Partnerships Officer

World Food Programme•Washington, DC

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to 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. WFP values diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunities. The organization offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment, investing in the personal and professional development of its employees through various training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and internal mobility opportunities. A career at WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across global offices with passionate colleagues dedicated to ensuring effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions worldwide. WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree Required
Minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in partnerships or fundraising for an internationally focused organization.
Strong experience in writing and managing grant proposals and awards, with a thorough understanding of US compliance and general requirements.
Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate across teams.
Experience with developing and monitoring programme budgets, ensuring compliance with donor guidelines and financial reporting requirements.
Solid understanding of the UN system, WFP, US government agencies and food aid and agricultural policies in general.
Fluency (level C) English.
Applicants must already have valid US work authorization as WFP is not able to sponsor visas for this position.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in International Affairs or related field preferred.
Knowledge of and experience with USDA McGovern Dole school feeding programs or US Food for Peace programs is highly preferred.
Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second UN language is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction and oversight for the USDA McGovern-Dole portfolio or US Food for Peace programs, ensuring effective coordination across WFP offices and alignment with donor policies and programmatic goals.
Directly manage a portfolio of countries and supervise a team, offering guidance, support, and oversight to ensure high-quality implementation across all assigned portfolios.
Foster a culture of accountability and performance by clearly communicating expectations, offering regular feedback, and supporting professional development through coaching and development planning.
Proactively address performance issues, taking timely and appropriate action to support improvement and uphold team standards.
Continuously seek to improve people management skills by soliciting feedback and implementing strategies for personal and team growth.
Lead the design and management of resource mobilization processes, providing strategic guidance and resourcing advice to senior leadership and developing tailored strategies for USDA.
Coordinate the development and submission of McGovern-Dole or US Food for Peace proposals, working closely with HQ, Regional Offices, and Country Offices to ensure high-quality, timely submissions.
Provide technical support to Country Offices in programme design, strategy development, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and budgeting, including leading workshops to support proposal development.
Develop and maintain standardized templates and guidance materials to support consistent and effective proposal writing across the portfolio.
Serve as a final reviewer for all USDA proposals, ensuring quality control and alignment with donor expectations prior to submission.
Lead negotiations of USDA McGovern-Dole or US Food for Peace contributions and related legal frameworks, ensuring compliance with internal policies and donor regulations while advocating for favorable terms for WFP.
Facilitate partnership growth by identifying opportunities to expand existing collaborations and initiate new ones, conducting due diligence and presenting strategic recommendations to senior management.
Build and maintain strong, transparent relationships with USDA and other partners by proactively communicating program risks, challenges, and opportunities.
Serve as a liaison between WFP units and USDA, facilitating consistent information flow and expanding engagement across geographies, sectors, and projects.
Coordinate and lead donor meetings, ensuring strategic alignment and effective representation of WFP’s priorities.
Provide technical support and quality assurance to Country Offices and Regional Offices for donor deliverables, including semi-annual financial and performance reports, annual work plans, and evaluation products, ensuring timely and accurate submission.
Develop and deliver training materials, guidance, and best practices related to donor deliverables, strengthening internal capacity for effective donor engagement.
Collaborate with other functional units to align messaging and engagement strategies with the donor.
Collect, analyze, and share partner intelligence using internal systems (e.g., WINGS, Salesforce, WFPGo) to inform strategic decision-making and partnership development.
Advise WFP on the new Food for Peace process, as the entire in-kind humanitarian food aid portfolio has shifted to USDA from USAID/ State Dept.
Develop, update, and disseminate guidance, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), tools, templates, and best practices to support Country Offices in operating in full compliance with USDA donor agreements and WFP processes.
Prepare and deliver virtual and in-person trainings and orientations for Country Office and WAS staff on USDA compliance topics, including applications, funding proposals, risk management, and award terms.
Provide technical support and problem-solving assistance by investigating grant and award histories, and liaising with relevant teams across WAS, Country Offices, Regional Offices, and Headquarters.
Leverage data and insights from internal systems and engagements to identify trends, inform process improvements, and develop innovative solutions that enhance donor compliance and partnership value.
Promote the use of digital tools and technologies to collect, analyze, and share data-driven insights that support continuous learning and operational excellence across the USDA portfolio.
Provide advanced technical support on grants and financial systems, troubleshooting complex issues and contributing to the design and implementation of system improvements.
Lead and support training initiatives for staff on McGovern-Dole or US Food for Peace budgeting and grants management processes to ensure consistent understanding and application.
Assist Country Offices in developing project budgets and monitor expenditures throughout the award lifecycle to ensure alignment with donor requirements and financial targets.
Oversee and ensure accuracy of grants management entries in WINGS for USDA-related contributions, maintaining compliance with internal and donor standards.
Maintain internal tracking databases, analyze program and financial reports to support informed decision-making, and proactively address budgetary challenges as they arise.