Partnership Officer at World Food Programme (WFP)

THE ROLE

Under direct supervision of the Head of Area Office (AO), the incumbent will operate in close collaboration with all Head of Units/Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) as relevant. Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for carrying out the following tasks and responsibilities as stated below;

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Foster, strengthen and promote collaboration between Borno State Government and WFP through enhanced coordination, communication and capacity strengthening.
• Provide technical support and expert advice to the Government teams in the areas of food security, nutrition and other relevant programmatic areas for better advocacy in access negotiation, resource mobilization and utilization, and service delivery;
• Identify capacity gaps within government institutions and facilitate relevant training programs. Enhance the understanding of humanitarian principles and coordination mechanisms among government officials, fostering a more effective and coordinated response to ensure a cohesive approach;
• Advocate for increased government engagement and support for humanitarian efforts. Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with relevant government departments, ministries, and agencies to enhance collaboration;
• Proactively identify and highlight opportunities and propose the course of action to nurture a wide range of aspects of common interest;
• Facilitate dialogue between the Government and WFP on issues pertaining the partnerships through preparation of briefing materials and joint field visits;
• Using socio-political insights, prepare an engagement strategy and provide guidance on strategic alignment of WFP work with Government priorities and emerging issues to achieve impact;
• Support convening of key stakeholders including the Government, Donors, UN Agencies, and Private sector to build coalition and synergies on critical matters of common interest (i.e.)capacity strengthening, climate change, food security and nutrition, etc.) using existing coordination mechanisms;
• Monitor the implementation of joint initiatives, ensuring compliance with agreed frameworks and guidelines. Prepare periodic reports on progress, challenges, and recommendations to inform decision-making processes;
• Participate in key meetings with relevant stakeholders including civil military coordination;
• Any other task as required.

QUALIFICATIONS & KEY REQUIREMENTS

• EDUCATION: Advanced University degree in Political Science, International Development, International Relations, Communications, Sociology, Social Research Methods or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

EXPERIENCE:

• 8 or more years of relevant professional experience related to national development programmes, policies, strategies or plans and institutional structures, preferably in relation to food security and/or nutrition and revolving around national capacity strengthening and/or programme and knowledge management;
• Deepened experience in technical coordination and operational support to state governments;
• Has a good understanding of government and corporate strategies and priorities and gained experience in developing multi-stakeholder partnerships;
• Has gained significance experience in exploring new opportunities and providing inputs to design and develop solutions with prospective partners;
• Has developed long-term partner relationships and expanded engagements across geographies and sector;
• Strong analytic, communication and interpersonal skills, including training and facilitation skills and demonstrated experience in conceptual analysis, planning and organizational skills.

LANGUAGES:

• Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of Kanuri and/or Hausa languages.

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE:

• Solid understanding of Agenda 2030 and of SDG2 and SDG17 and respective targets and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them;
• Knowledge of current thinking and development in country capacity development and effective knowledge transfer models, concepts and principles relevant to humanitarian/emergency contexts;
• Solid knowledge of WFP’s mandate, Country Strategic Planning process, intervention modalities, programme and project lifecycle tools, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation desirable; Solid knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues is essential; Demonstrated data collection and analytical writing skills, including ability to analyze and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information to understand national capacities across a wide range of policy and programme areas and identify gap and needs, as well as WFP’s entry points;Good operational, analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written outputs and ability to present English and/or in the language of the region;
• Moderate to proficient computer literacy

SOFT SKILLS:

• Excellent ability to develop and maintain networks with a variety of stakeholders
• Strong facilitation skills for strategic/analytical workshops and group discussions
• Strong analytical, problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to convey an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders
• Flexibility to adapt individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from colleagues and internal/external changes
• Ability to participate in open dialogue and value diverse opinions, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment
• Willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work;
• Ability to work independently in a timely and organized manner
• Ability to work in a team and multi-task as needed.