Programme Policy Officer (CBT Operations) - at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. 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.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: Programme Policy Officer (CBT Operations) - NOB

Requisition #: 77421
Location: Damaturu, Yobe

Organizational Context

• This job is found in our Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) or Country Offices (COs) and job holders report to a more senior Programme Policy Officer.
• Job holders operate with a high degree of independence, manage more junior staff to ensure that programme and policy objectives are achieved in full. They are usually involved in a wide variety of programme and policy 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.

Job Purpose

• To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)
Within delegated authority and in close coordination with Programme, Finance and Supply Chain and IT, the Programme Officer - CBT will be responsible for the following duties:

• Contribute towards the development of a wide variety of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
• Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
• Develop and coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Research and analyse a range of policy and operational issues to inform the development of policies, programmes and activities.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through providing inputs into training materials.
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
• Other as required.

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 Capabiliyty
Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance:    

• Displays ability to identify the main hunger problem at the national or subnational level to design and implement context-specific programmes that integrate complex analysis and the full range of food assistance tools.

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 specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.

Emergency Programming:   

• Displays ability to translate understanding of programme principles in emergencies and protracted conflict situations into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches.

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.

Standard Minimum Qualifications
Education:

• Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, 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 & Skills:

• A minimum of 3 years relevant professional experience is required in the following:
• Has deepened technical knowledge through exposure to technical teams.
• Has taken leadership of implementing programmes.
• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
• Language: Fluency (level C) in English language.  Knowledge of Hausa and Kanuri local languages is desirable.

Desired Experiences For Entry Into The Role:

• Punctual, proactive, motivated and detail-oriented;
• Good Planning skills;
• Good numerical skills;
• Computer literate;
• Able to operate effectively and efficiently in a high-pressure and fast-paced department in which often involves rapid change;
• Strong communication skills and willingness to follow-up with individuals and departments in order to achieve goals;
• Able to operate with compassion and impartiality and demonstrate a high level of sensitivity and respect towards beneficiaries of all ages, locations and ethnic backgrounds;
• Able to live and operate in field locations with very basic infrastructure and amenities.

Application Closing Date
15th March, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Only Nigerian nationasl are eligible to apply for this position.
• Applications to be made online and in English only.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. There is no need to contact HR as information will be provided to shortlisted candidates at each stage.
• Canvassing of any form is strictly prohibited and will lead to automatic disqualification if discovered.