Organizational Setting
The Resource Mobilization Division (PSR) leads and coordinates the mobilization of approximately USD 2 billion per year in voluntary contributions from a variety of resource partners including traditional and emerging donors, international organizations, development banks, vertical funds, foundations and the private sector in support of FAO's strategic priorities. To achieve this, PSR manages the Organization's close and constant relationship with its resource partners, develops and disseminates qualitative and quantitative donor analytics, conducts extensive capacity development on resource mobilization (RM) for FAO field and headquarters staff. PSR is also the Business Process Owner (BPO) for the negotiation of all FAO funding agreements for voluntary contributions, approximately 800 per year, in line with the fiduciary standards of the Organization, acting as coordinator for various funding liaison units throughout the Organization and facilitator of all required trust fund clearances with FAO Legal, Finance, Procurement and Audit functions. In leading FAO’s engagement with Resource Partners, PSR develops tools, events and platforms to facilitate that engagement, and coordinates and oversees results reporting to ensure accountability to resource partners. PSR normally experiences an approximate 50/50 percent workload division between trust fund negotiation/ contract compliance and marketing/analytics and donor outreach.
The Division works through four major Units: the European Partners Unit, the Global Partners Unit, the Marketing Unit and the Flexible Funding Unit.
The post is located at FAO headquarters in Rome Italy, in the Resource Mobilization Division, PSR, specifically in the Global Partners Unit.
The Global Partners Unit leads trust fund and grant negotiations and develops strategic tools to facilitate identification of potential resource partners and opportunities with bilateral resource partners in North America, Asia, the Near East, Latin America and Africa. It also leads FAO resource partner engagement with International Financial Institutions, UN to UN agreements and contractual negotiations for vertical funds such as the Global Environment Fund (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Pandemic Fund. It engages on a daily basis with a wide range of traditional and emerging resource partners through active resource partner liaison and support of relevant units, assisting FAO teams in formulating/managing Trust Fund projects along the project cycle.
Reporting Lines
The Senior Programme Officer (Head of Global Partners Unit) reports to the Director, PSR and leads the Global Partners Unit.
Technical Focus
Resource mobilization, donor relations, grant negotiation, capacity development and programming support.
Key Results
Leadership and coordination in support of the mobilization of voluntary contributions, focusing on sustainable agriculture, production climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental restoration, rural development, food security and nutrition and resilience; facilitation/negotiation/formalization of grant agreements; decentralized network on resource mobilization coordination; capacity development and programming support and marketing; outreach and reporting to partners; guidance and support to units responsible for operating projects.
Key Functions
• Manages and leads specialized team(s); plans and develops annual work plans to achieve divisional targets.
• Leads strategic thinking and prepares related plans to further develop and facilitate implementation of the Corporate Resource Mobilization Action Plan (ReMAP).
• Collaborates with and ensures support to the FAO Strategic Framework, headquarters teams, Centers/Divisions/Offices and Decentralized Offices to mobilize resources partnerships in line with defined corporate priorities.
• Initiates contact with potential partners to explore funding opportunities, leads negotiations of funding agreements and project proposals with governments, international organizations, private sector and civil society partners; maintains effective working relationships with key stakeholders throughout the project cycle, including to support implementation, facilitates monitoring and compliance issues and ensures submission of reports, as required.
• Leads capacity development efforts in support of staff in all locations with regard to resource mobilization partnerships through policy development, the production of training material and delivery of training.
• Manages marketing and outreach activities related to the FAO Strategic Framework and defined Programme Priority Areas (PPA); facilitates donor meetings, events and outreach campaigns.
• Facilitates the global Resource Mobilization and ensures support is provided to Regional Initiatives teams; monitors and reports on key results.
• Represents the Organization in meetings with government officials, partners and donors in order to advocate for strategic partnerships; represents PSR on organization-wide committees and working groups.
Specific Functions
• Leads the Global Partners Unit, including the Emerging Partners Team and the Asia-North America Team, with approximately 15 staff and consultants.
• Provides strategic guidance and daily oversight to the two Team Leaders, on engagement with key donors and in-house client units.
• Leads the development and implementation of resource mobilization strategies related to the assigned portfolio of resource partners.
• Responsible for funding agreement negotiations, contract clearance and grant management for the assigned portfolio of resource partners, in order to ensure that all funding agreements meet FAO compliance standards, liaising with the appropriate legal, financial, operational, budget and field units of FAO.
• Liaises with the Project Support Division to ensure that programme delivery meets the agreed standards and conditions of the resource partner.
• Organizes regular and ad hoc partner meetings in support of specific resource mobilization goals of the Organization.
• Advises and supports Decentralized Offices of FAO in their resource mobilization efforts.
• Provides leadership, guidance and mentoring to staff and consultants assigned to the Group.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in international development, development economics, international law, contract law, business administration, agriculture, agricultural economics or another field relevant to the work of the Organization.
• Ten years of relevant experience in international development, donor aid programmes, fundraising, grant negotiations and management.
• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
Competencies
• Results Focus
• Leading, Engaging and Empowering
• Communication
• Partnering and Advocating
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Thinking
Technical/Functional Skills
• Extent and relevance of experience in developing countries and/or in the humanitarian context.
• Extent and relevance in leading large multicultural teams.
• Extent and relevance of experience in Resource Mobilization and negotiating complex funding agreements with bilateral and multilateral institutions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in managing relations and outreach with partners.
• Extent and relevance of experience in developing vision, strategies, and in preparing and coordinating programmes.
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.