Government Liaison Officer

The Government Liaison Officer will lead WFP’s engagement with the Government of Angola, focusing on strategic government relations, partnership development, and alignment of WFP operations with national priorities. The role involves representing WFP in government and IFI meetings, facilitating policy dialogue, and supporting resource mobilization efforts to advance food security and development goals in Angola.

Responsibilities

• Lead engagement strategy with key ministries and decision-makers to ensure alignment of WFP’s strategies and operations with Angola’s development priorities, and identify potential opportunities for WFP’s support.
• Maintain trusted relationships with senior government officials, providing strategic intelligence and positioning WFP as a partner of choice.
• Facilitate structured engagements between the Head of Office and senior government leadership, ensuring sustained policy dialogue and visibility of WFP’s contributions.
• Prepare briefing notes, talking points, and background materials to support WFP leadership in meetings with Government and IFI stakeholders.
• Coordinate joint WFP–Government of Angola missions, advocacy events, and policy consultations that elevate WFP’s national profile and strengthen ownership of joint programmes.
• Ensure coordination with key government stakeholders at the sub-national level by maintaining an active partnership with relevant authorities.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with ministries such as Planning, Agriculture and Forestry, Education, Health, Social Affairs, Family and Women’s Promotion, Industry and Commerce, and others connected to WFP interventions.
• Facilitate stronger linkages between WFP and Government ministries and International Financial Institutions to position WFP as a partner of choice in national development financing processes.
• Support the design and implementation of government-led initiatives where WFP contributes technical or operational support.
• Help identify new government counterparts and emerging engagement opportunities in line with the Interim Country Strategic Plan (ICSP).
• Co-lead the development and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy for WFP Angola including securing resourcing commitments from the Government of Angola.
• Explore critical partnerships within the Government system and secure their alignment and support for WFP’s programming strategies.
• Monitor national financing priorities, loan pipelines, and government–IFI negotiations to identify opportunities for WFP support.
• Provide strategic guidance to WFP leadership on relationship management, diplomatic engagement, and context-appropriate approaches when interfacing with government.
• Advise on risks, sensitivities, and political-economy considerations that may influence programme delivery or institutional cooperation.
• Support WFP’s compliance with national protocols, formal communication channels, and government coordination systems.
• Conceptualize and analyse WFP’s development strategies for managing and coordinating Government engagement and partnership for development projects.
• Keep WFP senior Management abreast of development issues and changes in Government policies and regulations and propose adaptive strategies.
• Strengthen WFP’s positioning as a partner of choice for humanitarian response and development support by ensuring visibility in policy platforms and government events.
• Contribute to development of presentations, government-facing documents, and visibility materials demonstrating WFP’s impact.
• Represent WFP at government meetings and ensure consistent communication with the Country Office and programme teams.
• Produce summaries, action points, and analytical updates following engagements with the government and ensure timely dissemination and follow-up.

Requirements

• Advanced University Degree in Public Administration, Social science, Political Science, International Relations, Development Studies, Program Management, Public Policy, Agronomy or related field; or First University Degree with additional relevant professional experience.
• Minimum eight years of progressively responsible experience in government relations, public sector coordination, partnership management, or policy engagement.
• Experience working with national governments, preferably in Angola, and familiarity with ministerial structures and public administration systems.
• Experience in international development, humanitarian work, or multilateral institutions such IFIs is an asset.
• Strong understanding of Angola’s government systems, national development priorities, social, and political-economy context.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing decisions, networking, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prepare high-quality briefs, analyses, and meeting documentation.
• Ability to engage diplomatically and navigate sensitive issues.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple engagements.
• High energy, maturity, and leadership with the ability to serve as a unifying force and to position WFP’s communications and discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels.
• Relationship builder with the flexibility and finesse to ‘manage by influence’.
• Team-oriented, collaborative, flexible, adaptable, and comfortable working in an inclusive, low-ego, matrix-management environment.
• Fluency (Level C) in both oral and written English and Portuguese Language.
• Knowledge of a second official UN language an asset.

Skills

• Government Relations
• Coordination with Public Sector
• Partnership Management
• Policy Engagement
• International Development
• Humanitarian Work
• Multilateral Organizations
• Government systems knowledge
• National Development Priorities
• Political economy understanding
• Communications Skills
• Negotiation Skills
• Influencing Decisions
• Networking Skills
• Brief Preparation
• Analytical Writing
• Diplomatic Engagement
• Independent Work
• Leadership Skills
• Resource Mobilization

Languages

English, Portuguese