Government Partnerships Consultant – Social Protection

Job Title: Government Partnerships Consultant – Social Protection

• Type of Contract: International Consultancy
• Division: Global Partner Countries – Thematic Team
• Duty Station (City, Country): Rome HQ, Italy – would involve some travel
• Duration: 5 months – with possibility for extension

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

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.

The Global Partner Countries Division (GPC) supports organization-wide efforts to meet resource needs at corporate and country levels through active engagement with governments and public sector institutions. Within GPC, the Thematic Team was created in 2021 to advance WFP’s climate, resilience, social protection, and nutrition portfolio through more systematic and strategic fundraising for thematic and development activities, which requires a different approach than fundraising for WFP’s humanitarian work.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

WFP is seeking to fill the position of Government Partnerships Officer for Social Protection, based in the Global Partner Countries Division at Headquarters in Rome, Italy.

JOB PURPOSE

WFP relies entirely on voluntary contributions to finance its projects. Relationships with fundraising partners from the public sector are pivotal in supporting WFP projects that save and change the lives of millions of people around the globe.

Fundraising for the thematic agenda from development partners is gaining increasing momentum following the approval of WFP’s Strategic Plan. Such fundraising requires a distinct targeted and cross-departmental strategy that demands specific knowledge and skills – particularly in the area of social protection financing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Lead the implementation of a government donor engagement work plan on social protection to identify, develop, and strengthen quality partnerships supporting WFP’s strategic objectives, including organizing thematic discussions, events, and publications.
2. Develop positioning and engagement materials tailored to individual partners, aligning with policy dialogues in national and global fora; support coherent partner engagement across the organization.
3. Guide functional units, Regional Bureaux, and Country Offices on partnership strategies, proposal writing, and best practices; update social protection portfolios and funding needs.
4. Maintain up-to-date donor intelligence on social protection and promote key information system use within WFP.
5. Coordinate the Social Protection Trust Fund, ensuring donor relations and reporting are managed effectively.
6. Manage the social protection partnerships portfolio, including partner profiling, data analysis, outreach planning, and opportunity identification for partnership growth.
7. Support corporate dialogue with partners, highlighting strategic opportunities and presenting recommendations to senior management.
8. Assist in designing partnership proposals, negotiate agreements, and ensure partner visibility and compliance.
9. Support positioning of WFP’s social protection portfolio with governments and international institutions, sharing insights and advising on donor engagement.
10. Perform other related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education: Advanced University degree in International Development, Economics, International Relations, Social Protection, or a related field.

Experience: Minimum of 8 years in partnership roles, with expertise in social protection policy, financing, and programming.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Experience in developing multi-stakeholder partnerships and advocacy events.
• Proven ability to develop long-term relationships and expand engagement across sectors and geographies.
• Experience in resource mobilization, negotiations, and partner management.
• Data-driven decision-making skills and external messaging expertise.
• Innovative approach to system improvements and partner intelligence platforms.

Languages

Fluency (Level C) in English. Knowledge of Spanish, French, or Arabic is a strong asset.

Terms and Conditions

WFP offers a competitive compensation package, determined by contract type and qualifications. For more information, visit WFP’s website sections “Our work” and “Countries”.

Ref: VA No.832956

All employment decisions are merit-based. WFP is committed to an inclusive, discrimination-free workplace. Candidates will undergo background checks.

Note: No employment will be offered to members of certain UN oversight bodies within three years of service, as specified.

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