ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme (WFP) is United Nations frontline agency in the fight against hunger, WFP is continually responding to emergencies. We save lives by getting food to the hungry fast. But WFP also works to help prevent hunger in the future. We do this through programmes that use food as a means to build assets, spread knowledge and nurture stronger, more dynamic communities. This helps communities become more food secure. On average, WFP aims to bring food assistance to more than 80 million people in 80 countries.

WFP Ethiopia is working with the Government and humanitarian partners to strengthen the resilience of Ethiopia’s most vulnerable population and to chart a more prosperous and sustainable future for the next generation. The Country Office also supports programmes that use food assistance to empower women, transform areas aschool feding cted by climate change and keep children in school. It aims to contribute to Ethiopia’s five-year development agenda, the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), through which the Government combats food insecurity.

ABOUT MCGOVERNDOLE PROJECT

WFP School Feeding Unit have received a confirmation from USDA - McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program to undertake school feeding and technical assistance project for four years period to enable the Ethiopian Government to transit towards national ownership of school meals program.  The project will be covering around 185,693 primary school children in Afar and Oromia Regions.  The regions are mainly pastoralists who live in a marginalized environment and whose livelihood is exposed to the vagaries of climate and harsh environmental conditions and suffers from law participation into schooling and education. 

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

These jobs are found in the Country Offices (COs) SCHOOL FEEDING unit seconded to the Ministry of Education. The job holders report to Team Leader, SCHOOL FEEDING. S/he also reports to the State Minister from MoE side and will work closely with the General Director, SIP Directorate, Mother Thong and English Language and other pertinent department at the MoE and MoH.  Job holders operate with a high degree of independence, manage five staffs and responsible to ensure SCHOOL FEEDING programme and WFP policy objectives are achieved in full. S/he usually involved in a wide variety of programme, policy and strategy level activities and analytical work, some of which may be of a considerable complexity. At this level, job holders are expected to contribute to performance improvement and the overall programme management and system strengthen at MoE. There is a requirement to use judgment in dealing with unforeseen problems on a daily basis, proactively and adaptively management. Job holder typically responsible to coordinate and oversee SCHOOL FEEDING programme, supervising and coaching staff.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide support to policy and programme coordination activities of school feeding actively undertaken by WFP and MoE.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive):

1.       Provide programme management support to ensure a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures 

2.       Lead the development of SCHOOL FEEDING programme strategy, implementation guideline, standard of operations, system strengthening, briefing notes, advocacy and resource mobilization documents and policies

3.       Provide strategic and technical assistance and capacity building of partners and national government to strengthen SCHOOL FEEDING interventions at all level

4.       Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure school feeding activity collaboration, monitor ongoing projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.

5.       Research and analyses a range of policy and operational issues to inform the development of policies, strategies, programmes and activities.

6.       Lead the establishment of national school meal networks with the active stakeholders participation and facilitate the forum periodically   

7.       Review the monthly and quarterly monitoring plans and reports by the monitoring officer and provide technical feedback for coherent approach and corrective actions.

8.       Facilitate and support in organizing periodic programme review meetings with relevant partners in the field and identify issues and gaps for follow up actions.

9.       Prepare analytical periodic progress report of SCHOOL FEEDING programme and provide inputs for national, regional, global, and other reports.

10.   Identify trends and issues related to SCHOOL FEEDING, analyses data and well research ideas and solution to senior management, to enable informed decision making on the programme

11.   Lead the development of school feeding active partnerships with key partners and donnors to enhance WFP’s ability to strengthening national school feeding programmes

12.   Coordinate and where relevant, lead, co- facilitate the proposal development, programme strategies, evaluations, and reporting requirements from donors

13.   Contribute to AU and corporate school feeding agenda by consolidate lessons learned and best practices, share evidence-based input on school meals programme implementation of agreed activities.

14.   Identify opportunities including resource mobilization to develop new and existing synergies with other agencies and make suggestions to senior MoE officials and WFP team leader to strengthen more school feeding active and efficient approach to school programme.

15.   Lead the development annual operational work plan and ensure school feeding activities program implementation and prepare accurate and timely reporting

16.   Advise the senior government officials at MoE ( the state minister, general directors and other senior staffs) to enable government led school meal programme agenda are incorporate in education sector plan and implement at scale

17.   Lead the multi sectoral coordination and engagement them for SCHOOL FEEDING programme

18.   Supervise and coordinate the activities of SCHOOL FEEDING team, providing advice, and guidance to attain the objectives programme as per the agreed standards and deadline

19.   Coordinate the development of data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained

20.   Ensure and/or perform accurate, timely recording of data within the specific technical area of work and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

21.   Review the monthly monitoring plans and reports by the monitoring staff and provide technical feedback for coherent approach and corrective actions.

22.   Facilitate and support in organizing periodic programme review meetings with relevant partners/counterparts in the field and identify issues and gaps for follow up actions.

23.   Prepare analytical periodic reports on the progress of operational projects and situation under the field operations as well as provide inputs for global, regional and other reports

24.   Study and propose innovative co-financing mechanisms and advise the government to allocate budget and engage the private sectors to support school feeding programme

25.   Lead, manage, mentor, supervise SCHOOL FEEDING staff to build their capacity that enables them to achieve programme goal and organizational strategic objectives

26.   Ensure satisfactorily any additional duties, as required by the supervisor  

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Has deepened technical knowledge demonstrated school feeding experience
• Has taken leadership of managing programme independently 
• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions related SCHOOL FEEDING programme
• Experiences in developing school feeding strategies and guideline are added advantage  
• Has a wide-ranging network across government ministries, regions and other partners
• Has proven experience of managing various teams from school feeding rent background and expertise and ability to lead, coach and motivate a small team.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships, persuade, influence and adapt communication style to school feeding rent situations and individuals
• Deep understanding of SCHOOL FEEDING government policies and working experience with the higher government officials in a multi sectoral nature added advantage   
• Has experience working in area of school feeding programme preferable in policy and strategy development in MoE context will be an added advantage 

Education: Advanced University degree in, Sociology, Rural Development, Developmental Economics, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses

Experience:  3 or more years of progressively responsible work experience in the development and food assistance sectors. At least 1 year of post graduate professional experience in a senior leadership role managing the country programmes. Experience working on capacity building and technical assistance to the government at federal MoE in school feeding programme has an advantage.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English.  Knowledge of the local/national language is an added advantage