DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

15 August 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 Central European Time (Rome)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).

JOB TITLE: Special Assistant to the Deputy Director

UNIT/DIVISION: Private Partnerships Division (PSP)

DUTY STATION: Rome HQ

CONTRACT TYPE: Short-Term, Regular Consultant CST I

DURATION: 4 months until 31/12/26

WORK SCHEDULE: Tempo pieno

LINE MANAGER/SUPERVISOR: Deputy Director

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency working to create a world with zero hunger.

As the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, WFP delivers food assistance in emergencies and works with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience for the long term. WFP believes that individual and collective wellbeing can only be achieved if all children, women, and men get the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, dignified lives.

In 2024 alone, WFP assisted 124 million people. Every day, 5,600 WFP-chartered trucks are on the road, 78 aircraft are in the air, and 189 ships are at sea. These numbers speak to WFP’s unparalleled reputation as an emergency responder, one that is often the first on the scene in the most difficult environments.

WFP also works with partners to strengthen the resilience of communities most vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition through long-term development programmes aimed at boosting food security, local economies, education, employment, and gender equality. While hunger and malnutrition are the world’s largest solvable issues, the needs are still immense and growing. Today, 733 million people in the world face hunger, equivalent to one in eleven people globally.

WFP’s Private Partnerships Division (PSP) is responsible for engaging the private sector (corporations, individuals, foundations) through high-impact partnerships in support of WFP's strategic priorities, and through individual giving to build and retain support from the public worldwide. Joining PSP is an exciting opportunity for experienced professionals to co-develop and implement our new private partnerships and fundraising strategy.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Working directly with the Deputy Director, the Special Assistant will be a dynamic and highly motivated professional providing effective support on a daily basis and ensuring operational effectiveness.

The SA will work and assist the Deputy in all aspects of her duties and will interact with a wide range of people within and outside the UN system.

The position purpose is to facilitate Deputy’s work by bringing in excellent judgement, discretion, interpersonal skills, problem solving capability, and experience of protocols. This should be ideally underpinned with an analytical mind, clear writing skills and ability to distill discussions.

ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

- Provide a full range of support and leads the overall coordination and functioning of the Deputy’s Office
- Provides advice to the Deputy on engagement and issues at hand across the Division of over 80 people
- Supports the Deputy on the proactive engagement, communication and interaction with internal and external stakeholders




- Drive and oversee the delivery of high-priority strategic initiatives and special projects on behalf of the Deputy Director, coordinating cross-divisional stakeholders to ensure alignment, accountability and timely execution.
- Contribute to the strategic development of the Global Philanthropy portfolio through partnership pipeline cultivation, donor engagement strategies and resource mobilization efforts, including leading or co-leading selected philanthropic partnerships and initiatives.
- Contribute directly to the growth of the Global Philanthropy portfolio by cultivating, stewarding and managing strategic partner relationships, and by developing partnerships from initial engagement through negotiation, internal clearance,

agreement finalization and signature.

- Lead the planning, preparation and delivery of high-profile philanthropic engagement events, cultivating relationships and advancing partnership opportunities with existing and prospective supporters.
- Exercise delegated authority to assess, priorities and respond to divisional requests, ensuring timely action and personally advancing workstreams on behalf of the Director and Team Leads whenever possible.
- Serve as the lead for several Divisional priorities including WFP's engagement in France, including partner engagement,

discussions with legal advisors regarding options for a French WFP Committee, and coordination of high-profile external events.

- Provide strategic advice on partnership opportunities, donor engagement and resource mobilization efforts to Deputy

Director.

- Create resilient and productive working relationships with client counterparts, keeping both parties on track towards achieving mutual goals
- Act as a point of contact for the Deputy: both with staff and with selected leadership-level external partners
- Serve as a resource and thought partner for aligning to Heads of the following PPF’s teams: Partnerships-Fundraising,

Partnerships-Technical, Foundations, Global Services, RB Engagement

- Maintain effective relationships with key business partners in WFP for PPF to include colleagues in the legal, HR and procurement teams and escalate issues to the Director and propose and navigate solutions
- Manages overall communication: coordinating town halls, managing weekly meetings, developing related agendas, and summarizing meeting minutes
- Supports the strengthening of partnerships through proactively proposing and arranging strategic meetings of the

Deputy with representatives of Member States, external partners and stakeholders, as well as the participation of the

Deputy at key events

- Develop a calendar indicating document deadlines, leadership and board meeting dates and other key milestones to the Executive Board. Manages Executive Board engagement plan and calendar, scheduling bilats and organizing informal meetings as required
- Participates in coordination and management of current and future strategic business opportunities
- Participates in or keeps track of the work of key task forces related to organization-wide initiatives which contribute to the Deputy’s vision and functions
- Drafts briefs, speeches and talking points for the Deputy for internal and external audiences
- Reviews and exercises quality control of all items submitted to the Deputy for comments, or signature, including briefings, official correspondence, and press releases
- Managers seamless coordination and communication across WFP's operating divisions and other key stakeholders
- Coordinates, monitors and follows-up on tasks and deliverables assigned to internal and external partners and interacts with them on behalf of the Deputy, as needed
- Handles routine inquiries and responsibilities but exercises good judgement on when to escalate complex issues to the

Deputy

- Takes the initiative to problem solve and deliver solutions to barriers or blocks to operational issues which prevent effective and efficient implementation
- Assesses and identifies the potential risks that may hinder the reputation, safety, security and financial prosperity of the

Division. Always maintaining confidentiality of information, as appropriate.

- Other responsibilities as required.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT

- Ensured highest standard support and stewardship of all the responsibilities and roles taken on by the Deputy’s Office,

including timely and high-quality delivery of documents, briefs, processes, presentations, organisation of strategic meetings, partnership objectives and information management and sharing, by acting as main focal point and contact person on behalf of the Deputy.

- Delivered reliable and timely strategic advice, support and functional capacity to the Deputy to ensure full compliance of the Division with the objectives of the PS Strategy 2020-2025,



creation of valuable partnerships with internal and external clients, coordination capacity within the teams and line management to junior resources.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education  University degree in Business Management, International Development, International

Relations, Political Science, Economics, Marketing, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Work history  minimum of 5 year’s progressive experience working in finance, business administration, human resources, accounting, procurement or other related area is required.

Hard skills  Essential computer skills in Microsoft Office applications: proficiency in Word,

PowerPoint and Excel

 Proven ability to conceptualize, plan, manage, develop and monitor processes

 Excellent understanding of global issues and an ability to translate an Organisation’s mission

 Administrative and financial history with greater independence and decision making and managing complex budgets is desirable

 Working experience with SAP is desirable

 Ability to develop and implement office procedures and technology

Soft skills  Uphold a strict level of confidentiality

 Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to cultivate relationships and influence senior decision-makers

 Highly organized with exceptional planning and problem solving skills

 Ability to handle multiple tasks within deadlines and deliver on commitments

 Work effectively in a multi-cultural environment and international organization

 Understanding or appreciation for working in a large, complex, hierarchical,

decentralised and geographically dispersed organisation

 Uses tact and courtesy to give and receive information with a variety of individuals

(people oriented)

 Motivated team spirit and contributed to an inclusive and sound working environment

(team player)

 Highly adaptable to change and comfortable dealing with ambiguity, stress and competing demands with grace and humor

Language(s)  Excellent command of spoken and written English

 Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language would be a plus (Arabic,

Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

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: [email protected]

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 recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

- We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

- If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at [email protected]. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

- At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

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.

📌 Special Assistant to the Deputy Director (Roma)
🏢 World Food Programme
📍 Roma