Programme Policy Officer (Integrated Resilience), Consultant, Cotabato

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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 encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and disability.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide and working in 123 countries and territories. WFP is well known for its ability to deliver food assistance rapidly to people in need. To respond effectively in the challenging contexts in which WFP operates, staff require sound knowledge of the fundamentals of emergency and transition programming, as well as skills in specialized areas. WFP was the recipient of the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize awarded for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war.

The World Food Programme’s engagement in the Philippines is constantly evolving. Initially commencing operations in the 1960s, WFP officially re-established its presence in 2006 to support the peace process in Mindanao, to provide life-saving food assistance in emergencies and to develop programmes to improve nutrition and the overall quality of life of people vulnerable to food insecurity. Since 1 March 2024, WFP has been implementing the 2024-2028 Country Strategic Plan (CSP) to support the Government of the Philippines in i) addressing food insecurity, ii) reducing malnutrition and iii) strengthening the resilience of vulnerable populations. In the CSP, WFP identified three outcomes and five main activities:

• Strategic outcome 1: By 2028, communities exposed to shocks and stressors in the Philippines are better able to meet food, nutrition and other essential needs with inclusive and equitable emergency preparedness and response capacity at the national and local levels.
• Strategic outcome 2: By 2028, communities vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity in the Philippines are more resilient and can better manage risks affecting human capital gains and food systems, inclusively and equitably.
• Strategic outcome 3: The Government and partners in the Philippines access WFP services that augment their interventions, upon request.

JOB DETAILS

Job Title:                           Programme Policy Officer (Integrated Resilience)    
Grade:                               CST-I    
Type of contract:              Regular Consultant (CST)                
Duration:                           11 Months 
Duty Station:                     Cotabato, Philippines
Vacancy Number:              832648
Date of Publication:          19 April 2024
Deadline of Application:   03 May 2024  (11:59 PM)

This vacancy announcement is for Internationals.  

Terms and Conditions: 
WFP offers a competitive salary, plus a medical insurance scheme.  
 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

General Information:
International consultant with expertise in resilience and livelihood programmes.

Background:
As the WFP Philippines transitions to the new CSP, the CO is committed to building resilience on multiple fronts, including individuals, communities, systems, and institutions. At the same time, WFP stands ready to complement emergency response operations in case of the Government’s relief systems get stretched.

Purpose of assignment and organizational context:
WFP is working in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the poorest region in the country. The regional poverty incidence is almost double the national average and ranks the lowest in terms of human development and living standards. Cultural norms add further constraints, particularly on women’s socio-political and livelihood opportunities, with low uptake of and restricted access to essential social services.

After nearly five decades of conflict, the peace agreement between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippine government was signed in 2017. Subsequently, the BARMM was established through ratifying the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2019. This development is widely viewed as a crucial step toward achieving lasting peace and fostering economic growth in the region.

Although agriculture and fisheries are the primary sources of livelihood in BARMM, the poorest population in the region continues to face challenges in accessing employment, income-generating opportunities, and food security. Productivity remains low, and a lack of infrastructure and access to technology results in pre- and post-harvest losses and inefficiency, leading to low profitability among farmers.  
 

Smallholder farmers and fisherfolk in the BARRM lack resources, information, and training to increase their yield and undertake value-adding activities to improve their livelihoods. Additionally, they encounter barriers to integrating into the agricultural value chain and transforming their products into high-value offerings that are resilient to the adverse impact of climate change. Improved climate-smart agricultural practices while strengthening the inclusion of smallholder farmers and fisherfolk in gender-sensitive value chains is a crucial missing link to sustainably solving the prevalent poverty index and quelling the low nutritional indicators that have plagued the BARMM region for decades.

WFP supports the BARMM government in addressing immediate humanitarian needs and consolidating peace and development. Building on its conflict analysis and adopting a humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach, WFP, jointly with the BARMM government, engages former and soon-to-be-decommissioned combatants and their families, smallholder farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and food-insecure people in integrated resilience programming aimed at improving their food security and agricultural livelihoods. Food Assistance for Assets (FFA), Smallholder Agricultural Market Support (SAMS), Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), and Home Grown School Feeding activities are delivered as one package targeting the same communities and, where possible, the same beneficiaries to amplify the impact of WFP’s efforts. The goal is to foster sustainable food systems while improving social cohesion in conflict-affected communities. In addition, WFP continues capacity building of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education in scaling up home-grown school feeding programs to enhance nutrition among schoolchildren while strengthening smallholder farmers' and fisherfolks’ capacities for their integration into the local food value chain.  

In addition, WFP has established and institutionalized coordination mechanisms with the BARMM government to ensure that policies and programs on achieving food security are coordinated, responsive, and effective.  Through the Bangsamoro Food Security Task Force (BFSTF), WFP supported the BARMM government by developing the Bangsamoro Food Security and Nutrition Roadmap and Plan, which serves as the blueprint for food security and nutrition interventions in the region.  

Under its integrated resilience portfolio, WFP will prioritize its interventions in twenty (20) municipalities in the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur, with the possible expansion to other provinces in island barangays to achieve self-sufficiency and food security.

To further support the Government of BARMM with the implementation and scale-up of resilience programmes, WFP is seeking a Programme Policy Officer with proven experience in project and people management and specialized skills in resilience programming.
 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Programme Policy Officer (Integrated Resilience) will work under the direct supervision of the Head of Cotabato Field Office and with overall technical guidance from the Head of the Programme. The incumbent will manage the integrated resilience portfolio in coordination with partners and with technical inputs from sectoral experts in conflict sensitivity, nutrition, gender and protection, M&E, etc. The key activities during the assignment are as follows:

1. Supervise technical teams (FFA, SAMS, HGSF, SBCC) and provide policy, strategic, and technical guidance for implementing integrated resilience programming in BARMM. 
2. Work closely with the BFSTF and the inter-ministerial convergence technical working group to plan and implement integrated resilience activities. 
3. Identify and foster multi-sectorial partnerships with government entities, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, and research institutions.
4. Oversee the preparation and dissemination of analytical and critical reports, publications, and various information products or briefs for internal and/or external use.
5. Assist in developing and implementing training programmes that improve the ability of WFP staff and partners to plan and execute effective integrated resilience programs according to corporate guidelines, like the Resilience Toolkit.
6. Prepare an implementation plan for integrated resilience activities in Cotabato SO and ensure the assigned financial resources are used to achieve set objectives.
7. Ensure integrated resilience activities are implemented considering conflict sensitivity, protection, gender, disability inclusion, and accountability to the affected population (AAP). 
8. Ensure that inclusive Community-Based Participatory Planning exercises are implemented, quality reports are produced, and recommendations are incorporated in all work areas.
9. Lead, motivate, and develop a staff team to enable high performance.
10. Coordinate with the various departments or units in the CO and SO to ensure full compliance with WFP’s policy, procedures, and standards.
11. Participate in internal and external meetings and relevant trainings or workshops.
12. Work flexibly and take on additional tasks as may be needed to meet project and program objectives.
     

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Advanced University degree in a relevant field such as Social Sciences, Economics, Business Management Agriculture, Development Studies or other related fields.

EXPERIENCE: At least three (3) years of experience and a proven track record of implementing and managing food security and nutrition, value chain, and resilience-building activities in the context of climate change, disasters, and other shocks. Previous experience working on these issues in the Philippines or any other country as part of WFP will be an asset.

LANGUAGE: Excellent written and oral communications skills in English
 

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.

Request for Disability-related Reasonable Accommodations
It is essential for 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 through global.inclusion@wfp.org.

A member of the reasonable accommodation team will contact you to confidentially discuss your needs.

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

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WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

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.