DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS27 October 2025-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Addis Ababa)
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 worldโs 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).
CONTRACTUL INFORMATION
JOB TITLE: Programme Assistant (Strategic Partnerships)
TYPE OF CONTRACT: Service Contract-Level 5
UNIT/DIVISION: African Union Global Office
DUTY STATION: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
DURATION: 12 Months with a possibility of extension
ABOUT WFP AUGO ADD OFFICE
The WFP AUGO Addis Ababa Office (ADD) works through policy, advocacy, and communications with a vision of positioning ADD as an effective and credible partner of the African Union (AU) and its organs and the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), among other UN agencies. ADD provides expertise and liaison geared to build, grow and nurture these partnerships with a view to achieve Zero Hunger as articulated in the Agenda 2030 and Africaโs Agenda 2063. ADD is unique among WFP Liaison Offices, in that its role is not resource mobilization but rather offers through advocacy and policy formulation, the alignment of WFP country IRM/CSPs within the African Development agenda.
OVERVIEW
Achieving zero hunger by 2030 requires smart investments in scalable solutions that can sustainably lift millions of people out of food insecurity and malnutrition. Resources need to be leveraged in areas where transformative actions offer the highest return on investment and help accelerate progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is the role of the international development community, including the World Food Programme (WFP), to provide evidence-based support to governments to address national priorities and deliver tangible results. While maintaining WFPโs core capabilities for humanitarian response and recovery, the organization must also identify opportunities to apply its strengths in the continuum from emergency relief to sustainable development. Through strategic partnerships, WFP has an increasing role to play as a catalyst for effective and innovative longer-term solutions that can simultaneously contribute to reducing humanitarian needs, while preserving development gains achieved to date. This includes leveraging investments in national capacities and systems that can eventually operate autonomously without WFPโs support. For that, the Strategic Partnerships Division aims at strategically positioning WFP within the development sphere, by boosting partnerships to better support national development processes and contribute to achieving zero hunger at country-level.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
This job is based in Addis Ababa WFP ADD office. Job holders report to the Senior Political Advisor or the designate.
JOB PURPOSE
Under the direct supervision of the Senior Political Advisor, the Strategic Partnerships Assistant will provide timely, quality support to STR, the Africa Office, Regional Bureau (RBs) and Country Offices (COs) in implementing corporate strategies and critical initiatives led by the Senior Director and will contribute to assisting the Senior Advisor in all his engagements with internal and external stakeholders to carry forward those initiatives.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
- The Strategic Partnerships Assistant will specifically contribute to the following pillars of work of the Strategic Partnerships Division:
- Support the enhancement of strategic engagement and partnership-building with the African Union and related regional and continental institutions.
- Support the facilitation and enhancement of South-South and Triangular Cooperation in support of zero hunger and the 2030 Agenda.
- Perform any other duties related to the work of the Strategic Coordination and Support office, as requested by the Senior Director.
Support the enhancement of strategic engagement and partnership-building with the African Union and related regional and continental institutions
1. Assist STR in implementing an engagement strategy to enhance engagement and collaboration with the African Union (AU) and other continental and regional institutions to support achievement of zero hunger and the 2030 Agenda:
- Assist in facilitating and enhancing strategic partnerships at relevant levels with the AU Organs, including where necessary the AU Presidency, the AU Chairperson, the AU Parliament, the AU Department for Political Affairs and the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security.
- Support the facilitation and enhancement where necessary, of strategic partnerships at technical and operational levels with the AU Agencies and Departments, including New Partnership for Africaโs Development (NEPAD), the African Union Humanitarian Agency (AUHA), the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency and other relevant departments of the AU.
- Support the strengthening and promotion of the new strategic partnerships with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and with the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNAUO), and other relevant agencies.
2. Conduct research to map relevant actors, identify areas of common interest between the host governments, the AU, International Financial Institutions and WFP and determine potential entry points for engagement in the framework of WFP Country Strategic Plans (CSPs).
3. Support the STR engagement with donor partners and IFIs to mobilize resources and public and private sector investments that can help advance progress towards SDG 2 and related SDG Goals and Targets.
4. Support the organization of high-level events, including in cooperation with the AU and IFIs, to advance the development agenda around shared priority areas.
5. Provide and continuously improve guidance, knowledge sharing, and lessons learned on engagement with the AU, Regional organizations and host governments.
6. Where delegated, represent STR, in discussions and initiatives related to AU partnerships by positioning WFP as a reliable strategic partner on issues related to WFPโs mandate, including food and nutrition security.
Facilitation and enhancement of South-South and Triangular Cooperation in support of zero hunger and the 2030 Agenda
- In coordination with the lead focal points in STR and relevant WFP Offices and Units, liaise with the China Office that serves as the WFP Centre of Excellence to enhance South-South and Triangular Cooperation to identify strategic opportunities for sharing Chinaโs experience in food and nutrition security, and poverty alleviation with other development countries and enhancing collaboration with the private sector in China (e.g., Alibaba).
- Liaise with the WFP South-South Knowledge Platform for Africa in Egypt and the WFP Centre of Excellence in Cote dโIvoire to identify strategic opportunities for facilitating exchange of experience and knowledge in food and nutrition security across the African continent.
- Where delegated, represent STR in technical level discussions and initiatives related to South-South Cooperation and Triangular Cooperation, and other projects as needed.
- Perform other duties as required.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A university degree in one or more of the following disciplines: political science, public administration, economics, international affairs, social sciences, development studies, or any other field related to international development. An advance university degree in the related field is an added advantage.
Experience: At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in public sector management, international development, emergency assistance and/or institutional strengthening. Specific experience in strategy formulation, project design and management, monitoring-evaluation, and partnership-building in a large multicultural institution in the field and headquarters is an asset.
- Relevant policy and strategy experience in policy discussion
- Proven ability and experience in the coordination of interagency networks, partnerships, strategies, and communications initiatives
Essential skills and competencies: Analytical and strategic thinking, strong writing, and research skills; good interpersonal skills, teamwork spirit and ability to work in a multicultural setting.
Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Amharic. Knowledge of other local languages is an added advantage.
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
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.
Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language
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
Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
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.