Regional Advisor for Operational Partnerships

Organizational Context

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace and prosperity. WFP values diversity and fosters an inclusive work environment. This role supports WFP's mission by ensuring programme quality and accountability through technical advisory services, policy translation, and operational field support related to partnership management and assurance systems.

Job Purpose

The Regional Advisor for Operational Partnerships will provide essential technical leadership, policy advice, and regional field support to Country Offices across the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions, as well as other areas as needed. This role is crucial for ensuring that WFP's programmes are compliant with corporate policies, Executive Board decisions, and risk management frameworks, while remaining operationally feasible and responsive to diverse field realities. The advisor will interpret and support the implementation of WFP's corporate policies on NGO partnerships, assurance, localization, and programme risk management. They will offer technical guidance on partnership management, assurance standards, capacity strengthening initiatives, and risk mitigation, particularly for government-implementing partnerships. By promoting evidence-based approaches and risk-informed decision-making, the advisor will contribute to enhancing programme quality and supporting WFP's localization commitments.

Responsibilities

The role involves translating WFP policies into actionable guidance for country offices, focusing on NGO partnerships, assurance, localization, and risk management. This includes providing technical advice on complex partnership and programme quality issues, clarifying policy ambiguities, and supporting compliant, risk-informed operational solutions. The position offers regional field support, both remotely and through missions, to address partnership, assurance, and compliance challenges. Key responsibilities include assisting country offices in managing operational partnerships, advising on assurance standards, spot checks, and compliance mechanisms to mitigate risks, and reviewing partnership documentation. Furthermore, the role supports the design and implementation of partner capacity strengthening initiatives aligned with WFP's localization commitments and contributes to developing learning materials. It promotes evidence-based approaches, risk-informed decision-making, and knowledge management by documenting best practices and lessons learned. The role also acts as a technical focal point, liaising with regional hubs and headquarters, and participates in relevant coordination forums. Finally, it involves providing technical supervision and coaching to junior staff and consultants.

Work Experience

Requires at least five years of post-graduate professional experience in development or humanitarian contexts, with two years in international field settings. Must have demonstrated experience integrating operational partnerships into program design and oversight across humanitarian-development-peace contexts. Experience in strategic engagement with cross-functional teams to translate policy into practice is essential. Proven facilitation, training, and capacity-strengthening skills are needed, along with a strong understanding of socio-cultural and political contexts in MENAEE and Asia-Pacific regions.

Skills

Partnership Management, Assurance Systems, Capacity Strengthening, Policy Translation, Risk Management, Programme Quality, Localization, Cross-functional Collaboration, Communication, Negotiation, Analytical Skills, Writing Skills, Teamwork, Intercultural Competence, Training Facilitation, Project Management, Field Support, Emergency Response, Humanitarian Aid, Development Studies

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