Strategic Partnership and Resource Mobilization

Job Posting: 04/Nov/2024

Closure Date: 25/Nov/2024, 4:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: ESP

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: Consultant

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration: Up to 11 months

Post Number: N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
- FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
- Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
- Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
- FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
- FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations._

**Organizational Setting**

The Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) coordinates FAO’s work on three objectives: poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods for the poor and small producers, advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in agrifood systems, and ensuring climate justice for marginalized and vulnerable rural people. Technical areas of focus include social protection, decent rural employment, integrated approaches to gender equality, the right to food and rights-based approaches, rural institutions and collective action, land tenure, and rural finance. The division works in coordination with other offices and divisions to support the cross-cutting themes of gender, youth and inclusion.

**Reporting Lines**

The Resource Mobilization Specialist will be under the overall supervision of the Deputy Director of ESP, and the direct supervision of another senior member of ESP staff.

**Technical Focus**

The Resource Mobilization Specialist will expand and strengthen relationships with a portfolio of existing and new resource partners supporting FAO’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP). This area of work covers strategic partnership, relationship management, resource mobilization, new business development, and partner intelligence for ESP’s three objectives named above.

**Tasks and responsibilities**

The responsibilities will include one or more of the following tasks, according to the thematic area(s) of focus and level of the consultant:

- Alongside ESP Management and technical officers, proactively engage with resource partners, build relationships and generate new funding opportunities.
- Identify potential new resource partners for the ESP funding priorities, including those from philanthropy, the private sector, and consortia as feasible; gather business intelligence; support relationship building with resource partners.
- Develop partner-specific approaches; solicit and lead preparation of funding proposals in line with delivery of ESP objectives, while engaging with relevant technical units and decentralized offices, in particular their resource mobilization focal points.
- Identify key country and / or regional initiatives that coincide with ESP objectives and pursue joint resource mobilization efforts with FAO decentralized offices.
- Be knowledgeable of resource partners’ rules and regulations, strategic and regional/country priorities, funding streams, visibility and reporting requirements and advise ESP on donor requirements for project formulation and implementation. Provide donor-specific guidance throughout the project cycle, including on non-standard financial reporting, where required.
- Track resource mobilization opportunities for the division as a whole in order to increase transparency and synergies.
- Contribute to and lead the strategy around partnership under selected ESP initiatives, for example, the Commit to Grow Equality initiative or future initiatives, and follow up with existing and potential partners.
- Identify and articulate the added value of private sector (including philanthropic) engagement with ESP; research and prioritize a pipeline of qualified target companies; support outreach to companies and coordinate communication.
- Design and deliver outreach and advocacy material, and shape presentations and speaking points in support of key outreach and advocacy opportunities and resource partner engagements, in close collaboration colleagues working on communications.
- Participate in external working groups, roundtables and sector events as needed.
- Perform other related duties as required.

**CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING**:
**Minimum Requirements**
- Advanced university degree in rural development, economics, political or social sciences, gender, agriculture or