WFP encourages female candidates and people with disabilities to apply.

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourage qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and disability.

Job Title: Programme Assistant SC5

Grade: SC 5

Type of contract:Service Contract Level 5

Duty Station: Osh or outposted, Kyrgyz Republic

Vacancy Number: 833626

Date of Publication: 14 June 2024

Deadline of Application: 30 June 2024

This vacancy announcement is for Nationals from the Kyrgyz Republic.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

To perform specialized and/or standardized policy and programme-related processes and activities to support the effective delivery of planned outcomes.

Supervision received: Under the direct supervision of a more senior Programme staff, Programme Assistants receive strategic directions from Outcome 4 (School Meals), who – accountable for results and resources for effective Programme delivery – set the operating frame in Bishkek, with operational teams implementing the activities in close collaboration with partners in Offices in Osh and Bishkek and in outposted locations such as Batken, Naryn and Jalalabad.

Programme Assistants ensure smooth collaboration with partners and with support functions, such as supply chain, budget or admin/finance as well as with the advisory and cross-cutting teams in the Research, Analysis and Monitoring unit, to ensure error-free and timely processing of information and operational transactions. Beyond a hierarchical supervisor, matrix reporting lines will aim to enhance coordination and service provision through feedback, especially where a programme assistant supports more than one outcome.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

1. Perform specialized and/or standardized processes and activities within the specific technical area of work supporting alignment with wider programme policies and guidelines.

2. Provide project management and/or general office support following established targets and WFP’s policies and procedures.

3. Within the specific area of responsibility, compile data and support analysis and preparation of reports (e.g. assistance needs, resource utilization, programme status, performance) in order to support operational decision-making.

4. Perform accurate, timely recording of data within the specific technical area of work (e.g. social protection, civil protection/disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, school meals, nutrition, value chains, food systems, emergency preparedness or other as defined in the CSP) following corporate standards and guidelines.

5. Work and exchange information with internal counterparts to support effective collaboration, implementation and monitoring of ongoing project activities.

6. Support communication and activities with local partners, agencies, NGOs and government institutions. 7. Act as a point of contact for resolution of general operational queries requesting assistance where necessary.

8. Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to ensure WFP is able to quickly respond and deploy needed resources to affected areas at the onset of the crisis.

9. Perform other duties as required.

SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

1. Provide overall programme implementation support to Outcome 4’s Management.
2. Demonstrate ability to identify key variables and contextual factors that affect Government-led school meals programmes throughout the lifecycle to inform quality assurance, incl. programme design or re-design and implementation advice.
3. Demonstrate ability to implement, under guidance, school meals programme advice and implementation support, with curiosity and willingness to pilot
4. Understand basic technical concepts and data and their relevance to the School Meals Programme, incl. in the area of nutrition, social behaviour change communication (SBCC), and safety nets.
5. Understand and apply basic principles of engagement with government counterparts at the national or local level.
6. Especially when acting as a focal point, support Outcome 4 on different policy engagements; this includes:
   • supporting (from administrative and logistical points of view) in planning, preparing for, organizing and reporting on the meetings, seminars, workshops, and other events
   • building related knowledge internally and with partners, with record keeping and information sharing, including through the internal archive in MS Teams
   • supporting overall coordination and project assistance to produce Outcome 4 visibility materials by following WFP’s standards/requirements
   • providing support and overall coordination of work related to reporting of Cooperating Partners (e.g.taking necessary actions in WINGS and others)
7. Support Outcome 4 with the coordination of stakeholders, with landscape screening that facilitates complementarity or jointness of WFP interventions with those of other actors and with the management of Cooperating and Government partners who implement programme/project activities. This includes:
   • support activities related to FLA management, such as ensuring relevant oversight and assessments are conducted and updated in the Partner Portal, record-keeping and paperwork, ensuring that all documents are maintained and filed in compliance with WFP standards and guidelines, securing compliance with the overall activity logic and result orientation,
   • if needed to facilitate the coordination with Government and Cooperating partner plans and priorities, temporary work in Government and partner premises to coordinate and explain WFP positions and advice,
   • Coordinate with the External Relations unit, updating partnership information in the PAP and other tools to coordinate partnerships, fundraising and advocacy work by identifying potential collaboration with other partners and stakeholders (including other development partners’ projects and programmes, private sector, civil society organizations).
8. Support Outcome 4 with the report writing (for mid- and end of project timelines), support to communications and advocacy, presentations, fundraising proposals and knowledge sharing.
9. Support Outcome 4 by ensuring that RAM data is timely available and analyzed
   • to take course corrections,
   • to feed meaningfully into reports and publications,
   • to ensure that crosscutting objectives such as ‘accountability to affected populations’, ‘nutrition’, ‘gender and disability inclusion’, ‘youth-focus’ and attention to the ‘mountain’ priority are fully considered (leave no one behind (LNOB), nutrition-sensitive, …) in targeting, transfer modality and transfer value choices as well as in other aspects of programme implementation, and that
10. Facilitate effective communication between WFP staff in Bishkek and Osh offices as well as outposted programme staff, keep planning tools (such as procurement plan and tracking tools) and calendars that inform support functions’ work up to date and take minutes in internal and external meetings to keep track of decisions taken as well as of the status of actions planned.
11. Perform any other administrative tasks that contribute to an optimum use of resources to achieve planned results. This includes:
    • with guidance by SCU and more senior programme staff: market research and drafting of TOR or specifications for goods and (consultant) services foreseen in the programme plans,
    • with guidance by BPU and more senior programme staff: monitor budget utilization in line with the approved budgets in order to ensure that correct expenditure costs are charged and payments to external suppliers, cash grants and other supplier invoices are processed in a timely manner,
    • With guidance from Finance/Admin and more senior programme staff, I maintain plans and records to help coordinate cash forecasts and travel management.
    • act as a focal point for NFI procurement for the Programme unit and act responsibly on FRN management.
12. Coordinate with Other Outcomes of WFP to connect with Food For Asset (FFA)/Food for Training (FFT)

Within specific Outcomes this includes or has specific focus as follows:

Schools as Platform for Healthy Diets

1. Take responsibility for the launch of optimized meals models at schools and pre-schools as per Outcome work plan approved by CO management.
2. Coordinate and conduct (either directly or by tasking CPs) capacity-strengthening, coaching and support to school staff, parents and programme stakeholders on various relevant topics.
3. Facilitate the programme handover to national management.
4. Assist in organization of programmatic events, SSTC exchanges and missions.
5. Coordinate, implement and report on implementation of Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF), SBCC, Private and Public Partnership (PPP) and Urban School Feeding initiatives and activities.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Strong knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues.

• Demonstrated familiarity with the project life cycle, with practical experience with related tools and modalities as also used by WFP.

• Well organized work with accurate information/reports/records, preferably with experience in working collaboratively through MS Teams.

• Time management, multitasking and prioritizations.

• Ability to work with accuracy under time constraints and pressure; to deal patiently and tactfully with staff members and others and to have a high sense of result-orientation, initiative and good judgment.

• Practice in utilizing computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), including processing transactions error-free and timely in systems like SAP (WINGS) or other databases.

• Demonstrated experience in implementing programme activities through sub-contracted or complementary partnerships (incl. involvement in screening the partnership landscape, negotiating agreements, managing contracts/verifying deliverables and strengthening capacities with both public and private partners).

• Track-record in considering vulnerabilities and the leave-no-one-behind / human rights-based approaches in programme implementation, facilitating two-way communication with the people WFP serves.

• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing programme management. Knowledge of WFP’s manual, rules and guidelines in the area of programme would be desirable.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK: COMMON STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR

Functional Capabilities (Knowledge & Skills):

• Experience in implementing agriculture: working on projects related to agricultural value chains, capacity building of smallholders and cooperatives, market linkages for smallholder farmers and/or market analysis (strongly desirable).

• Knowledge of Schools/education sectors: Understand basic technical concepts and data and their relevance to activities implemented by WFP’s or within national social and civil protection frameworks.

• Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance: Can facilitate implementation of food assistance programmes under guidance using basic understanding of principles and good practices of programme design, implementation and monitoring.

• Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Vouchers, Insurance and other): Demonstrate ability to facilitate, under guidance, programme implementation that deploys full range of transfer modalities with an understanding of basic principles guiding modality selection and implementation.

• Strategic Policy Engagement: Understand and applies basic principles of engagement with government, civil society and other counterparts at the national or local level.

• Ethics and Compliance: Maintain accurate records of activities in line with compliance standards to increase ease of response to basic audit queries.

Experience: 5 years of progressively responsible experience in programme-related functions, of which significant experience (at least 1 year) is related to agricultural value chains, capacity building of smallholders and cooperatives, market linkages for smallholder farmers and/or market analysis.

Education: Completion of secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in the related functional area, with project management certificates and/or further university education an advantage.

Language: Fluency (level C) in both oral and written communication in English and proficiency in the duty station’s language(s) (Russian and/or Kyrgyz).

All WFP Employees are expected to demonstrate the competencies and standards of behaviour aligned with our core values and defined in the WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK, namely:

Leading by example with integrity,

Driving results and delivering on commitments,

Fostering inclusive and collaborative teamwork,

Applying strategic thinking,

Building and maintaining sustainable partnerships.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered, interested candidates are invited to apply via (https://www.wfp.org/careers/job-openings). Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.

Request for Disability related Reasonable Accommodations:

It is important to WFP to create an accessible and inclusive workplace for everyone. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection and hiring process, please direct your request and inquiries to the Diversity and Inclusion team on: global.inclusion@wfp.org, cc’ing bangkok.recruitment@wfp.org. A member of the reasonable accommodation team will contact you to confidentially discuss your needs.

This email is only to be used for any disability related accessibility requirements, and not for sending the application itself. Due to volume of applications, any applications or CVs sent through this email address will not be considered as a formal application and will not receive a reply from WFP.

Please note that WFP may keep candidates who successfully passed recruitment tests and interviews, but were not the first-choice candidate selected for a position, on a roster for similar (or lower-level) upcoming positions or short-term opportunities for direct contracting. Successful candidates will be informed about their inclusion into the roster.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

WFP’s vision is that people in the Kyrgyz Republic will have substantially increased access to national social protection systems that safeguard and foster their ability to meet their food security, nutrition and associated essential needs, and to manage the risks and shocks they face, with ample opportunity to graduate from poverty and contribute to sustainable food systems, national disaster risk management efforts and social cohe