Job Description

international fund for agricultural development ifad

Organizational Setting

This Call for Interest is for a Temporary Professional Officer (TPO) position, which is a short-term contract. The appointment of a short-term staff member carries no expectation of continuous employment or conversion to any other type of appointment with IFAD.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

The External Relations Department (ERD) leads IFAD's external engagement through public and political advocacy, global policy engagement, partnership building, resource mobilization and strategic communications. ERD also leads IFAD's Replenishment, which is the process through which IFAD mobilizes core funding from Member States and agrees on priorities and targets for the Fund's work during each three-year replenishment period. ERD is led by an Associate Vice President and is comprised of two divisions: Global Engagement Partnership and Resource Mobilization Division (GPR) and the Communications Division (COM) and one initiative: The Food Systems Coordination (FSC).

The Global Engagement, Partnership and Resource Mobilization (GPR) Division has a specific focus on global policy engagement, partnerships (including with Member States and bilateral and multilateral organizations), and on driving the resource mobilization efforts with traditional and non-traditional donors and partners. Within this framework, the GPR Division addresses three main functions: Global policy engagement and multilateral relations; Strategic partnerships; Replenishment and resource mobilization, including supplementary funds and blended finance.

GPR is led by a Divisional Director and comprises four (4) Liaison Offices: the Americas Liaison Office which includes a presence in Washington, D.C. (ALO) and New York (NYLO); the Arab and Gulf States Liaison Office (AGL); the Japan Liaison Office (JLO); and an office in Brussels (EU/BRX).

Job Role

This temporary opportunity is for a senior professional with demonstrated expertise and the ability to substantively contribute related to IFAD's partnership engagement with private sector entities and foundations. The incumbent works collaboratively with other colleagues across the GPR Division and other relevant Departments/Divisions - such as the Department of Country Operations (DCO) and the Office of Technical Delivery (OTD) - to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of programme development support.

The Senior Partnership Officer will leverage relationship management skills and his/her professional networks to bring greater partnership engagement and influence in support of IFAD's mission.

Key Functions and Results

This 11-month temporary opportunity as a Senior Partnership Officer (private sector and foundations) includes the following responsibilities:

• Lead development and implementation of strategies for building partnerships with and mobilizing resources from foundations, philanthropic organisations and private sector entities for IFAD's mandate and priorities, ensuring innovative, and pragmatic collaboration.
• Promote, advocate, and communicate for increased support with private sector, foundations and philanthropic organisations for IFAD, taking into account strategic priorities in IFAD's Programme of Loan and Grants and Programme of Work.
• Assist the Department for Country Operations (DCO), and its Directors and Country Programme Managers, as well as the Office of Technical Delivery (OTD) in mainstreaming partnerships with private sector entities and foundations in support of operational priorities. 
• Collaborate internally to strengthen IFAD's approach and narrative to partnerships with private sector, foundations and philanthropies, for example as part of IFAD14 Replenishment; particularly working with DCO, OTD and the Communications Division to develop strong stories of IFAD's engagement with such partners.
• Working with private sector partners, foundations and philanthropies to ensure IFAD has a high profile and visibility in key global engagements (COP31, UNGA, etc.).
• Manage GPR's role in IFAD's due diligence systems for partnerships with Private Sector and Foundations;
• Build and manage partnerships with networks and organisations relevant for IFAD's private sector engagement agenda, such as WEF.

Key results targets

• Develop and implement an Action Plan on for IFAD's partnerships with Foundations and Philanthropic Organisations, in support of IFAD14 priorities.
• Building on IFADs Private Sector Operational Engagement Strategy (2024), develop and implement an Approach Paper for developing partnerships with private sector companies, focusing on key Member States. 
• Close collaboration established and maintained with DCO and OTD.

Job Profile Requirements

Education:

• Level - Advanced university degree 
• Areas - international development, international relations, political science or other job-related field

Degree must be an accredited institution listed on  

Experience:

• At least eight (8) years of progressively relevant experience is required. 
• Three (3) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scale 
• Experience in providing strategic policy advisory services and relationships building with progressively responsible supervisory experience is highly desirable. Successful track record in establishing, building and managing partnerships with various stakeholders. Knowledge of development finance systems is desirable.

Languages:

• Required English (4 - Excellent)
• Desirable: French, Spanish, or Arabic 

Skills:

• Partnership building: Ability to formulate new approaches and identify new opportunities in building relationships with the private sector, particularly with global multinationals, and with foundations/philanthropic organisations.
• IFAD business model: Strong understanding of IFAD's business and financial model.
• IFAD partners: Knowledge of IFAD's partners' functioning and mandate, particularly in relation to Foundations/Philanthropic organisations and private sector actors.
• Marketing: Know-how in marketing and communication resource mobilization strategies for foundations and philanthropic organisations. 
• Advocacy: Know-how in advocacy, to maintain and promote constructive dialogue around IFAD's vision to external actors
• Risk management (e.g. reputational): Identification and assessment of potential liabilities and risks for IFAD's partnership activities with private sector and foundations; ability to handle risks via contingency and mitigation strategies
• Stakeholder management: Strong alignment capabilities and consultation skills, building on effective interactions and relationships with different stakeholders and ability to build and maintain a strong network (e.g. with journalists, media outlets, etc.)
• Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner, advocating and promoting IFAD's mandate and vision; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts - like foundations and private sector actors. 
• Change management: Role modelling, anticipation of key risks & conflicts and formulation of contingency plans/solutions, action-oriented
• Client orientation: Strong critical thinking combined with communication skills to liaise between the business and technologies to understand business problems and needs, document requirements and identify solutions
• Interpersonal skills: Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others (e.g. visitors, clients, callers, etc.), including senior individuals (e.g. high-level meeting participants)
• Problem solving: Strong systemic and structured thinking, ability to identify and dissect problems into components and formulate a comprehensive set of creative viable and sustainable solutions and strategies
• Specialized communication skills: Ability to negotiate on behalf of IFAD and drive for creative and pragmatic solutions in complex negotiations with key partners 
• Strategic mindset: Proactive, ongoing identification of strategic opportunities, potential synergies and partnerships
• Verbal communication: Clear, succinct and convincing verbal communication; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language
• Written communication: Clear, succinct and convincing written communication in the language needed for specific role; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language (e.g. for drafting of position papers, briefings, etc.)

Other Information

A Temporary Professional Officer (TPO) is a short-term staff member. The appointment of a short-term staff member carries no expectation of continuous employment or conversion to any other type of appointment with IFAD.

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD's Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on ethnic, social, or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size, or sexual orientation. This is in line with our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy and our Policy to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please refer to the UN disability-inclusive language guidelines.

Please be aware of fraudulent job offers. IFAD does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Official communication from IFAD will always come from e-mails ending in @ifad.org.

In the interest of making most cost-effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

How cinfo Can Support You in the Application Process for This Position

• Application and Interview Preparation: Whether you're preparing your application documents or getting ready for an interview, you can book a Job Application Support session to receive tailored guidance.
• For Swiss nationals invited to the first round of the selection process (e.g., written test, interview, assessment center): Notify us at recruitment@cinfo.ch, and we will inform our HR partners in the respective organization and the Swiss Government to help increase your visibility.

"Important Application Information:
Please submit your application only via the official website of the hiring organization or by using the "Apply" button on CinfoPoste, which will redirect you to the organization's application site . Applications submitted through other job portals will not be forwarded to the respective organization and will not be considered . To ensure your application reaches the right destination, always follow the official application process as indicated in the job posting."

Sector: Nonprofit/Community/Social Services/International Cooperation

Role: Other

Working hours (%): 80-100% / 100%

Job type: Staff (Temporary)

Job Tags

Similar Jobs