World Food Program

Position: Program Policy Officer (Livelihoods and NRM)

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Jijiga, Ethiopia

Posted date: 5 days ago

Application Deadline: Jan, 4/2022 (8 days left)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, color, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Job Title: Program Policy Officer (Livelihoods and Natural Resource Management)

No. Position/s: 1 (One)

VA No.:    155024

Contract: Fixed Term 

Grade: NOA

Date of Issue: 21 December 2021

Deadline: 04 January 2022

Duty Stations: Jijiga Sub Office (1)

Position Duration: 12 Months with a possibility of extension

ABOUT WFP

Assisting 91.4 million people in around 83 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies, and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. On any given day, WFP has 5,000 trucks, 20 ships, and 92 planes on the move, delivering food and other assistance to those in most need. Every year, we distribute more than 15 billion rations at an estimated average cost per ration of US$ 0.31. These numbers lie at the roots of WFP’s unparalleled reputation as an emergency responder, one that gets the job done quickly at scale in the most difficult environments. WFP’s efforts focus on emergency assistance, relief and rehabilitation, development aid, and special operations.

WFP Ethiopia is working with the government and other 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 affected 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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This job is found in WFP Jijiga Sub Office and job holders report to the Head of Sub Office or the designate. Job holders are likely to be working under the close support and guidance of a more experienced professional staff member receiving guidance and regular feedback on work performed. They are typically involved in program or policy activities or similar nature and analytical work of limited complexity. 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

In 2020 WFP CO Ethiopia has launched its CSP 2020-2025. The five-year country strategic plan is based on WFP’s recognized strengths and on strong strategic and operational partnerships with the Government, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, and other United Nations agencies. While the bulk of operations will continue to address the immediate short-term needs of refugees, internally displaced persons, and other food-insecure and undernourished people, there will be a gradual expansion and intensification of climate change adaptation, resilience, and livelihood diversification initiatives also linked to the humanitarian-development–peace nexus. WFP will focus on the prevention of malnutrition, the building of resilience, and the integration of nutrition concerns and gender equality throughout the portfolio.

Following the launch of the CSP, WFP ETCO has revised its organigramme having Activity 5 responsible for Strategic Outcome 2: Vulnerable and food-insecure populations in targeted areas have increased resilience to shocks.

Under the Activity 5 portfolio, there is three major ongoing initiative. Out of those three, one initiative namely: KfW-funded Response to Desert Locust Infestation. It Will be implemented in Three Woredas in the Somali region under Jijiga SO, the three Woredas are Harshin & Mula Woredas in Fafan Zone and Errar Woreda in Sitti Zone.

Both initiatives are strategically very important for WFP ETCO because of the theme of the actions, the level of the negative impact that lack of proper interventions could have on the beneficiaries, and the existing relationship with the Donor(s).

The purpose of this assignment is to have a focal point for Activity 5 initiatives in Jijiga SO in order to guarantee proper on-ground coordination as well as cooperation with CPs, government counterparts, and other stakeholders.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Head of the Jijiga sub-office the job holder will be responsible for the following:

• Serve as a focal point for WFP ETCO for all initiatives under Activity 5 in Jijiga SO.
• Liaise with government counterparts, CPs, FSPs, and other stakeholders on all technical aspects related to Activity 5 initiatives.
• Coordinate on-ground implementation of Activity 5 actions in Jijiga region in close coordination ETCO activity 5 Manager and Somali region Livelihood officer.
• Support capacity strengthening activities at regional and local level falling under Activity 5;
• Coordinates the establishment of various local partnership forums to facilitate learning and scaling up of good practices relevant to WFP and activity 5;
• Maintain up-to-date information and provide timely information as required.
• Coordinate needs assessment missions and data analysis.
• Identifies good practices related to Activity 5 for further program quality improvement.
• Collect, document, and share lessons learned and results of Activity 5 actions implementation.
• Supervise field monitors for strengthening/building their technical and functional capacity on thematic areas related to Activity 5 (climate change adaptation, resilience building, DRR/DRM, etc.);
• Organize missions for WFP ETCO, donors, and other partners.
• Assist in the design of new Activity 5 initiatives for Jijiga SO operational areas.
• Assist in the design of new initiatives in building smallholder farmers' resilience and local procurement initiatives.
• Any additional duties as requested.
• DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT
• End of Mission Report

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Has gained experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. nutrition, etc.).
• Has implemented programs and provided input into designing operations.
• Has provided input into polics discussions and decisions.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in International Development, Economics, Agriculture, Social science, Management, Environmental Science, or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience: At least two years professional working experience in food security, resilience building, climate change adaptation or other relevant fields.

Knowledge and Skills: 

• Ability to work independently in a timely and organized manner.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work in a team and multi-task as needed
• Willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work
• A strong understanding of climate change adaptation and resilience-building in the different contexts of Ethiopia.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Somali language. Knowledge of other local languages is an added advantage.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
• Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
• Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
• Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
• Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
• Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
• Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
• Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level

• Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance - Demonstrates ability to identify key variables and contextual factors that affect food assistance problems and programmes throughout the lifecycle to inform quality programme design or re-design.
• Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher) - Demonstrates ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information from different sources (e.g., market studies) to inform transfer modality selection and programme development.
• Broad Knowledge of Specialized areas (i.e. Nutrition, VAM, etc.) - Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialized fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.
• Emergency Programming - Displays capacity to provide inputs into the development, implementation and realignment of high quality emergency programmes.
• Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government - Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes.

How to Apply

CLICK HERE

 All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.