Specialist in management of operational partners, Bamako

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is recruiting a Operational Partner Management Specialist à Bamako, in Mali. This is a full-time, on-site assignment as a United Nations Volunteer in the Specialist category for a period of 12 months renewable, with a scheduled start date on 15 October 2026. The position is based at the United Nations and is part of Sustainable Development Goal 10 on reducing inequality.

Mission and objectives

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger in the world. Its mission is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger by 2030. Every day, WFP works to ensure that the most vulnerable populations, especially women and children, have access to the nutritious food they need to lead productive and healthy lives. In Mali, WFP is supporting government efforts through an assistance strategy to respond to the humanitarian emergency, build community resilience and support sustainable development efforts. In collaboration with state institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and partners in the United Nations system, WFP organizes cash or in-kind transfers to meet the food needs of populations affected by conflict or climatic hazards, provides school meals that promote access to education for girls and boys, supports the prevention and treatment of malnutrition, and provides technical and financial support to groups of small agricultural producers to improve their access to safe food.

Background

Under the direct supervision of the programme officer in charge of the partnership management section, the UN Volunteer will contribute to the management of all key operational partnerships with NGOs, research institutes and state structures supporting the implementation of WFP’s Country Strategic Plan activities. The incumbent will also participate in partner training, perform spot checks and supervision, and ensure invoices are processed in a timely manner. This position will require collaboration with business managers — budget and programming, supply chain, purchasing, finance, risk management and compliance — as well as with auxiliary offices in the execution of tasks.

Description of tasks

Under the overall supervision of the United Nations in which the United Nations Volunteer is deployed, he or she will perform the following tasks:

1. Management of cooperating partners

Liaise daily with cooperating partners and contribute to the management of the relationship with them. Coordinate with office units and sub-offices all issues related to partner selection. Support the project review and selection committee, draft meeting minutes and prepare LFRs as required. Prepare and manage administrative documents related to partnerships (contracts, reports, correspondence). Maintain a centralized system for the electronic recording and archiving of FLA and MoU from the office, and maintain the FLA tracking table as well as incoming and outgoing program mails, sorted by activity. Contribute, within the required time frame, to the evaluation of the performance and capabilities of partners as well as their selection. Organize and maintain databases of partners and ongoing projects. Assist in the development of partner activity reports and contribute to the collection of data necessary for project evaluation.

2. Support for financial management and payment of invoices

Monitor partner budgets and ensure that expenditures are consistent with the terms of partnership agreements. Implement and manage a budget and invoice tracking system for all partner budgets and payments. Ensure the creation of purchase orders (PO) in WINGS after signature, compliance with approval deadlines at all levels and support programs in the use of WINGS. Ensure financial follow-up by collecting and verifying supporting documents, then process payments from partners in WINGS and ITS in support of the programs concerned. Coordinate the preparation of financial reports from partners and provide support for tracking payments. Contribute to the development of internal reports and donor reports.

3. Other

Carry out any other tasks, if necessary.

Eligibility criteria

Âge: 18 to 80 years. Experience required: 3 years. Nationality: the candidate must be a national of the country of assignment, legally resident or have refugee status.

Job requirements

Relevant experience: 3 years. Languages: French, current level, compulsory; English, professional level, desirable. Level of study required: Bachelor’s degree in program management, administration, social sciences or any other relevant discipline.

Skills and values

Adaptability and flexibility, creativity, judgment and decision-making, planning and organization, professionalism, self-management.

Skills and experience

Minimum 3 years of experience in a similar position, preferably in a humanitarian or international organization. Experience in managing partnerships or monitoring projects is an important asset. Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Good command of office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and project management software. Competence in database management and reporting.

Soft skills

Strong communication skills, both written and oral, in French and ideally in English. Ability to work independently and show initiative. Sense of confidentiality and management of sensitive information. Ability to work in a multicultural and pressured environment.

Areas of expertise

Partnerships, resource mobilization, project management, program development, strategy, administration.

Additional information

Driving license: not specified. The position is associated with the following themes: aid coordination, humanitarian assistance, partnerships, programme management, project management. Skills: partnership management, financial management, project management, French, English.

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