DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

24 March 2026-23:59-GMT+05:30 India Standard Time (Colombo)

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).

To strengthen WFP Sri Lanka’s engagement with public, private, and external stakeholders by providing specialized support in partnerships development, partner coordination, resource mobilization efforts, and strategic communications. The Partnerships, Communications, and Reporting Officer (SC8) will lead the Country Office in identifying, mapping, and cultivating partnership opportunities; preparing targeted outreach and visibility products; and supporting relationship building processes guided by contextual, political, and social analyses. The role aims to enhance WFP’s visibility, expand collaboration opportunities, and contribute to improved positioning of WFP’s priorities within national and international development agendas. Through effective communication and partnerships support, the Officer will help mobilize policy support, resources, technical expertise, and innovative solutions that advance WFP’s mission in Sri Lanka ensuring gender perspectives in all areas of work.

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Country Director, the incumbent shall ensure the successful completion of WFP mission objectives by leading the Partnership, Communications and Reporting functions, including following duties:

I. Partnerships Development and Resource Mobilization

• Lead identification, development, and strengthening of quality partnerships in support of WFP strategic objectives.

• Enhance and implement the partnerships strategy aligned with the Country Strategic Plan and donor priorities.

• Expand and diversify the fundraising portfolio, targeting untapped institutional donors, private sector, IFIs, and pooled funding opportunities.

• Facilitate partnership growth by expanding existing collaborations and scoping new opportunities, guided by analysis and due diligence.

• Contribute to partnership proposals, strategic agreements, joint strategies, and MoUs, ensuring compliance with corporate norms and external regulations.

II. Partner Relationship Management and Intelligence

• Guide national staff in managing external partnerships, opportunities and opportunities at the country level.

• Proactively support partner profiling, data/trends analysis and outreach planning to maximize resources and leverage policy and technical support.

• Ensure partner visibility obligations are met and conditions complied with.

• Facilitate corporate dialogue with partners through quality briefing materials, highlighting strategic opportunities and issues for senior management.

• Gather and share partner intelligence (including forecasting) using systems such as WINGS, Salesforce, and WFPGo.

III. Strategic Communications and Visibility

• Oversee country-specific communications activities aligned with WFP’s corporate/regional strategies and operational needs in Sri Lanka.

• Produce visibility materials, briefs, talking points, press releases, and social/digital content that translate programme results into clear messages.

• Ensure gender-sensitive communication and inclusive representation in visibility materials.

• Manage media lists, schedule content, and support media engagement, including rapid information products during emergencies.

• Position WFP effectively by drafting audience-specific briefs and compiling evidence of WFP’s comparative advantage.

• Advocate for SDGs and Zero Hunger within UN system and multilateral fora, engaging member states, civil society, and intergovernmental organizations.

IV. Reporting, Information Management and Capacity Building

• Strengthen staff and partner capacity on operational information management and performance reporting through guidance and light training.

• Coordinate inputs across units to ensure consistency of humanitarian/operational information and reporting outputs.

• Support quality assurance and process improvements for reporting products and templates.

• Gather, organize, and present programme performance, media coverage, and digital analytics to produce fact-based insights for communications and partnerships decisions.

• Facilitate partnership growth, by exploring opportunities to expand existing partnerships and scope of new partners, guided by assessments, analysis and due diligence; Present recommendations to senior management and ensure follow-up.

V. Emergency Response and Crisis Communications

• Ensure timely collection, consolidation, and circulation of situation updates (SITREPS) to enable consistent operational pictures for decision makers.

• Provide external communications products during crises to maintain visibility and donor confidence.

• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Country Director.

Experience

• Minimum: At least one (1) year of postgraduate professional experience holding the similar capacity in the field of partnerships, external relations, communications/media, donor visibility, information/knowledge management, or performance reporting within the UN, government, INGO/NGO, development or private sector.

• Desirable: Three (3) years’ experience in the similar role with Advanced University degree or First University Degree with 5 or additional years of related work experience.

• Demonstrated experience drafting high-quality briefs, press/materials and social content, coordinating inputs across units, and using data/analytics to inform outreach or reports.

• Desired Experience for Entry into the Role

• Has developed effective relationships with partners/stakeholders (government, UN, donors, private sector, civil society) and supported joint events/advocacy.

• Has prepared briefs, visibility materials, and social content that translated programme results into clear messages for external audiences.

• Has gathered and presented information through corporate systems and tools (e.g., Salesforce, WINGS, WFPGo, media/social analytics) to support positioning and reporting.

• Has contributed to proposals/agreements/MoUs and ensured timely, accurate inputs from multiple units in line with corporate guidance.

• Has supported emergency communications (rapid updates, coordination with response teams) and basic training/guidance for staff/partners on visibility/reporting.

• Demonstrates commitment to WFP values and cross-cutting priorities (including gender equality and protection) in all communications and partnerships deliverables.

• Staff management experience

Knowledge & Skills

• Excellent writing and editing skills for diverse audiences (briefs, press releases, success stories, talking points, social/digital content) with strong attention to accuracy, tone and brand compliance.

• Partnerships support and stakeholder management: able to coordinate inputs, maintain partner information, and prepare audience-appropriate materials that meet donor visibility requirements.

Position Title : Partnerships, Communications and Reporting Officer (SC-8)

Contract Type : Service Contract (SC)

Contract Duration : 01 Year (with possible extension)

Duty Station : Colombo, Sri Lanka

Nationality : Sri Lankans only

Date of Publication : 09.03.2025

Deadline of Application : 23.03.2025

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.