DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

5 October 2024-23:59-GMT+01:00 West Africa Standard Time (Kinshasa)

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, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP’s values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

WHY JOIN WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

JOB PROFILE: Programme Policy Officer – Head of Programme

TYPE OF CONTRAT: International Consultant 2

UNIT/DIVISION: Programme

Duty Station (City, Country): Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo

DURATION: 11 months

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT:

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency dedicated to fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works globally 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.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing one of the largest hunger crises in the world. Hunger and conflict exacerbate each other, with armed conflict and widespread displacement prevailing for the past 25 years. Multiple other crises further compound DRC’s humanitarian challenges. North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri are the provinces where war and unrest have been most protracted. Three out of every four internally displaced people live with host families, many of whom were already struggling before taking in strangers in need. The number of acutely food-insecure people stands at 27 million, making access to food a daily struggle for a significant part of the Congolese population. An estimated 3.4 million children are acutely malnourished.

The Bunia Field Office covers the former Province Orientale, including the current Ituri, Tshopo, Haut Uele, and Bas Uele provinces. Ituri province is marked by a deteriorating humanitarian situation caused mainly by decades of armed and intercommunity conflicts. This insecurity has led to massive population displacements. Additionally, the territory of Aru, located along the border with South Sudan, is suffering from the collateral effects of political and military crises in that country, resulting in an influx of South Sudanese refugees. This influx increases the pressure on local resources and livelihoods. Furthermore, the instability in North Kivu is contributing to the growing number of displaced people in Ituri.

Under its Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2021-2025, the World Food Programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo aims to provide:

• Unconditional food-resource transfers to crisis-affected and food-insecure populations.

• Nutrition prevention activities against moderate acute malnutrition among children under age 2 and pregnant and lactating women.

• Nutrition treatment activities for children under age 5 and pregnant and lactating women suffering from moderate acute malnutrition.

• A school feeding program for children at school.

• Nutrition prevention activities against stunting.

• Support for smallholder farmers and asset creation and livelihood interventions.

Within WFP DRC, the Bunia Field Office is primarily focused on providing life-saving emergency food assistance, nutrition in emergency, and nutrition-sensitive interventions through food, cash, and capacity strengthening. These efforts target families affected by intercommunity conflicts, as well as South Sudanese refugees. The office will progressively implement resilience activities to help improve lives in the DRC.

JOB PURPOSE:

With a technical background in Emergency Preparedness and Response and expertise in managing cash and in-kind transfers, the Programme Policy Officer reports to the Head of Field Office or their alternate. The programme policy officer’s responsibilities include:

• Focusing on the specific Head of Programme portfolio to ensure the implementation of programme strategies.

• Leading and managing the Programme Unit in the Bunia Field Office to ensure the effective and efficient management of WFP programmes and activities.

• Placing a strong emphasis on building and maintaining relationships.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

Under the guidance of the Head of Field Office, the Programme Policy Officer/Head of Programme will undertake the following responsibilities and tasks in collaboration with local governments, UN agencies, and other partners to enhance WFP’s visibility:

– Translate WFP-wide program policies into practical field-level approaches, program guidance, and operational strategies, fostering a seamless connection between the Country Office and field operations.

– Offer guidance and assistance to the Bunia Field Office in managing a diverse portfolio of programs, ensuring alignment with WFP policies, Executive Board decisions, and pertinent guidelines to resolve any ambiguities.

– Provide expert advice or facilitate access to technical resources on various program and policy matters, spanning assessment and analysis, selection of objectives, activity planning, transfer modalities, food product suitability, innovation testing, and strategies to bolster local government initiatives aimed at alleviating hunger and malnutrition.

– Contribute to and offer technical support for Field Office operations planning, distribution activities, and monitoring and evaluation efforts, both for ongoing programs and emergency response initiatives.

– Develop and oversee the implementation of various projects and activities including General Food Distributions (for IDPs, Refugees, Victims of natural disasters, etc.), Cash Based Transfer Nutrition, School Feeding, Food-for-Assets (FFA), and nutrition programs.

– Collaborate with governments and other stakeholders to identify areas where food assistance is needed at the local level, offering support and technical expertise for the

planning, formulation, and execution of food assistance programs. This includes advice on context-specific transfer modalities (food, cash, or vouchers) and capacity strengthening initiatives. -Assess food needs during emergency situations and assist the Field Office in developing timely response plans, as well as monitoring their implementation.

-Conduct regular meetings with the Supply Chain team to assess pipeline status, forecast demand, and coordinate timely food deliveries to Cooperating Partners (CPs) in line with requirements.

-Prepare and negotiate Field Level Agreements (FLAs) with partners, including budgeting and staff costs based on WFP standards, and present relevant and achievable projects to the Local Project Review Committee (LPRC).

-Maintain accountability by preparing accurate and comprehensive reports on WFP operations and performance, ensuring timely submission for the Bunia Field Office. Review reports to identify program support needs and inform operational decisions.

-Provide support for food security and nutrition policies and programs, including the development and implementation of Monitoring, Review, and Evaluation Plans aligned with WFP DRC and corporate standards to generate quality evidence for informed policy and program design.

-Support capacity building initiatives for WFP staff, partners, and national governments to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, including project management support for learning initiatives.

-Foster fluid communication with partners through regular meetings to address operational challenges promptly.

-Seek strategic partnerships with other UN agencies to complement WFP’s efforts.

-Contribute to Country Office Emergency Preparedness by participating in early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning to respond to humanitarian crises.

-Ensure that Cash Based Transfer (CBT) processes are implemented in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provided by the Country Office CBT team.

-Supervise the management of CBT funds and oversee grant utilization in the Bunia Field Office.

-Coordinate with targeting and distribution partners for the timely implementation of CBT distributions.

-Support the identification and development of potential partnerships in CBT programs to enhance WFP’s food assistance.

-Assist in the development of training materials and capacity building efforts for WFP field staff, including regular field missions.

-Oversee Vulnerability Assessment and Mapping, Monitoring and Evaluation activities that support WFP food security and nutrition policies and programs, including needs assessment, situation analyses, program design, targeting, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency.

-Participate in the development and implementation of monitoring, review, and evaluation plans aligned with WFP DRC and corporate standards to generate quality evidence for policy, strategy, and program design.

-Perform any other duties as required.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

-Postgraduate Professional Experience: 7 years or more in humanitarian, development, or a related field.

-Program Portfolio Expertise: Experience working across VAM/Nutrition, CBT, and SCOPE.

-Leadership: Led a Field Office/Area Office Programme team or a component of a Country Office Programme Portfolio.

-Policy Engagement: Engaged in policy discussions and provided input into policy decisions.

-Operational Experience: Participated in a moderately complex emergency operation or development programme.

-Negotiation Skills: Participated in vendor/government/partner negotiations to support broad function requirements.

-Work Plan Development: Developed or supported the development of multi-discipline workplans to achieve WFP strategic aims within a defined area.

-Field Operations Experience: Gained experience in field operations, preferably in a hardship duty station or emergency situation.

-Specialized Knowledge: Experience in food security, vulnerability analysis, or a closely related area, such as food security information management systems.

-Monitoring and Evaluation: Experience in monitoring and evaluation with a background and interest in the analysis of socioeconomic issues and related policy matters.

-Team Leadership: Led a mid-size to large team to ensure the effective delivery of objectives.

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: A strong academic background, exemplified by an advanced degree from a reputable university in disciplines such as economics, business, accounting, statistics, or any related field pertinent to international development assistance, is a prerequisite. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree augmented by significant relevant work experience and/or completed training programs will be considered.

Language Proficiency: Fluency in both spoken and written French and English (C-Level) is indispensable.

A command of Swahili is viewed favorably and can provide an additional advantage.

SOFT SKILLS:

-Proven expertise in Cash Based Transfers and Emergency Operations.
-Demonstrated experience collaborating with NGOs and/or UN agencies.
-Capacity to perform effectively under high-pressure situations and tight time constraints.
-Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.
-Specialized training and/or experience in emergency response management highly valued.
-Demonstrated capability for clear and logical expression in both spoken and written communication.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This is an International Consultant position (initial 11 months contract) and candidates must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, visa, travel and medical insurance.

Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language.

Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter.

Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time.

Please contact us at wfprecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our recruitment process is inclusively crafted to welcome candidates of all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and ensuring a respectful environment for all. We aim for an accessible and fair recruitment journey. Should you need any reasonable accommodations or have accessibility concerns, please reach out to us confidentially at global.inclusion@wfp.org. Our DEI team is here to ensure your full participation in our recruitment process.

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language
• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter
• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time
• Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

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.