DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS16 October 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 Arabian Standard Time (Kuwait)
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 WFPThe 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 extreme weather shocks.
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).
We are seeking to fill the position of Partnerships Officer (Private Sector & Government/IFI Relations) NOA, based in the WFP Kuwait Office in Kuwait City, Kuwait.Please note that this vacancy announcement is being issued internally and externally.ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXTThis is a national position, open exclusively to Kuwaiti nationals, based in the WFP Kuwait Office (Country Office). The post reports to the Head of Office.
The job holder primarily carries out day-to-day partnerships activities and research. The incumbent engages with internal stakeholders and a host of public, private sector and external entities. These can comprise governments, UN agencies, intergovernmental institutions and their member states, international financial institutions, individuals, corporations, foundations and NGOs. The Partnerships Officer is likely to focus on either public, private sector or external entities.
THE ROLEThis role facilitates the work of senior staff to effectively position WFP with public, private and external partners to attract policy support, resources, technical assistance and innovative solutions to advance the work of WFP, while supporting member states in the achievement of the SDGs and Zero Hunger and emphasizing WFP’s contributions in this regard.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):
- Support the work plan & the implementation of the work plan for private-sector partnerships to enable WFP to identify, develop and strengthen quality partnerships in support of WFP strategic objectives.
- Proactively contribute to a private-sector partnerships portfolio, including partner profiling and outreach activities, with the aim to maximize resources and leverage policy and technical support for WFP’s work; support partner visibility and ensure partner conditions are met.
- Use data to present managers with well-researched ideas to expand support from existing partners and to scope new partners, guided by programmatic assessment and context-specific analysis with the aim to enhance the impact of WFP’s work and diversify the resource base.
- Solicit inputs, including operational updates, from other WFP entities to inform partner audiences on WFP’s programmatic offering; draft quality briefs and proactively highlight strategic issues to senior staff to inform best course of action and nurture partnership growth.
- Gather and present internal and external data/information, using key information systems (e.g. Salesforce, WINGS, WFPGo), to support WFP’s effective positioning vis-à-vis national governments, regional and international institutions with the aim to influence the policy agenda.
- In the context of the UN system and multilateral fora, support the development of partnerships and joint events with member states, civil society and intergovernmental organizations to advocate for the SDGs and Zero Hunger on the global agenda and advance WFP priorities and objectives.
- Contribute to partnerships strategies, including the development of Partnership Action Plans; draw up quality partner proposals and reports by engaging with other WFP entities and external stakeholders.
- Support senior managers in the preparation of strategic agreements, joint strategies and MOUs in order to promote the SDGs and Zero Hunger on the national, regional and global agenda and to reach advantageous outcomes for WFP.
- Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance, and monitor defined risks.
- Other as required.
Other Post Requirements
- * The job holder directly supports the Head of Office in engagement with the Government of Kuwait and International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including preparatory research, briefing, and coordination for high-level meetings and strategic dialogue.
- The Partnerships Officer (Private Sector & Government/IFI Relations) is responsible for building, strengthening, and maintaining strategic partnerships with private sector entities, governments, and international financial institutions to support WFP’s resource mobilization and programmatic goals. The role involves engaging stakeholders, identifying partnership opportunities, supporting the development of joint initiatives, and ensuring alignment with WFP’s strategic priorities in sustainable development and inclusive finance, while supporting member states in achieving the SDGs and Zero Hunger and emphasizing WFP’s contributions in this regard.
- Directly support the Head of Office in engagement with the Government of Kuwait, preparing briefing notes, talking points, and background research ahead of high-level meetings, and following up on agreed actions with relevant government counterparts.
- Support the Head of Office in building and maintaining relations with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including research on IFI priorities, financing instruments and co-financing opportunities relevant to WFP’s work in Kuwait and the region.
- Coordinate logistics, scheduling, and information flow for Head of Office engagements with government and IFI counterparts, ensuring timely preparation of materials and accurate record-keeping of outcomes and follow-up items.
- This position is open exclusively to Kuwaiti nationals (National Officer category, NOA level). The successful candidate should bring a research background and demonstrated experience engaging private-sector and corporate stakeholders in Kuwait.
Essential requirements:
- * Demonstrated research background, with the ability to translate research and data analysis into actionable partnership and business-development insights.
- Proven experience in project and programme management, including work planning, budgeting, and cross-functional coordination to deliver results.
- Strong track record in stakeholder engagement, building and sustaining relationships across corporate, government and civil-society actors.
- Experience in donor relations, including managing partner commitments, negotiating contributions, and reporting against donor requirements.
- Experience supporting senior management or a head of office in engagement with government counterparts and/or International Financial Institutions, including briefing preparation and high-level meeting support.
Desirable requirements:
- * Has a good understanding of government strategies and the broader socio-economic context in Kuwait and the region.
- Experience designing and applying monitoring & evaluation frameworks to track and demonstrate partnership and programme performance.
- Has developed powerful, evidence-based narratives using data analysis and visualization to enable action-oriented discussions with partners.
- Previous experience with UN agencies will be an asset.
- Has motivated team spirit and contributed to a gender-balanced, inclusive and sound working environment.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:Education: First University degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics, International Relations, Law, Marketing, Communications or other relevant field, with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Experience: A minimum of one (1) or more years of progressively responsible, relevant professional work experience, including experience gained in the private sector, research, project/programme management, stakeholder engagement, donor relations and monitoring & evaluation experience.
Language: Fluency (level C) in English and Arabic languages.
TERMS AND CONDITIONSThe World Food Programme offers a competitive compensation package, which will be determined based on the contract type and the selected candidate's qualifications and experience.
Please visit the WFP website for detailed information about working with WFP and its operations.
Kuwait City National Officer category salary scale: UN Salary scale.
Applicants must:
- Be Kuwaiti citizens; and
- Live within commuting distance (100 km or approximately 1.5 hours of travel time) of the WFP Kuwait Office in Kuwait City, or be willing to relocate at their own expense to an area within commuting distance of the duty station. Address: UN House, Block 7A, Mishref, Kuwait. WFP shall not be responsible for any costs associated with such relocation. Preference will be given to candidates residing within commuting distance of Kuwait City, Kuwait.
SELECTION PROCESSOnly applications received in English will be considered.Our selection process follows a structured approach and includes the following steps:
- Application to vacancy announcement.
- The essential requirements will be assessed through a technical assessment. a competency-based interview and language assessments.
- At a later stage, candidates will be required to submit conflict‑of‑interest; personal disclosure forms, academic certificates, professional references, as part of the mandatory background checks.
WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORKWFP 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 FrameworkREASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONWFP 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 DISCLAIMERThe 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 global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. 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.
