International Consultant, Programme Policy Officer, CST I

JOB TITLE: Programme Policy officer

TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST-I

UNIT/DIVISION: Programme

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Bassikounou Sub-office, WFP Mauritania

DURATION: 11 months

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 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.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

To achieve zero hunger, WFP helps the most vulnerable populations to survive their food and nutrition needs, build their resilience and fight against inequalities between men and women. The Hod El Chragui region located in the southeast Mauritania is home to more than 200,000 Malian refugees who have fled their country because of conflict and insecurity Persistent. In addition, the Hod El Chargui region is the region of the country that has the most poor and vulnerable people. WFP has a Sub-Office in Bassikounou, in the extreme south-west of the country, 60 km from the Malian border. This Sub-Office is responsible for coordination and monitoring WFP programmes in this region

JOB PURPOSE

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet assistance to the targeted vulnerable population through different programme interventions like GFD (general food distribution), Nutrition, School feeding, Livelihood-Resilience and Durable solution for refugees, host community and vulnerable rural populations.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Programme Policy officer will work as Head of Programme of the Sub-office under the direct supervision of the Head of Bassikounou Sub-Office and in close coordination with all the technical units of WFP Country office. Key responsibilities are mentioned below:

• Support the Planning, Programming, and implementation of different programme interventions like GFD (general food distribution), Nutrition, School feeding, Livelihood-Resilience and Durable solution ensuring alignment with corporate policies, guidelines, strategic objectives, the country strategic plan and applicable government policies.
• Facilitate targeting of beneficiaries following targeting guidelines/criteria and community based participatory methodology followed by registration of the selected beneficiaries.
• Coordinate and liaison with Cooperating Partners, Local authorities, UN Agencies and other stakeholders on a regular basis for implementation, monitoring and reporting of programme activities.
• Rigorously monitor activities using the results-based management and ensure that informations on these activities are received on time and synthesized/analyzed for better results.
• Prepare summary reports on the effectiveness of food assistance and the early warning system, on constraints/difficulties and make recommendations to improve the situation.
• Regularly monitor the pipeline of activities in collaboration with Supply Chain, Program and Logistics units, and anticipate pipeline disruptions by making suggestions for modifications of rations if relevant and the monitoring of borrowings and repayments of food between different WFP projects;
• Facilitate the regular monitoring of the prices of basic foodstuffs market and use of information for market adjustment Programs;
• Conduct field visits to verify and ensure the successful implementation of activities and achievement of expected outcomes (in particular through exchanges with the beneficiaries, the local authorities and partners).
• Identify capacity building needs and organize sessions for WFP staffs including implementing partners staffs.
• Ensures strict compliance with the rules, criteria and procedures of the WFP’s commitments on gender issues in all food and nutrition assistance;
• Promote WFP commitments to women and promote the implementation of the multisectoral strategy for the empowerment of Malian refugees and the resilience of the local community.
• Participates in or represents the Head of Office in meetings as appropriate internal/external on activities or themes related to the WFP.
• Ensure timely delivery/ distribution of food/ cash to the targeted beneficiaries.
• 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.
• Maintain and update partner documentation—including due diligence records, evaluations, and FLAs—within WFP systems (e.g., COMET, FLA Tracker), to ensure transparency, accountability, and institutional knowledge
• Contribute to resources mobilization efforts for WFP projects, including clearly articulating the need for food assistance for emergency, resilience and durables solutions and related programme opportunities.
• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs.
• Perform any other duties related to the position.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• All WFP activities in the Hodh El chargui region have been well coordinated with the aim of improving the effectiveness of food assistance ensuring timely distribution of food/cash amongst the beneficiaries. Successful implementation of School feeding, nutrition and livelihood-resilience activities and achievements of expected results.
• Coordination ensured with all WFP technical units in country offices, cooperating partners, UN agencies, local authorities and other stakeholders;
• Ensured regular monitoring of the activities including monitoring of pipeline was carried out in collaboration with Supply Chain, Program and Logistics units, and initiatives taken for any pipeline disruptions.
• Supported the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs.
• WFP commitments on gender issues in all food and nutrition assistance have been adequately Respected.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

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:

Nationality:

A minimum of Three years of relevant experience in line with the terms of

reference. Previous experience in community-based targeting, Emergency Food/cash assistance, Nutrition, School Feeding, livelihoods-Resilience based programming, UN coordination, donor fundraising and advocacy, considered a plus. Previous experience with WFP in a Sub-office setting considered very valuable.

Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Languages:

C-level French and B-level English skills;