Senior Partnership Officer, GPR, New York

Job Title : Senior Partnership Officer, GPR

ID : 28132

Location : NEW YORK

Date of issue : 04/16/2025

Close Date : Open Until Filled

Organizational Unit : Global Eng., Part. & res. Mob.

Full/Part Time : Full-Time

Regular/Temporary : Regular

Assignment Duration : 2 Years

Grade : P-4

Organizational Setting

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 resources' 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 Saudi Arabia Liaison Office (SLO); the Japan Liaison Office (JLO); and an office in Brussels (EU/BRX).

Job Role

The incumbent is an expert and knowledge builder in their focus areas. They provide technical expertise and substantive contributions reflecting new approaches which materially expand the range of services or programmes delivered to closely support internal and external stakeholders, including Partnership Officers. The incumbent works collaboratively with other colleagues across the GPR Division to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of programme development support.

The purpose of the position is to establish and nurture corporate level collaboration with key stakeholders. It may also serve as focal point and resource for GPR colleagues on specific thematic areas of strategic relevance for partnership and global policy development.

The incumbent is assigned to a focus-area portfolio, such as civil society and/or relations with high level committees/organizational relations (e.g. CFS, G20 and RBA), with the objective of engaging IFAD in global policy processes to create an enabling environment for investments in inclusive and sustainable rural transformation. The incumbent works across GPR organizational units with cross-functional key partner management teams to leverage relationship management skills, assets and, most importantly, professional social networks. The key result is to ensure greater visibility and influence for IFAD in support of its mission.

By virtue of the partners in both Washington and New York, the incumbent is an integral part of IFAD's involvement in and contributions to policy dialogues on a wide range of issues within IFAD's sphere of global engagement.

The incumbent leads the NY Office and is responsible for day-to-day management and implementation of the programmatic and operational activities of IFAD Liaison Office.

Key Functions and Results

1. PROMOTING, ADVOCATING AND COMMUNICATING DIVISIONAL PRIORITIES: The incumbent manages and communicates knowledge for increased support of traditional and non-traditional donors, taking into account IFAD's Strategic Framework and Programme of Work, setting clear quantitative targets to evaluate for results-focused partnerships capable of supporting IFAD's mandate and resource mobilization objectives. They act with credible technical authority by facilitating and participating in consultations and coordination meetings and ad hoc visits with external stakeholders at all levels, as required.

2. IMPLEMENTING PARTNERSHIP STRATEGIES: The incumbent collaborates with internal stakeholders to strengthen IFAD's approach to partnerships. In particular, They assist the Department of Country Operations (DCO), Country Directors (CDs) and Heads of Multi-Country Offices (MCOs) in mainstreaming partnerships with traditional and non-traditional donors by providing them with substantial technical advice and recommendations. The incumbent tracks progress under engagement strategies, builds institutional capacity and knowledge for its partnership performance, and ensures the development of efficient approaches for implementing partnership strategies. The incumbent negotiates new Partnership and Grant Agreements.

3. MANAGING TECHNICAL EXPERTISE OF GLOBAL POLICY ENGAGEMENT, REPLENISHMENT, RESOURCE MOBILIZATION AND ADVOCACY: The incumbent is responsible for contributing and providing senior expertise to the development and implementation of corporate strategies for engagement in global policy debates. The incumbent is responsible for IFAD's engagement policy dialogue relative to IFAD's mandate, and produces an annual assessment of achievements in the fora for which they have responsibility, including replenishment, resource mobilization and advocacy.

4. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The incumbent is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes:

• People Management through support to the recruitment of staff within the team, capacity building, coaching and mentoring of new and/or more junior staff, as well as supervision and evaluation of performance of consultants and staff under their purview;
• Resource Management, by providing strategic and technical advice for Knowledge and Content Management.

The incumbent:

• Develops and maintains strategic partnership and collaboration with the United Nations Headquarters in New York, acting as the primary day-to-day face of IFAD;
• Advances IFAD's overall mission by fostering strategic partnerships and engagement at UNHQ;
• Supports corporate goals by enhancing relations with Member States, UN entities and multi-stakeholders based in UNHQ, strategic policy engagement, resource mobilization, and IFAD's visibility;
• Facilitates and promotes IFAD's leadership and participation in key fora, such as UNGA, HLPF, CSW, etc.
• Serves as key interlocutor with other UN agencies, Member States' New York-based resident missions, and at monthly meetings of the Rome-Based Agencies in New York.
• Provides critical support to IFAD HQ and senior management.

Key Performance Indicators

The incumbent has credible authoritative capacity with independent technical responsibility for the technical areas which they are leading. The incumbent works with minimal supervision and is expected to pursue new areas of activities going beyond established procedures or models. The incumbent also monitors and guides the work of other Partnership Officers, external consultants and assistants within the team, and participates as technical expert in group meetings and consultations with external stakeholders and collaborators at all levels. The incumbent exercises independence and initiative within their portfolio. Decisions are made on the research or analytical strategies to be followed in resolving problems of concern in the technical areas.

Working Relationships

The incumbent, as authority in the subject field, typically provides technical and managerial leadership to the substantive development and execution of the assigned technical area, including providing:

• Managerial direction to Partnership Officers and assistants within the team;
• Effective representation with external stakeholders and collaborators.
• Internally, the incumbent collaborates with internal stakeholders to strengthen IFAD's approach to partnerships, global policy engagement, replenishment, resource mobilization and advocacy.

The incumbent engages with the global community, the private sector and development finance institutions, and contributes to shaping pro-poor global and regional policies, broadening IFAD visibility and helping position the Fund within the global agricultural and rural architecture.

Job Profile Requirements

Organizational Competencies:

Level 2:

• Building relationships and partnerships - Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally
• Communicating and negotiating - Acquires & uses a wide range of communication styles & skills
• Demonstrating leadership - Leads by example; initiates and supports change
• Focusing on clients - Contributes to a client-focused culture
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating - Challenges, innovates & contributes to learning culture
• Managing performance and developing staff - Manages wider teams with greater impact on others and on the organization
• Managing time, resources and information - Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources
• Problem-solving and decision-making - Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact
• Strategic thinking and organizational development - Staff in management and/or strategic leadership roles
• Team working - Fosters a cohesive team environment

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 https://www.whed.net/home.php

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 scope. euVZUFe PHMNB
• Demonstrated experience and ability at leading and managing multicultural teams, preferably in an international financial institution through a combination of corporate and field-based experience.
• Successful track record in establishing, building and managing partnerships with various stakeholders.
• Knowledge of development finance systems is desirable. Experience and knowledge of rural development in the Region.

Languages:

• Required: English (4 - Excellent)
• Desirable: French, Spanish, or Arabic (3 - Good)

Skills:

• Evidence-based policy: Know-how in the formulation of concrete and actionable policy recommendations based on hard evidence (going beyond simple data interpretation)
• Advocacy: Know-how in advocacy, to maintain and promote constructive dialogue around IFAD's vision to external actors
• IFAD partners: Knowledge of IFAD's partners' functioning and mandate , such as the public sector (e.g. governments and policy, institutions and system), non-state actors (NGOs, CSOs, Foundations, etc.) and private sector actors
• Marketing: Know-how in marketing and communication resource mobilization strategies for IFIs and international public bodies
• Partnership building: Ability to formulate new approaches or identify new opportunities to build relationships with both traditional and non-traditional partners, focusing on impact and results.
• Policy dialogue: Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts - like ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society
• Resource mobilization: Know-how in resource mobilization strategies (including marketing and communication) for IFI, international public bodies and within the UN
• Risk management (e.g. reputational): Identification and assessment of potential liabilities and risks in IFAD's activities, particularly vis-à-vis third parties; 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 (e.g. for the co-creation of communication material with member states) and ability to build and maintain a strong network (e.g. with journalists, media outlets, etc.)
• Strategy implementation: Ability to lead and manage the development and implementation of medium to longer-term strategies for IFAD / for respective divisions
• Performance management: Know-how in managing performance so that staff supervised deliver on the agreed objectives and meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD. Is proficient in establishing clear performance goals (operational and behavioural) and learning plans as well as in evaluating the performance of staff against the set goals.
• Policy dialogue: 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 ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society
• 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
• Corporate approach: Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work (e.g. budgeting going beyond simple budgetary considerations, taking into account strategic priorities)
• 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)
• Leadership: Group thought leader, sought out by others and providing mentorship and effective guidance to others; Ability to build trust, inside and outside the organization by acting as a role model for IFAD's core values and competencies, and to provide a clear sense of direction, mentorship and effective guidance to the team, strategizing the IFAD's goals, giving the vision, empowering the team and ensuring a positive environment for all.
• 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, both public and private sector
• 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

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.

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 accordance with IFAD's provisions, all new staff members will normally be placed at the first step in the grade level for which they have been selected. For information on IFAD's remuneration package, please visit IFAD's compensation and benefits page on our website. Applicants are invited to use the ICSC compensation calculator to estimate the salary and benefit entitlements.

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.

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.