The Position

Associate Partnerships Officer – Institutional Partnerships Job Reference: APO/INSP/09/2025

The Associate Partnerships Officer – Institutional Partnerships will support AGRA leadership in stewarding AGRA’s decentralized partnerships approach and efforts to accelerate program delivery through enhanced strategic engagement with more than 250 top priority partners and actors of different types, technical and institutional partners, research institutions, development and resource partners, public sector actors, private sector actors, and local and civil society actors. S/he will work closely with AGRA’s Chief of Partnerships and wider Partnerships unit team to engage all units of the institution as they advance “partnerships” as one of the institution’s key delivery modalities in achieving strategic goals and impact targets – through access to wider program and technical capabilities, unlocking greater resources and innovations, and enhancing AGRA’s visibility and positioning as a foremost leader and go to partner in Africa’s food systems transformation. S/he will play a key role in mobilizing, managing, supporting, monitoring, and reporting on AGRA’s partnership strategies through regular updates of its partnership tracker and reporting for management, the Board, and partners. S/he will also work with leadership to advance the design and implementation of several of AGRA’s partnerships with top priority partners regionally and globally, as well as partnership platforms and strategic initiatives that can deliver significant results towards AGRA’s strategy. Finally, the role will also contribute to how AGRA presents itself to partners at major regional and continental events.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Support division and unit leadership in developing the annual partnerships engagement strategy and action plan in consultation with country teams and technical centers.

Assist in mobilizing concepts and engagements to convert a pipeline of partnerships into multi-year, transformative partnerships that enhance AGRA’s funding and impact.

Support the unit’s efforts to manage and strengthen AGRA’s comprehensive partnerships management system and partnerships dashboards aligned with the approved relationship management approach.

Continuously enhance the partnership management system and tools available for partnership owners and managers, ensuring AGRA staff can effectively utilize them.

Help build capacity by advising and training staff at country-level, regional-level, and HQ to structure and manage partnerships across the institution effectively.

Continue and strengthen engagement with key existing and potential partners across AGRA countries in collaboration with technical teams.

Support leadership in quarterly and annual monitoring and reporting on the partnerships system and action plan, contributing to summary reports for the board and funding partners.

Monitor and report on partnership development and case studies, ensuring timely updates and documentation of progress and outcomes.

Support Partnership Owners and Managers in AGRA leadership in designing and following up on select priority partnerships with joint action plans.

Align and engage partners in support of AGRA’s highest-priority strategic initiatives and partnership platforms, such as engagement in Climate COP processes

Participate in regular multi-stakeholder platform and initiative coordination meetings and working groups to contribute AGRA’s value and make linkages across the institution and partners.

Coordinate partnerships meetings, develop communication material, and ensure measurement and follow-up on agreed action items, holding stakeholders accountable as appropriate.

Develop partnership-related grants, technical assistance, and third-party funding proposals in collaboration with division leadership and the Development Cooperation team.

Provide written input and feedback on partner documents (e.g., strategies, initiatives, briefs) that draw on the collective intelligence of AGRA where needed.

Actively participate in designing, planning, and delivery of select AGRA milestone moments and partnership events during the year, such as the WEF Annual Meeting, the Africa Food Systems Forum, UN General Assembly week, and COP.

Support the development of campaigns and events to mobilize partners in support of AGRA’s mission and to advance ambitious food systems transformation in Africa.

Support Leadership in External Engagements: Support leadership in preparing for, executing, and following up on events, meetings, trips, and other external engagements of the unit.

Facilitate the diffusion and adoption of good practices across partnerships to enhance collaboration and effectiveness.

Write and publish short communication pieces and case studies on learnings and successes, drawing lessons to improve the implementation of yearly engagement plans.

Track and maintain a partnership development database and relationship management database to ensure accurate records of partnerships.

Monitor indicators and outcomes of AGRA’s partnership activities, including conducting partnership surveys to assess effectiveness.

Draft updates and reports for leadership to share with partners on key activities, progress, and requests, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Ensure all required reports are prepared and shared with relevant teams to inform decision-making and strategic planning.

Key Qualifications and Experience Required:

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Demonstrated experience in building strong relationships with key national, regional, and international partners working on food systems and agriculture.

A track record in successfully developing and managing partnerships and multi-stakeholder initiatives and/or platforms.

Demonstrated ability to identify and pursue new partnership opportunities that align with AGRA’s strategy and goals, contributing to its growth and impact.

Skilled in fostering institutional partnerships that enhance capacity and mobilize resources in priority areas.

Must possess experience in comprehensive project management, including scoping, design, resource allocation, risk management, quality assurance, monitoring, and evaluation practices to assess program effectiveness and outcomes.

Display ability to build strong networks within and across complex institutions at all different levels to deliver on strategic priorities.

Demonstrate the ability to support AGRA’s leadership and directly engage in key stakeholder meetings and conferences, enhancing AGRA’s visibility and recognition as a vital partner in the agricultural sector, including through related communications and knowledge management.