Programme Policy and Partnerships Officer – Food Systems & Private Sector Engagement Consultant

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

29 June 2026-23:59-GMT Greenwich Mean Time (Freetown)

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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.
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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: Programme Policy and Partnerships Officer – Food Systems

& Private Sector Engagement
TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST Level II
UNIT/DIVISION: Programme Unit
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Freetown, Sierra Leone
DURATION: 11 months

BACKGROUND
Sierra Leone’s food systems face significant constraints driven by climate shocks, limited mechanization, high post-harvest losses, and weak market linkages. Smallholder farmers; especially women and youth; remain largely constrained to subsistence production with limited access to productive assets and structured markets.
In response to these challenges, WFP Sierra Leone launched its new Country Strategic Plan (2026–2030) in January, aimed at ensuring that people in Sierra Leone are food secure, resilient, and able to access essential services by 2030. To deliver on its three interlinked outcomes, WFP is implementing a range of programmes focused on strengthening food security and building resilience, particularly among smallholder farmers under Outcome 3, through a food systems framework linking to home grown school feeding. As part of this effort, WFP is working with several partners, including the Government of Japan, to implement activities that promotes climate-resilient, market-oriented food systems through smallholder farmers and strengthened private sector engagement. The initiative leverages Japanese technology and expertise to enhance rice value chains, improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand market access. These activities contribute to a number of government strategies and priority policies – most importantly the Medium Term National Development Plan (MTDNP) and Feed Salone.

JOB PURPOSE
The Programme Policy/Partnerships Officer will support the effective implementation of the project by strengthening coordination, managing private sector partnerships, and ensuring that technology and investments are effectively linked to smallholder farmers, processors, and market actors, including home grown school feeding. The role will act as a bridge between Programme, private sector partners, and external stakeholders, ensuring timely delivery, alignment, and impact. The incumbent will report to the Head of Programme while ensuring regular engagement, consultation with and inclusion of the SAMS team, as well as other programme sections as relevant.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead engagement with private sector partners (mechanization, processing, solar) and coordinate with development partners, including JICA, to ensure smooth implementation and alignment.
• Coordinate project implementation across Programme, Supply Chain, Engineering, and field teams, tracking progress and proactively resolving bottlenecks related to equipment delivery, infrastructure, and timelines.
• Ensure project investments (mechanization, processing equipment, infrastructure) are effectively linked to smallholder farmers, FBOs, aggregators, processors, and market demand (including institutional buyers such as HGSF).
• Support engagement with private sector partners to ensure effective collaboration and alignment with project objectives.
• Support linkages between partners, government, and programme teams to strengthen coordination and delivery.
• Identify and support opportunities to strengthen partnerships that enhance value addition, market access, and private sector participation.
• Promote partnerships that contribute to the development of sustainable, locally anchored service ecosystems (e.g. for mechanization, processing, and maintenance).
• Support preparation of donor updates, briefs, and partnership-related communications.
• Support linkages between school feeding and SAMS activities.
• Capture and document key partnership developments, lessons learned, and success stories for visibility and future programming.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:

Advanced university degree in Agriculture, Economics, Development Studies, Business Administration, International Relations or related field.

Experience:

Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in programme implementation, project management, partner engagement, private sector engagement, or value chain development. Experience in food systems, agricultural development, or rural livelihoods programmes.

Knowledge& Skills:

Knowledge of donor reporting expectations and requirements, especially Japan. Ability to work with and contribute to various teams and workflows. Strong time management, partnership and teamwork skills.

Languages:

Fluency (level C) in English language.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

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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

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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.