Programme Policy Officer Food Systems Transformation Expert LFT P3

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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 United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are 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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Burundi is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of East Africa, characterized by low GDP, high poverty, and widespread food insecurity and malnutrition. The 2020 Global Hunger Index ranks the hunger situation in Burundi as alarming, with more than 50% of the population chronically food insecure. Burundi is the second most densely populated country in sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated population of 12.3 million, of whom 50.4 per cent are women and 44 per cent are under 15 years of age. More than 72% of Burundians live below the poverty line. Burundi is ranked 185th out of 189 countries in the 2020 Human Development Index.

The government of Burundi has developed a strategic plan and a roadmap which reaffirm its commitment to durably address food and nutrition issues through investing in the development of dynamic food systems that bring nutritious foods from the farm right onto people’s plates, create an enabling environment that fosters inclusive and well-functioning markets that effectively integrate and offer fair share of profits to all agri-food value chains’ actors namely, smallholder farmers, traders, processors, distributers, consumers, and  standards and regulatory bodies etc. Consequently, to better align with the above Government goal, the United Nations system has developed and adopted a new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2023-2027) with the aim to articulate the configuration of the UN assets and to reflect the specific constitution the System can make to support transformation of food systems in Burundi.

In the light of this context, WFP Burundi Country Office (CO) works to align the implementation of its interventions to continue to support the Government to address food insecurity, reduce malnutrition, transform food systems, build the resilience of vulnerable populations, and strengthen national capacities toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 17. Based on its comparative advantage, WFP has been tasked by the UN Country Team (UNCT), Donors, and the Government of Burundi to lead the transition efforts in support of the reinforcement of food systems transformative pathways. WFP Burundi CO has been identified by WFP Regional Bureau for Eastern Africa in Nairobi (RBN) to serve as a model for implementation and scale-up of the food system transformation approach. The implementation of this innovative, food systems transformation programme requires that WFP Burundi CO leverages strong internal capacity for proper oversight and coordination, programme life cycle, resources, and risks management. Additionally, there is an urgent requirement for networking and the expansion of strategic partners engagement and a reinforcement of data management function to enhance credibility of reports for internal/external audiences.

JOB PURPOSE

WFP is looking for a Programme Policy Officer Food Systems at LFT P3 level responsible for managing our Food Systems Transformation portfolio (corresponding to the following programme components: (i) smallholder agricultural market support and value chains (SAMS) and (ii) resilient assets creation, ecosystems, and livelihoods (ACL) and cross-cutting integration of public-private partnerships for climate-smart food security and nutrition innovation). The incumbent will report to the Head of Programmes and shall be responsible for conceptualizing and designing integrated packages of programme interventions and activities that effectively meet food assistance needs or contribute to policy formulation and/or provide technical advice or oversight on programme strategy and implementation.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Reporting to the Head of Programmes the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

1. Contribute to formulation of programme policies in line with organisational strategic approach for WFP’s engagement on food systems in Burundi under the four-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2024 -2027).
2. Provide technical advice, support, and capacity building to WFP field/area office teams and partners in the implementation of the food systems programme portfolio.
3. Mobilise technical expertise and proposal development that articulates a business case for WFP’s contributions to food systems and explores new potential resource channels by supporting joint fund-raising efforts under the Outcome 5 in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2024-2028) as well as food systems and resilience finance facilities under the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
4. Developing programme guidance and implementation modalities and operations,  of food systems programmes advancing agriculture value chains, nutritious products, adoption of climate-smart technology, market systems and market infrastructure development, with a focus on expanding pastoral and agropastoral value chains and markets and resilience interventions including creation and management of productive assets, diversification of livelihoods, and restoration of ecosystems for enhanced community resilience and adaption to climate change.
5. Supervise, lead, motivate, and develop the capacity of a diverse technical team to enable high performance and results, including national and international officers.
6. Advocate for and contribute to mobilizing resources through sound technical proposal development that articulates a business case for WFP’s contributions to food systems and explores new potential resource channels by supporting joint fund-raising efforts under the Outcome 5 in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2024-2028) as well as food systems and resilience finance facilities under the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
7. Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set objectives within a significant budget.
8. Perform other related duties/tasks as required.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives : Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.
• Be a force for positive change : Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area.
• Make the mission inspiring to our team : Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions : Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills : Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP.
• Create an inclusive culture : Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback : Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit : Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations (e.g., unprecedented issues and/or scenarios)

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions : Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries. 
• Focus on getting results : Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments : Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders.
• Be Decisive : Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units : Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning
• Build strong external partnerships : Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships  
• Be politically agile & adaptable : Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations 
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships : Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

1. Demonstrated expertise and knowledge on main technical areas related to watershed development and landscape management, soil and water conservation, water infrastructure, agriculture, rural development, rural and urban livelihoods, synergies with nutrition-sensitive programmes, food systems related value chains development, or other social protection or social safety net schemes etc.
2. Experience leading resilience building planning & implementation processes based on the three-pronged approach (3PA), including conducting (i) Integrated Context Analysis (ICA) at the national level, (ii) Seasonal Livelihood Programming (SLP) at the sub-national level, and (iii) Community-based Participatory Planning (CBPP) at the local level.
3. Experience leading and/or supporting the planning and organization of Environment Impact Screening and sharing of related tools and interpretation of technical findings/results.
4. Experience leading and supporting multidisciplinary technical teams.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Job Title:                                      Programme Policy Officer Food Systems Transformation Expert 
Type of contract:                         Limited Fixed Term (LFT) P3
Unit/Division:                               Programme 
Duty Station (City, Country):      Bujumbura, Burundi 
Duration:                                     One (01) Year (Renewable)
Deadline for Applications:         30.10.2023