Programme Policy Officer - Head of Cooperating Partners Management at World Food Programme (WFP)

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Programme Policy Officer - Head of Cooperating Partners Management

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Employer: World Food Programme (WFP)

Employment: Full-Time | Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 day ago

Deadline: June, 11/2025 (13 days left)

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ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The 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 an 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 a position of the Head of Cooperating Partners Management team, who will be responsible for 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, and with strong technical and operational support to WFP’s area and field offices; and is a key strategic position in ensuring programme partnership engagement processes comply with corporate standards.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Manage Cooperating Partners engagement processes and ensure that the 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 WP Ethiopia.

• Be responsible for the issuance of Expression of Interest, Request 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.
• 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.
• Contribute to formulation 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. 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. 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. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work. 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.
• 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.
• Advise 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. Lead, motivate, and develop a team of staff to enable high performance. Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for the achievement of set objectives within a moderate budget. Contribute to Country Office Emergency Preparedness, i.e., early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning to respond to humanitarian crises and needs. Other as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY REQUIREMENTS EDUCATION:

Education:

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

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in programme and policy, and specifically in cooperating partners management or grant management, is highly desirable.
• Strong Experience in preparing agreements with partners and reviewing budgets and reports for management.
• Knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations, and procedures governing administration.

Language:

• Fluency (level C) in English language.

MORE ABOUT YOU

• Experience in the 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 in supervising a team
• 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)

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Flexibility in accepting work assignments.

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