Partnerships Officer

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.
Junior Professional Officer (JPO)
Partnerships Officer
Maputo, Mozambique, RBJ
ABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is a highly prestigious, reputable and the world's 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. We are currently seeking a Junior Professional Officer to fill the position of a Private Sector Partnerships Officer with the External Relations Unit based in Maputo, Mozambique.
CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND
WFP Mozambique launched its new, second generation, Country Strategic Plan (2GCSP) (July 2022– December 2026), which is aligned with national and UN priorities (e.g., SDG2), and represents an opportunity to reverse the deteriorating food security and nutrition situation of recent years. WFP will apply appropriate, risk-informed resilience-building approaches across the triple (humanitarian–development–peace) nexus, saving lives in emergencies while changing lives by assisting populations to adapt and improve their livelihoods and better withstand recurring shocks.
In Mozambique, WFP has significantly expanded its operations over the last few years. The scale-up of its operations was due to two major tropical cyclones and a long drought that occurred in 2019, the escalation of violence and insecurity in the north of the country, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 onwards. In this context, WFP has been scaling up its humanitarian assistance, especially in northern Mozambique – where the conflict has intensified over the past few years and the security situation remains volatile – providing emergency food assistance to 1 million people in recent months.
Mozambique's geographical location in the inter-tropical convergence zone makes it particularly susceptible to extreme weather events, being the 3rd African country most prone to hydrometeorological disasters. Climate change amplifies Mozambique's exposure to periodic shocks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities. Since 2007, ten tropical cyclones have reached Mozambique – with Cyclone Freddy recently hitting the country in 2023. In Mozambique, the Cyclone Season occurs during the peak of the Lean Season, then hazards have the potential to deeply impact food production, yields and lead to a substantial increase in food prices. The global climate crisis is also driving more frequent and intense floods, droughts, and storms.
GENERAL INFORMATION
• Title of Post: Partnerships Officer
• Grade: P2
• Supervisor: Head of External Relations
• Unit: External Relations (Partnerships, Reporting and Communications)
• Division/Country Office: Mozambique
• Duty Station: Maputo-Mozambique
• Duration of assignment: Two years
This position is open to Portuguese nationals only
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the overall guidance of the Country Director and the direct supervision of the Head of External Relations, the JPO will have the following responsibilities:
• Provide support for mapping the private sector actors in Mozambique, working across various sectors (i.e food security, nutrition, agriculture, fisheries, extractives, supply chain, IT etc.).
• Engage with the private sector at national level and sub-sectoral level
• Support the development of Value Propositions on WFP Mozambique's activities
• Support negotiations with private sector entities (foundations, companies etc.) by preparing briefs, concept notes, proposals, and other materials for effective partnership deal closures.
• Liaise with WFP HQ and RBJ relevant private sector partnerships focal points to ensure that our engagements are aligned with WFP's policies and corporate guidance on private sector engagement
• Proactively coordinate with WFP Global Offices, WFP USA, WFP Japan, for their further private sector engagement for WFP operations in Mozambique.
• Work closely with the communications teams at different levels (Mozambique, regional and HQ) to safeguard that any reputational risks in relation to private sector partnerships are mitigated and/or addressed
• Support the identification and elaboration of agreements with private sector entities.
• Support the participation of WFP in all relevant working groups related to the private sector, including donor, UN and private sector-led groups.
• As relevant, liaise with other UN agencies and the UN Resident Coordinator's office to explore the possibility of formulating joint programmes
• Support the WFP Mozambique programme unit in strengthening programmatic partnerships and collaboration with the private sector, particularly on areas pertaining to value chain development and youth employment
• Lead on the coordination and organization of field visits (coordination with programme units, WFP field office and the private sector entity)
• For ongoing projects with the private sector, organize meetings and Steering Committee sessions involving WFP (WFP Mozambique, Regional Bureau and HQ), Government representatives of the private sector.
• Support WFP Mozambique CO capacity building on private sector engagement.
• Perform other related duties as required.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
• A mapping of relevant private sector actors in Mozambique.
• A paper on how selected private sector actors can contribute to climate change adaptation in Mozambique.
• Drafting of specific agreements with specific private sector actors.
• Project proposals (including concept notes, pitches full proposals) drafted.
• Reports specifically drafted for private sector entities
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
• Advanced university degree in economy, business administration, political science, international relations, or any other relevant field of studies.
• Minimum of two years relevant working experience in the field of international development, international organizations, NGOs, private sector entities such as foundations, companies, start-ups, chambers of commerce etc. and/or similar relevant professional and academic background
• Fluency in English and Portuguese
• Proficiency in Windows MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)
• Behavioural competencies: leads by example with integrity, drives results and delivers on commitments, fosters inclusive and collaborative teamwork, applies strategic thinking, builds, and maintains sustainable partnerships
DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS
• Exposure to the international arena either by direct work for an international institution/organization or by interacting with international stakeholders
• Intermediate level of one, or more, of the following official languages: French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian
• WFP's international professionals are required to serve in different locations around the world during their career (including in hardship duty stations); willingness to be mobile would maximise opportunities for long-term retention into the organization
SUPERVISION
Under the direct supervision of the the Head of External Relations the incumbent will be provided with close mentoring, guidance, and technical supervision. Performance planning and reviews as well as learning and development discussions will be elemental part of the supervision. With the support of a comprehensive induction package, the JPO will rapidly become a productive member of the team.
TRAINING COMPONENTS
Throughout their assignment WFP the JPO will have access to an industry leading learning platform, WeLearn. Depending on opportunities, he/she may participate in WFP workshops or seminars, as appropriate. Moreover, there will be a very important component of on-job training through field missions and hands-on tasks.
LEARNING ELEMENTS
At the end of the two-year assignment, the JPO should have obtained:
• In-depth knowledge of WFP Mozambique's portfolio of humanitarian and development interventions
• Exposure and familiarity with the UN common system through coordination with other agencies • Sound understanding of the private sector landscape in Mozambique
• Experience in relationship building with private sector partners
Saving Lives
Changing Lives

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