Partnerships & External Relations Officer (CST II) Damascus, Syria

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WFP is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our recruitment process is inclusively crafted to welcome candidates of all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and ensuring a respectful environment for all. We aim for an accessible and fair recruitment journey. Should you need any reasonable accommodations or have accessibility concerns, please reach out to us confidentially at global.inclusion@wfp.org. Our DEI team is here to ensure your full participation in our recruitment process.

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 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.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The candidate will report to the Country Director, Syria Country Office, and lead the External Relations team. The candidate will drive the effective positioning with public, private and other external partners to attract resources, policy support, and innovative solutions to advance the work of WFP in Syria. He/she will also ensure the development, planning and implementation of activities that support the overall partnerships and advocacy strategy. The position holder will work with Global Offices, the Regional Bureau, and Headquarters a well as Country Office colleagues to help protecting, diversifying, and growing support towards the implementation of the Interim Country Strategic Plan (ICSP) for Syria.

JOB PURPOSE

Guided by the Corporate Partnership Strategy, to manage effective relationships and collaboration with external partners in order to meet WFP strategic objectives. To represent WFP externally to safeguard and promote WFP interests. To ensure a flow of relevant information between WFP and partners, and propose opportunities for synergies that maximise results.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Actively engage in Syria CO strategic positioning and advocacy, by developing and guiding the implementation of a partnership and advocacy strategy that raise WFP’s profile and fundraising activities, working in close collaboration with relevant CO units and colleagues.
2. 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, including through the development of strategic analysis, documents, and guidance notes, as needed.
3. Advise on national, bilateral- and multilateral processes and cooperation frameworks, and engaging and influencing government, stakeholders, and other key actors on advancing WFP’s agenda.
4. Use socio-political insights to support WFP’s effective positioning vis-à-vis governments, regional and international institutions with the aim to influence the humanitarian policy agenda.
5. Facilitate corporate dialogue with partners including through preparation of quality briefing materials and organizing necessary missions, meetings and engagements.
6. Prepare and assist in the dissemination of political and development analysis pertaining to WFP current or future responses and donor policies, trends and preferences to ensure country specific input to WFP’s operational reporting.
7. Collect and share partner intelligence (including forecasting), using key information systems (e.g. WINGS, Salesforce, WFPGo), and assess results.
8. Engage with other functional units, Global Offices, the Regional Bureau, and Headquarters on country specific offerings, developing content and language that speak to individual audiences and align with on-going policy dialogue in regional and global fora.
9. Proactively build and maintain support a wide range of aspects of a partnerships portfolio, including partner profiling, data/trends analysis and outreach plan, to maximize resources and leverage policy and technical support for WFP’s work; Ensure partner visibility and that partner contractual conditions are met including reporting requirements.
10. Oversee the preparation of high-quality partnership proposals and reporting documents, strategic agreements, joint strategies and/or MOU, taking into account corporate norms, processes and external regulations; Ensure quality control of content by engaging with relevant functional units, Global Offices, the Regional Bureau, and Headquarters.
11. Represent WFP in inter-agency and/or donor forums and events, as needed.
12. Manage staff, providing coaching and guidance, to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance.
13. Other duties as required.
    

    STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

    Education: Advanced University degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics, Law, Marketing Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with two additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

    Experience: Minimum five or more years of relevant international professional work experience in partnership roles.
    
    

    Knowledge & Skills:

    • Experience developing and implementing resource mobilisation plans.
    • Excellent writing skills to ensure funding proposals and reports are delivered at a professional level.
    • Previous experience in communications and/or advocacy would be an asset.
    • People management and leadership skills.

    Language: Fluency (level C) in verbal and written English.
    

    📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

    ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

    DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

    • Has a good understanding of government and corporate strategies and priorities and gained experience in developing partnerships in both the humanitarian and resilience spheres.
    • Has gained significant experience in exploring new opportunities and providing inputs to design and develop solutions with prospective partners, including with the private sector.
    • 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 management.
    • Previous experience leading advocacy and/or communications team would be an asset.
    • Has gained experience in implementing the work plan for assigned area
    • Has built and maintained effective relationships with member states, UN agencies, NGOs, host government and other partners
    • Has researched and analysed social and political trends data
    • Has managed small teams of staff with related areas of expertise

    CONTRACT TYPE & DURATION

    Eligibility: This position is open to non-Syrian nationals only

    Contract Type: International Consultant Level II

    Contract Duration: 11 months

    Duty Station: Damascus, Syria

    Number of required employees: 1

    DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

    All applications should be received no later than June 4 2024 at 23:59 Syria time (GMT+3).

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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.