Government Liaison Officer

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

14 July 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 West Africa Standard Time (Luanda)

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).

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) supports national governments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by strengthening systems that promote food and nutrition security, resilience, and climate adaptation.

In line with the Angola national development priorities and the government’s requests, WFP Angola’s refined value proposition focuses on providing technical assistance to the Government of Angola with a focus on agricultural development, food and nutrition security, school feeding, and enhancing early warning systems and capacities. During recent high-level engagements, the Government of Angola recognized WFP’s critical role and expertise in providing technical assistance, strengthening national capacities, and responding to emergencies. Senior government officials have also committed to engaging in joint resource mobilization efforts to ensure the continuation of WFP's operations in the country. Notably, WFP, in collaboration with the National Institute of Cereals (INCER), has developed a joint proposal valued at USD 10 million that is currently under consideration by the World Bank. The Angola Office has also identified other high- and medium-probability funding opportunities funded through other international financial institutions (IFIs); however, securing these resources will require regular and sustained engagement with government counterparts and IFIs.

The Strategic Partnerships Officer - Government Engagement will serve as the strategic interface between WFP and the Government of Angola, bridging high-level policy dialogue, development finance innovation, and multistakeholder partnerships, especially with IFIs. The role ensures that WFP’s development cooperation is coherent with Angola’s mid-term development strategy, institutional priorities while positioning WFP as a partner of choice.

OBJECTIVES:

Under the leadership of the Head of Office, the Strategic Partnerships Officer will lead WFP’s engagement with the Government of Angola, with a particular focus on ministries, departments, and agencies that align with WFP’s mandate. The incumbent will ensure consistent and strategic government relations, provides actionable advice to WFP management on how best to engage government stakeholders, and supports alignment between WFP operations and national priorities.

The Strategic Partnerships Officer will serve as WFP’s government and IFIs liaison at the central and local levels, by representing the organization at key government/IFIs meetings and strengthening institutional partnerships to advance food security, nutrition, social protection, climate resilience, and other key national development priorities.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Strategic Government Engagement

1. Lead engagement strategy with key ministries and decision-makers to ensure alignment of WFP’s strategies and operations with Angola’s development priorities, and identify potential opportunities for WFP’s support, including on school feeding, agriculture, nutrition, food systems, supply chain and logistics, climate-smart agriculture, emergency preparedness, anticipatory action, disaster risk reduction (DRR) and social protection.

2. Maintain trusted relationships with senior government officials, providing strategic intelligence and positioning WFP as a partner of choice across

3. Facilitate structured engagements between the Head of Office and senior government leadership, ensuring sustained policy dialogue and visibility of WFP’s contributions.

4. Prepare briefing notes, talking points, and background materials to support WFP leadership in meetings with Government and IFI stakeholders.

5. Coordinate joint WFP–Government of Angola missions, advocacy events, and policy consultations that elevate WFP’s national profile and strengthen ownership of joint programmes.

6. Ensure coordination with key government stakeholders at the sub-national level by maintaining an active partnership with relevant authorities.

B. Partnership Development and Coordination

1. Build and maintain strong partnerships with ministries such as Planning, Agriculture and Forestry, Education, Health, Social Affairs, Family and Women’s Promotion, Industry and Commerce, and others connected to WFP interventions.

2. Facilitate stronger linkages between WFP and Government ministries and International Financial Institutions (World Bank, AfDB, IFAD, IMF), to position WFP as a partner of choice in national development financing processes, ensure alignment and effective collaboration.

3. Support the design and implementation of government-led initiatives where WFP contributes technical or operational support.

4. Help identify new government counterparts and emerging engagement opportunities in line with the Interim Country Strategic Plan (ICSP).

5. Co-lead the development and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy for WFP Angola and ensuring includes a well-structured component on securing the necessary resourcing commitments from the Government of Angola

6. Explore critical partnerships within the Government system and secure their alignment and support for the WFP’s programming strategies

7. Monitor national financing priorities, loan pipelines, and government–IFI negotiations to identify opportunities where WFP can provide technical assistance, advisory support, or implementation capacity within IFI-funded programmes.

C. Advisory Support to WFP Management

1. Provide strategic guidance to WFP leadership on relationship management, diplomatic engagement, and context-appropriate approaches when interfacing with government.

2. Advise on risks, sensitivities, and political-economy considerations that may influence programme delivery or institutional cooperation.

3. Support WFP’s compliance with national protocols, formal communication channels, and government coordination systems

4. Ability to conceptualize and analyse WFP’s development strategies and its applicability in managing and coordinating Government engagement and partnership for development projects design implementation and sustainability.

5. Keep WFP senior Management abreast of development issues and changes in Government policies and regulations and proposes adaptive strategies to inform WFP’s engagement.

D. Positioning, Advocacy & Visibility

1. Strengthen WFP’s positioning as a partner of choice for both humanitarian response and development support by ensuring the agency’s contributions are visible in relevant policy platforms, technical working groups, and government events.

2. Contribute to the development of presentations, government-facing documents, and visibility materials that demonstrate WFP’s value and impact in Angola.

E. Representation, Documentation & Knowledge Management

1. Represent WFP at government meetings and ensure consistent communication with the Country Office and programme teams.

2. Produce summaries, action points, and analytical updates following engagements with the government, ensuring timely dissemination of information across relevant WFP units and follow-up on action points.

DELIVERABLES

• WFP is recognized as a strategic and trusted partner to the Government of Angola in national and subnational development and financing processes.

• Innovative financing instruments are operationalized and mobilize additional resources for WFP-supported programmes.

• Enhanced alignment between WFP initiatives and national policies, fiscal frameworks, and IFI investment pipelines.

• Strengthened policy coherence and institutional relationships across government levels and development partners.

• Timely, evidence-based advisory support informs WFP’s strategic decision-making and partnerships.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced University Degree in Public Administration, Social science, Political Science, International Relations, Development Studies, Program Management, Public Policy, Agronomy or related field; or First University Degree with additional relevant professional experience.

Experience

• Minimum eight years of progressively responsible experience in government relations, public sector coordination, partnership management, or policy engagement.
• Experience working with national governments, preferably in Angola, and familiarity with ministerial structures and public administration systems.
• Experience in international development, humanitarian work, or multilateral institutions such IFIs is an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong understanding of Angola’s government systems, national development priorities, social, and political-economy context.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing decisions, networking, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prepare high-quality briefs, analyses, and meeting documentation.
• Ability to engage diplomatically and navigate sensitive issues.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple engagements
• High energy, maturity, and leadership with the ability to serve as a unifying force and to position WFP’s communications and discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels.
• Relationship builder with the flexibility and finesse to ‘manage by influence
• Team-oriented, collaborative, flexible, adaptable, and comfortable working in an inclusive, low-ego, matrix-management environment
• Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing decisions, networking, and interpersonal skills.

Languages:

• Fluency (Level C) in both oral and written English and Portuguese Language. Knowledge of a second official UN language an asset

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 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.