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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

United Nations World Food Programme’s Country Strategy Plan (2020-2025) in Ethiopia is based on WFP’s recognized strengths, strong strategic and operational partnerships with the Government, private sector entities, NGOs and other UN agencies. In Ethiopia, WFP provides lifesaving and life sustaining food and nutrition assistance, school feeding, as well as resilience building activities, in partnership with 47 partners, including both NGOs and government partners.   While the bulk of operations continue to address the immediate short-term needs of refugees, internally displaced persons and other food-insecure and undernourished people, there is a gradual expansion and intensification of resilience and livelihood diversification initiatives at the humanitarian–development–peace nexus. Further, WFP has implemented assurance project that provides enhanced safeguards and controls ranging from vulnerability based targeting and digitized registration to enhanced monitoring and community-based feedback mechanisms. A key element of the assurance measures is effective cooperating partners management as per WFP global policies and standards.

JOB PURPOSE

WFP Ethiopia Country Office is seeking to fill the position of Head of Cooperating Partners Management who will be responsible in managing NGO and government partnerships engagement processes as well as programme budgets that support the implementation of WFP’s Country Strategic Plan activities. This position will supervise the Cooperative Partners Management Team in Country Office; with strong technical and operational support to WFP’s area and field offices. This is a key strategic position in ensuring programme partnership engagement processes are in compliance with corporate standards.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Manage Cooperating Partners engagement processes and ensure that latest WFP corporate standard and templates on partnership engagements are used and the partnerships capacity, risks and performance reviews process at the Country Office align with the needs for WFP Ethiopia.
2. Be responsible in the issuance of Expressions of Interest, Requests for Proposals and Field Level Agreement awards, agreements and subsequent amendments, ensuring that all agreements and amendments are constructed and issued in line with WFP legal and financial rules and regulations.
3. Facilitate the preparation of semi-annual and annual implementation plans budget (aligned to the WFP Country Strategic Plan and Country Portfolio Budget) in collaboration with the Head/Deputy Head of Programme, Activity managers.
4. Contribute to formulation of programme policies in line with both organizational strategy and the practical realities of operating in the field; or translate programme policy into Regional/Country level practices.
5. Provide advice and support to COs on moderately complex issues to clarify ambiguities and ensure that policy and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies, Executive Board decisions, and other relevant guidance.
6. Assist counterparts in governments and other partners in identifying where food assistance can be usefully employed and provide support and technical expertise for the planning, formulation, and implementation of moderately complex food assistance programmes to strengthen government and community ownership and effectiveness of food security and nutrition programmes at national and sub-national levels.
7. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work.
8. Manage the preparation and dissemination of timely analytical and critical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use.
9. Contribute to resource mobilization efforts for WFP projects, including clearly articulating the need for food assistance and related programme opportunities, and follow up on the resource situation of projects including commodity and cash availability, seeking advice from senior colleagues where necessary.
10. Advice and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partners to design and deliver effective food assistance programmes.
11. Lead, motivate and develop a team of staff to enable high performance.
12. Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set objectives within a moderate budget.
13. Contribute to Country Office Emergency Preparedness i.e. early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning in order to respond to humanitarian crises and needs.
14. Other duties as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

EXPERIENCE:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in programme and policy; and specifically in cooperating partners management or grant management.
• Strong experience in preparing agreements with partners and reviewing budgets and reports for management.
• Experience in management of Cooperating partners, timely review and processing of partners invoice, partners performance reviews and partners selection processes.
• Experience in translating operational requirements into financial information and cost-efficient plans.
• Experience supervising a team with ability to establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

• Knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations, and procedures governing administration.
• Ability to negotiate and maintain strong partnerships with field focused approaches.
• Demonstrated skills in managing complex portfolios.
• Strong analytical skills; resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment, tact, negotiating skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of using MS Office suite package (Word, Excel, Teams)

LANGUAGE:
•    Fluency (level C) in English language.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

14 February 2024

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.