Special Envoy to Middle East and Arab Funds - Co-Terminus 3 Years

The Special Envoy serves as a senior strategic adviser to the President on IFAD's engagement in the Middle East, providing high-level strategic and diplomatic leadership to deepen IFAD's partnerships and resource mobilization efforts in the region. The role involves representing IFAD, advising senior management, and coordinating with multiple divisions to advance IFAD's mandate on rural transformation, food security, and climate resilience.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction in the development and interpretation of major policies, regulations and rules within the Middle East and Arab funds scope.
• Serve as a trusted business/programme advisor with a significant role in authoritative policy advice within IFAD at the management level and in policy dialogue in representational activities.
• Catalyse effective partnerships with a broad range of institutions including borrowers, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, UN agencies, funds and programmes, international financial institutions, NGOs and academic institutions for programme cooperation, knowledge sharing, policy dialogue and resource mobilization.
• Represent IFAD in official United Nations committees and networks, and in IFIs, multilateral and bilateral meetings, symposia, fora and global conferences upon request of the President.
• Build organizational networks with peers in major private, public and international institutions.
• Ensure transparent, equitable, and efficient management of IFAD's resources including human, financial, and material resources.
• Manage staff through workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, and career development.
• Manage allocated budget ensuring accountability and fiduciary integrity.
• Promote knowledge and content management to achieve innovative outcomes and cost-effective processes.
• Leverage information technology to improve business results, reporting processes, and client services.
• Develop and lead a coherent engagement strategy for Gulf and Middle East Member States and partners aligned with IFAD's corporate priorities and replenishment objectives.
• Cultivate and maintain trusted relationships with senior government interlocutors, ministries, development funds, sovereign and investment institutions, regional organizations, philanthropic foundations and other strategic actors in the Middle East.
• Co-lead high-level diplomatic engagement, dialogue and negotiations to support financial contributions to IFAD including replenishment pledges, supplementary contributions, concessional partner loans, co-financing arrangements and other partnership financing.
• Support positioning of IFAD’s value proposition with Middle East partners by articulating the Fund’s impact on rural poverty reduction, food security, climate adaptation, youth employment, resilience and regional stability.
• Serve as IFAD's senior focal point and interlocutor with selected Middle East stakeholders, representing the Fund in high-level engagements as delegated by the President.
• Brief and advise the President and senior management on political, institutional and financing developments in the Middle East, recommending engagement options, risk mitigation measures and opportunities for strategic partnership.
• Coordinate closely with OPV, ERD, regional divisions, technical teams and country offices to ensure engagement with Middle East partners is supported by high-quality policy, programme, financial and communication materials.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for strategic collaboration and cofinancing opportunities between IFAD and Middle East partners in areas such as climate resilience, water-efficient agriculture, food systems transformation, fragile contexts, South-South and triangular cooperation, innovation and private sector engagement.
• Represent IFAD and OPV in high-level meetings, missions, conferences and consultations involving Middle East stakeholders.
• Ensure systematic follow-up on commitments, pledges, partnership opportunities and engagement plans with Middle East partners, maintaining an overview of progress, risks, next steps and strategic priorities for the President.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in Economics, Public Policy, International Relations, International Law, International Development, Middle East Studies or any other relevant field from an accredited institution.
• A combination of relevant academic qualifications and extensive senior-level diplomatic experience is highly desirable.
• At least fifteen (15) years of progressively senior leadership experience in an international financial institution or multilateral organisation and/or government entity.
• Demonstrated track record of providing strategic leadership, advising senior decision-makers, building high-level partnerships, managing sensitive external relationships, mobilizing political support, and engaging effectively with senior government officials, heads of international organizations, and other senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience of not less than ten (10) years working directly on or with Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries at senior levels, including engagement with Ministries, sovereign and development finance institutions, regional organizations and senior political leadership.
• Demonstrated track record of leading and concluding high-value resource mobilization, replenishment, partnership financing, co-financing, sovereign financing, or strategic fundraising initiatives within a multilateral, international financial institution, government, or regional development context.
• Proven experience in international affairs, diplomacy, integrating political, financial, operational and partnership work streams and fostering collaboration across diverse institutions, and shaping policy dialogue.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to lead and manage multicultural teams, preferably in an international financial institution, through a combination of corporate and field-based experience; and capacity for managing development and implementation of strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated understanding of the political, institutional and financing landscape of the region and extensive experience and ability to leverage an existing regional network through high-level diplomatic engagements, partnership building and resource mobilization with governments, development finance institutions, regional organizations, investment institutions, foundations and other strategic partners in the Middle East.
• Candidates must demonstrate an established network of senior-level relationships across governments, development funds, regional institutions, sovereign investment entities, and strategic partners in the Middle East and GCC region.
• Fluency in English and Arabic (4 - Excellent)
• Desirable: French, Spanish
• Know-how in budget administration and accounting, resource allocation and planning at divisional level
• Ability to leverage IFAD knowledge and/or communication materials to maintain and promote constructive dialogue around IFAD's vision and strategic priorities to external actors
• Ability to identify, cultivate and convert strategic relationships into financial contributions, co-financing opportunities, concessional partner loans, special contributions and other partnership arrangements that support IFAD's mandate within the agreed scope.
• Strong alignment capabilities and consultation skills, building on effective interactions and relationships with different stakeholders and ability to build and maintain a strong network.
• Ability to lead and manage the development and implementation of medium to longer-term strategies for IFAD and respective divisions.
• Know-how in managing performance so that staff supervised deliver on the agreed objectives and meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD.
• Proficient in establishing clear performance goals (operational and behavioural) and learning plans as well as in evaluating the performance of staff against the set goals.
• Know-how in the planning of human, financial and material management of IFAD resources.
• Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner, advocating and promoting IFAD's mandate and vision; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts like ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society.
• Role modelling, anticipation of key risks & conflicts and formulation of contingency plans/solutions, action-oriented.
• Establishes self and division as trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by maintaining high level of discretion and confidentiality in assignments; demonstrates sound judgement when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters; drives good governance and is a 'Culture Carrier' demonstrating IFAD institutional conscience through his/her work.
• Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work.
• Group thought leader, sought out by others and providing mentorship and effective guidance to others; ability to build trust, inside and outside the organization by acting as a role model for IFAD's core values and competencies, and to provide a clear sense of direction, mentorship and effective guidance to the team.
• Ability to conduct sound political analysis and understand complex environments, providing options and advice

Skills

• Strategic Leadership
• Diplomatic Engagement
• Resource Mobilization
• Partnership Building
• Political Analysis
• International Relations
• Multilateral Negotiations
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Middle East Expertise
• GCC Regional Knowledge
• Budget Administration
• Financial Planning
• Team Leadership
• Performance Management
• Policy Dialogue
• Cross-institutional Collaboration
• Network Development
• Conflict Risk Management
• Contingency Planning
• Mentorship and Guidance

Languages

English, Arabic, French, Spanish