Senior Partnerships Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which was established in 194

• The FAO's mission is to eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable, reduce rural poverty, and enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. The organization operates in over 130 countries and has a workforce of approximately 12,000 employees. The FAO Liaison Office in Geneva plays a crucial role in engaging with the Government of Switzerland, civil society, and various international organizations based in Geneva, facilitating policy dialogues and promoting FAO's technical work.

Job Overview:
The Senior Partnerships Consultant will be responsible for leading the FAO's partnership with the Swiss nutrition" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Food and Nutrition Valley (SFNV), dedicating around 80% of their time to this initiative. This role involves supporting sustained dialogue with Swiss federal authorities and development cooperation actors, as well as deepening collaboration with Swiss innovation and private sector ecosystems. The consultant will also engage with various stakeholders, including SFNV members and the Swiss agrifood innovation ecosystem, to confirm technical and financial support for projects. The position requires a strong focus on actionable needs identification, matchmaking, fundraising, co-creation, and partnership development, as well as implementing solutions and scaling up knowledge management. The consultant will also develop a monitoring, learning, and evaluation framework to ensure the partnership's impact and potential for replication across different low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Act as project lead for the Swiss Global Innovation Scaling Partnership (FAO-SFNV partnership), dedicating approximately 80% of time to this role.
• Facilitate linkages and dialogue between SFNV management, corporate members, and FAO, including technical units and country offices.
• Engage with SFNV members and the Swiss agrifood innovation ecosystem, coordinating with SFNV and FOAG to confirm technical and financial support for projects.
• Provide technical support for the implementation of the partnership's four main areas of cooperation: actionable needs identification, matchmaking, fundraising, and partnership development.
• Oversee the development and application of a monitoring, learning, and evaluation framework for the partnership.
• Manage the overall partnership, including coordination and supervision of project activities, monitoring progress against timelines and budgets, and ensuring timely delivery of results.
• Support the strengthening of linkages with the Swiss agrifood innovation ecosystem, promoting Swiss agrifood innovation and raising visibility of Swiss capabilities.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in relevant fields such as Agriculture, Food Systems, Economics, Public Administration, International Relations, Political Sciences, Business Administration, or Innovation Management. A bachelor's degree may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree with two additional years of relevant experience.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in project design and management, partnership development, innovation ecosystems, private sector engagement, resource mobilization, and/or international development cooperation.
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one other FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish).

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in a relevant field recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO. A bachelor's degree may be accepted if combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience. The educational background should align with FAO's mandate and the specific requirements of the position.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in areas such as project design and management, partnership development, and engagement with innovation ecosystems and the private sector. Experience in resource mobilization and international development cooperation is also essential. Familiarity with agrifood systems and innovation scaling is highly desirable.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement is a working knowledge of English. Candidates should also have limited knowledge of one other FAO official language, which could be Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish. Proficiency in an additional FAO official language would be considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The position is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and involves both national travel and occasional international field missions as needed. The role is full-time and focuses on building and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships involving public, private, and development actors. Candidates with experience working with FAO, the United Nations system, or other international development organizations will have an advantage. The position also emphasizes the importance of having a deep knowledge and network within the Swiss agrifood ecosystem.