Overview
Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the External Relations function, ensuring effective partnership development, resource mobilization, donor relations, and positioning of WFP Burkina Faso.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage the External Relations Unit, supervising and developing a team of 4 staff.
- 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.
- Strengthen and maintain strategic relationships with existing partners.
- 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.
- Ensure coherent partner engagement across functional units and with Regional Bureau (RB) and Headquarters (HQ).
- Coordinate the development of Partnership Action Plans.
- Oversee quality assurance of proposals, reports, and visibility materials.
- Oversee donor reporting processes, ensuring compliance, quality, and timeliness.
- Monitor partnership performance and funding trends using corporate systems.
- Promote data-driven decision-making to inform partnership strategies.
- 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.
- Represent WFP in relevant forums, including UN, donor, and multilateral platforms.
- Support the organization of high-level events and partner engagements.
- 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.
Required 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.
Qualifications
Advanced University degree in International Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, Economics, Law, Communications, Marketing, or related field.
