Provide guidance and support to the team and help set and achieve clear individual KPIs, objectives, goals, and timelines; 
• Supervise and nurture an effective team; support the professional development of team members. Performance management of the team, including monitoring stewardship and delivery to meet potential and existing partner needs, expectations, and priorities, and oversee all internal and external activities tied to meeting partner requirements;
• Oversee stewardship strategy, including identifying the need for and then facilitating meetings between senior WFP and corporate leadership for highest value partnerships; communicating with, presenting to and influencing key stakeholders at all levels of the partner organization, including executive and C-suite level; and ensuring account management team embodies and delivers on strategy;
• Oversee the impact assessment, reporting and communications, particularly for high value partnerships, ensuring accurate representation of achievements and progress;
• Liaise with both technical and field-based colleagues around WFP, to ensure partnership performance and impact are optimised, supporting the removal of blocks where needed for and with partnership managers; 
• Work with other teams, including business development, to identify and leverage external awareness opportunities, including events, conferences, forums, panels, and roundtables. Ensure WFP is positioned as a ”go-to” organization for partnership and transform WFP into a “go-to” brand for new partners;
• Collaborate with other areas across the organization to develop effective customized “pitch” materials for successful approaches, as well as materials to support senior leadership meetings to grow existing partners; 
• Liaise with other colleagues on the due diligence process and contracting.
   

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• You have a First University degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics, Marketing Communications, or another relevant field.

Experience

• You have at least eight (8) years of relevant and demonstrated experience in partnership development, marketing and communications, sales or agency account management, brand management, fundraising with large-scale corporations;
• You have a demonstrated track record of stewarding complex high-value corporate fundraising partnerships, delivering sustained revenue growth, and successfully securing partnerships renewals;
• You have at least eight (8) years of experience in managing a team of account specialists, setting clear targets and KPIs, and continuously tracking progress to achieve financial goals;
• You have extensive experience in managing a diverse team, both geographically and experience-wise.  You have a proven track record of developing and motivating team members;
• You have proven experience in growing and developing an existing portfolio, with demonstrable outcomes and outputs and financial results;
• You have extensive sales and marketing experience—experienced in research, planning, preparing, and landing pitches and negotiating with potential partners with a proven track record of successful negotiations with global enterprises;
• Experience prospecting and landing new high-value partners in an international organization with a development/humanitarian mission is desirable. Experience prospecting new clients for a private sector company and/or agency is preferred.
   

Languages

• You are fluent in oral and written English; 
• You have an intermediate knowledge of another UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages).

Soft skills

• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• You have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to cultivate relationships and influence senior decision-makers;
• You have well-honed team management and development abilities, particularly managing diverse and busy teams; 
• You have an understanding or appreciation for working in a large, complex, hierarchical, decentralized, and geographically dispersed organization,
• You have superior ability in explaining complex issues to external partners, presenting the organization and diverse operations compellingly, including when to leverage the experience of internal stakeholders in a sales pitch, and understanding how to align the needs and interests of the organization with those of a corporate partner;
•  You are highly adaptable to change and comfortable dealing with ambiguity, stress, and competing demands with grace and a sense of humor.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. He/she will be required to travel abroad, sometimes to remote and challenging locations.
• Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP. These positions are rotational, which means that the incumbent shall be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as non-rotational. Professional-level positions are rotational over a period of 2 to 4 years.
• 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, a pension plan, and medical insurance.
• Please visit our 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.
 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Sunday, 12 December 2021

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Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.