Partnerships for Development and Nutrition Support Officer - Swiss UN Volunteer Associate Programme
Benin, Littoral, Cotonou
Nonprofit/Community/Social Services/International Cooperation
Other
Date of last update: 2026-07-20 (Expiry date: 2026-08-17)
Job description
Verify your compatibility with this job ad
The compatibility is only an indication and should not discourage you from applying if you think your profile matches. It is also not taken into consideration for recruitment.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eliminating poverty and hunger in rural areas. It does this by investing in rural communities. IFAD finances programs and projects that increase agricultural productivity and rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national, and international levels for policies that contribute to rural transformation.
The IFAD Country Office in Cotonou supports agricultural and rural development programmes in both Benin and Togo. Its work focuses on improving agricultural production, market access, value chains, and agricultural financing through several active projects, including national initiatives and the Regional Program for Agricultural Market Integration (PRIMA) programme. The office also supports the development and start-up of new investment projects to further strengthen rural livelihoods and market integration.
As Partnerships for Development and Nutrition Support Officer you support IFAD as follows:
- Create and maintain a repository of IFAD partners in Benin;
- Track partner meetings, contacts, agreements, and follow-up actions;
- Identify new partnership opportunities and ongoing initiatives;
- Support joint initiatives with FAO, WFP, and other development actors;
- Prepare briefs, reports, communication materials, and event documentation;
- Etc.
Part of the UN Volunteer Associate Programme "Swiss Talent at the United Nations", this position is sponsored by the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD).
Social Security
- You will be serving on a UN volunteer contract. Your UN health insurance and travel will be covered and you will be receiving a living allowance to cover for your living costs in the duty station. Find more information in the UNV "Unified Conditions of Service" and the UNV "Entitlement calculator".
- Because of the volunteering and international nature of your contract, you may not be entitled to unemployment insurance upon your return to Switzerland, nor will any contributions to your national social security (AHV/AVS) be made from the living allowance you will be receiving. Soliswiss, our partner and expert will be available to advise on your individual social security situation.
Please find the full job description here:
More information
Download attachmentView details
Vacancies: 1
Working hours (%): 80-100% / 100%
80-100% / 100%Type of contract: Volunteer
Duration: 12 months
Macro-area: Sub-Saharan Africa
Level of experience: Junior Professional, 1 to 3 years
Area of work Definition: Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Rural Development
Area of work: External Relations, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
Type of organisation: Multilateral Organisations
Join date: February 2027
Skills required
For the programme:
- Swiss nationality;
- Master's degree;
- Ideally 12 months of relevant professional experience (min. 3 months - max. 24 months);
- Max. 28 years old at the date of application;
- Excellent command of English and 2 official Swiss languages (one active = C1/C2, one passive = A2/B1);
- Proven interest in joining the international cooperation sector.
For this position:
- Master's degree in economics, agronomy, agribusiness, nutrition or public health, international trade, or related fields;
- Demonstrated interest and/or experience (ideally one year) in public sector engagement, nutrition-sensitive agriculture and development partnerships;
- Experience in Developing partnerships with the public sector and international organizations, resource mobilization and innovative financing;
- Experience in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development
- Fluency in French is required.
Please find more details in the full job description.
We are committed to gender balance and encourage applications from qualified individuals of all genders. We also welcome applications from people with different gender identities and from people with different backgrounds, including sexual orientation, disability, cultural or religious background. We value an inclusive working environment that promotes equal opportunities and a non-discriminatory culture.
Important details regarding your application
Make sure your profile on cinfoPoste is complete and up to date:
- Motivation letter in English (not more than 3500 characters, to be inserted in the pop-up window when you click on 'apply')
- CV in English incl the exact length and the % of your employments
- Work certificates, diplomas and university credentials (as PDF) uploaded under the section "documents" in your login area
Find useful tips and resources related to UN applications on the cinfo website and read this article.
Application deadline: 17 August 2026
First round of interviews carried out by cinfo: between 09 and 18 September 2026
Final selection: made by the host organisation based on cinfo's recommendation and a second interview with them. Selected candidates will be informed towards the end of October 2026.
Onboarding and training: The onboarding process will start after the selection. Selected candidates will have to attend mandatory predeparture training in January 2027.
Entry on duty: Departure is possible after the mandatory training. The final departure date will be discussed after the selection and depends on several factors.
Are you interested in the programme "Swiss Talent at the United Nations"? Do you have specific questions about the process and how to apply? Join us on Zoom during our Live Q&A sessions on Thursday, 23 July at 12:15pm or Tuesday, 11 August at 5:30pm. More information about the sessions via this link.
Any questions? Contact Michal Habegger, cinfo's Recruitment Specialists, recruitment@cinfo.ch
Map
Similar job ads
Protection Associate - Swiss UN Volunteer Associate Programme
Littoral, Cotonou - UNHCR
