Partnership Consultant

Overview

Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the External Relations function.

You have:

• Advanced University degree in International Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, Economics, Law, Communications, Marketing, or related field;
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in partnerships, external relations, or resource mobilization.
• Proven experience managing multi-stakeholder partnerships, including with governments, donors, and private sector actors.
• Demonstrated experience in resource mobilization, proposal development, and donor engagement.
• Experience leading or supervising teams and delivering results through others.
• Strong experience in developing partnership strategies and expanding engagements.
• Experience working in complex and high-pressure operational environments is an asset.
• Fluency in English and French (both oral and written) is required.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

9 July 2026-23:59-GMT Greenwich Mean Time (Ouagadougou)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.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is 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.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

Job Title: Consultant Partnerships

Grade: CST II Duty Station: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Contract Type: Consultant

Organizational Context

Burkina Faso is facing a protracted food security crisis driven by insecurity, climate shocks, and economic pressures, resulting in large-scale displacement and increased vulnerability.

WFP’s operations focus on emergency response, nutrition, resilience-building, and strengthening national food systems. To deliver on its mandate, WFP engages a wide range of stakeholders, including government entities, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector partners, UN agencies, and media.Within this context, the External Relations Unit plays a critical role in positioning WFP as a partner of choice, mobilizing resources, and strengthening strategic partnerships.

Job Purpose

To provide strategic leadership and oversight of the External Relations function, ensuring effective partnership development, resource mobilization, donor relations, and positioning of WFP Burkina Faso in alignment with corporate and country strategic objectives.

The incumbent will lead a team and drive high-quality engagement with key stakeholders to secure sustainable funding and enhance WFP’s visibility and influence.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

1. Leadership and Management

• Lead and manage the External Relations Unit, ensuring clear priorities, high-quality outputs, and alignment with WFP strategic objectives.
• Supervise and develop a team of 4 staff, fostering a high-performance and inclusive work environment.
• Ensure effective coordination across partnerships, reporting, and communications streams.

2. Partnership Development and Resource Mobilization

• Design and implement partnership strategies and workplans to expand and diversify WFP’s funding base.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities, including with non-traditional donors and private sector actors.
• Develop and articulate compelling value propositions aligned with partner priorities.
• Strengthen and maintain strategic relationships with existing partners to maximize long-term engagement.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Positioning

• Build and manage relationships with government counterparts, donors, private sector, and multilateral stakeholders.
• Position WFP effectively in national, regional, and global policy discussions.
• Prepare high-quality briefings, talking points, and advocacy materials for senior management.

4. Partnership Management and Coordination

• Ensure coherent partner engagement across functional units and with Regional Bureau (RB) and Headquarters (HQ).
• Coordinate the development of Partnership Action Plans and ensure alignment with corporate frameworks.
• Oversee quality assurance of proposals, reports, and visibility materials.

5. Reporting, Analysis, and Knowledge Management

• Oversee donor reporting processes, ensuring compliance, quality, and timeliness.
• Monitor partnership performance and funding trends using corporate systems (e.g., WINGS, Salesforce, WFPGo).
• Promote data-driven decision-making to inform partnership strategies.

6. Strategic Development and Innovation

• Identify opportunities to expand existing partnerships and develop innovative collaboration models.
• Conduct partner analysis, due diligence, and risk assessments.
• Provide strategic advice to senior management on partnership opportunities and risks.

7. Representation and Advocacy

• Represent WFP in relevant forums, including UN, donor, and multilateral platforms.
• Support the organization of high-level events and partner engagements to advance WFP priorities.

8. Cross-Cutting Responsibilities

• Integrate gender equality and inclusion considerations across all partnership activities.
• Ensure compliance with WFP policies, procedures, and ethical standards.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Advanced University degree in International Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, Economics, Law, Communications, Marketing, or related field;

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in partnerships, external relations, or resource mobilization.
• Proven experience managing multi-stakeholder partnerships, including with governments, donors, and private sector actors.
• Demonstrated experience in resource mobilization, proposal development, and donor engagement.
• Experience leading or supervising teams and delivering results through others.
• Strong experience in developing partnership strategies and expanding engagements.
• Experience working in complex and high-pressure operational environments is an asset.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate priorities into actionable results.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including use of data for decision-making.
• High-level written and verbal communication skills, including reporting and presentations.
• Proven leadership and team management skills.
• Sound understanding of risk management and operational implications.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, diversity, and gender equality.

Languages

• Fluency in English and French (both oral and written) is required.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: [email protected]

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.
• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at [email protected]. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.
• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

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Potential interview questions

Added 21 hours ago - Updated 1 hour ago - Source: wfp.org