DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization 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.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

Brief description of the WFP London Office

Who we are and what we do:

• Communications and Advocacy: London is an international media hub allowing WFP to engage with the public reaching huge global audiences.

• Private Sector Partnerships: PGP is responsible for building a pipeline of corporate and foundation prospects as well as management of WFP’s global humanitarian partnerships.

• External Relations: We engage with a range of institutions, including international NGO partners, Humanitarian think-tanks and parliament.

General Information

• Title of Post: Government Partnerships Intern

• Supervisor: Government Partnership Officer

• Unit: Public Partnerships and Resourcing Division

• Country: United Kingdom

• Duty Station: London

• Duration of internship: 6 Months

• Expected Start Date: January 2025 (with some flexibility)

Duties and responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Government Partnership Officer, the candidate will be assisting the Public Partnerships and Resourcing Division's (PPR) London Office with the following key duties:

• Provide support/overflow assistance in managing relationships with the United Kingdom resource partners managed from the London Office.

• Assist with research and information-gathering in response to United Kingdom Donor queries.

• Assist in preparing documents, including correspondence and funding materials, for the Government Partnerships Officer (GPO) and the Head of the WFP London Office.

• Assist in the organization of meetings, events and field trips with United Kingdom resource partners.

• Assist in providing information specific to the United Kingdom in preparation for Executive Board and other meetings.

• Follow closely political developments in the United Kingdom, assess their impact on WFP, and alert GPO and the team leader accordingly.

• Assist in monitoring and conducting analysis of significant development cooperation policy themes within United Kingdom to link to their strategic partnership with WFP (e.g. nutrition, climate change and school feeding etc.)

• Assist in exploring opportunities under UK’s International Climate Finance portfolio

• Participate in all aspects of team activities, including weekly and strategic meetings.

• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications and experience

• Currently enrolled in or have recently graduated (within six months prior to the application to the internship programme) from a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics or another relevant field;

• Have completed at least two years of undergraduate study;

• Have attended courses in the last 12 months;

• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);

• Excellent written and spoken English is required (proficiency/level C). Working knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian plus Portuguese) is an asset.

Required soft skills/WFP Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to think creatively and strategically;

• Team spirit, good organizations and interpersonal skills, able to work independently, and eager to learn about humanitarian assistance and development cooperation

• Knowledge of UK Parliament, politics and current affairs would be an advantage.

Supervision

Under the direct supervision of Government Partnerships Officer, the incumbent will be provided with close mentoring, guidance and technical supervision. Performance planning and reviews as well as learning and development discussions will be elemental part of the supervision. The Director of the London Office will be the second-level supervisor. With the support of a comprehensive induction package and assignment of a buddy/mentor, the intern will rapidly become a productive member of the team.

Training components

Throughout their assignment WFP interns have access to an industry leading learning platform, WeLearn.  Depending on opportunities and availability of funds, he/she may participate in WFP workshops or seminars, as appropriate.

Learning Elements

At the end of the assignment, the Intern should have a greater understanding of the World Food Programme’s work and its role within the wider humanitarian system.

Information on the Country of Assignment

• Living conditions in London, United Kingdom

(The current Security Level in the capital is Low - 2). The United Kingdom has been the target of terrorist attacks in the recent past and may have one of the highest risks towards possible terrorist attacks. Certain strategic locations that may pose a higher risk are iconic tourist locations, public transport hubs and places of worship. UN staff are advised to remain vigilant. Crime rates remain low throughout the country. However, pickpocketing and petty theft may occur in major tourist areas, hotel lobbies, public transport hubs and the surrounding areas. There are no specific threats reported against the UN.

Terms and Conditions

• Interns receive a monthly stipend from WFP up to the maximum amount of US$1000 per month depending on the duty station of assignment.

• WFP is not responsible for living expenses, arrangements for accommodation, necessary visas and related costs.

• WFP will reimburse travel ticket for candidates who are nationals of developing countries and are pursuing their studies in their home country.

• WFP will recognize candidates’ educational credentials from recognised institutions that have been certified by competent international or national authorities such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) or Ministries of Education.

• Candidates who bear any of the following relations to WFP staff members are not eligible to apply: sons, daughters, brothers or sisters.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.

• If you experience challenges while submitting your online application, please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org for technical support only.

• Please note that applications sent to this email address cannot be considered.

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.