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JOB TITLE : Programme Policy Consultant/School Feeding

CONTRACT TYPE: International consultant level 2

UNITY/DIVISION: Programme/School Feeding

DUTY POST: Bangui, Central Africa Republic

LENGH: 11 months

CONTEXT AND PURPOSE OF ASSIGNEMENT :

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country of approximately 6.1 million people that is currently struggling with dire socio-economic conditions. Ranked 191st out of 193 countries on the 2023-2024 Human Development Index, the CAR has a gross domestic product of just $468 per capita. According to World Bank estimates, 72.5 percent of the population lives below the international poverty line ($2.15 per day).

The protracted conflict and the difficult socio-economic context have exacerbated the difficulties encountered in the education sector. It led to: (i) the departure of unpaid teachers; (ii) looting and destruction of school structures; (iii) the disruption of the education of school-age children who have lost years of schooling; and (iv) increased gender inequality in access to education, increasing the vulnerability of girls to children, early and forced marriages and unions, unwanted pregnancies, child labor, as well as to sexual exploitation and abuse. According to the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan, more than 1,428,791 people receiving humanitarian assistance need education, of which 1,422,317 are children and adolescents aged 3 to 17.

Since the adoption of the National School Feeding Strategy in 2022, the CAR government has demonstrated its growing commitment to school meals, joining the Coalition for School Meals on June 5, 2023. Subsequently, in November 2023, in conversation with World Food Programme (WFP), the Prime Minister's Office agreed to work with WFP to test Home Grown School Feeding in 45 primary schools, designated as "schools of excellence”. In response to this urgent situation, the government of CAR has requested in November 2023, the expertise of the WFP to establish and operationalize an integrated school feeding pilot program linked to food purchases at the local level, with a possible transition to a fully national programme. The main objectives of the local school feeding programme are to improve access to education, increase attendance and retention rates, improve children's nutrition, health, and well-being, and stimulate the local economy.

On this basis, an ambitious school feeding pilot project based on local products has been submitted to the government in December 2023. The goals were to test and pilot the integrated school feeding approaches linked to local products and to prepare for the implementation of the progressive scale from 2024 to 2027. Specifically, it aims to go from 292 schools currently assisted, including 45 pilot primary schools, to 575, by providing them with products of local origin (cereals, legumes, etc.), allowing them to approximately 400,000 primary school students to receive healthy, nutritious, and locally sourced meals and providing to approximately 20,000 smallholders farmers a potential market for the surplus of their production.

Since then, WFP has begun the starting of this vast programme. The official launch has been made by His Excellency Professor Faustin-Archange TOUADERA, President of the Central African Republic on March 22, 2024, during the national commemoration of the celebration of the 9th Edition of the African School Feeding Day in one of the 45 pilot schools reflecting the HGSF prototype. In his speech the Head of State, seduced by the integrative and multi-sectoral nature advocated by this approach, officially announced three declarations of his country's commitment to school feeding and instructed the Prime Minister of the Government to the following actions:

• The inclusion of the school feeding programme in the new document of the National Development Plan (PND) 2024-2028.

• The inclusion in the State Budget of a substantial annual budget line to support school feeding programmes.

• The transformation by September 2024 of the School Canteen Management Unit of the Ministry of National Education into a National School Food Directorate with its branches in the regions and providing it with competent human resources.

In addition to this high-level commitment, the CAR’s efforts have been recognized and appreciated by the member states of the African Union and the international community, as evidenced by the choice of the Central African Republic to host the official ceremony of the 10th African School Meals Day (JAAS) in March 2025, which was a resounding success, and on the other hand, by being invited as a special guest to the second high-level summit of the Global Coalition for School Meals held in Brazil on 17 and 18 September 2025.

Considering these highest level commitments and the CAR's ambition to scale up its School Feeding Programme and make it a pillar of its food systems transformation, human capital development and sustainable development, WFP would like to give itself the best means to provide the best technical support to the Government in achieving this ambition. Therefore, the office is looking for an expert with strong capabilities, experience in this domain and context, to continue this momentum already in place and contribute to establishing the school food department in CAR.

OBJECTIVE RELATED TO THE POST:  

Develop and implement the new integrated approach of school feeding, linked to local purchases in CAR with the aim of ensuring Central African schoolchildren have a nutritious hot meal every day.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Under the guidance of the Head of Programme, the Programme policy officer-school feeding officer will perform the following duties:   

Manage the Country Office school feeding Activity 4 team, consisting of a NOA Programme Policy Officer, and a G5 Programme Assistant, ensuring a common goal, coordinated and clear communication to field offices, support units and management as well as national Directorate of School Feeding, and the smooth running of operations. Coordinate WFP’s school feeding programme operations to ensure strengthened and sustainable school feeding programmes. To support the government in developing a national School feeding policy. Support the Government to develop a comprehensive national HGSF road map and transition strategy based on the results of the SABER Assist the Head of Programme in the coordination of the design and implementation of the School feeding decentralized procurement model feasibility study Oversee the planning and tracking of programme quality and progress, including the implementation of oversight and evaluation-related actions, strong programme documentation and the identification of gaps and potential solutions. Lead WFP’s school feeding operational and strategic partnerships – including with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Economy and Planning, Cooperating partners – to ensure cohesive and coordinated support to the HGSF. Engage with WFP’s regional bureau and HQ on initiatives and guidance to ensure that school-based programmes in CAR benefit from new learning, tools and models. Oversee compliance with donors and corporate requirements, including regular donor reporting and communication. Manage the enhancement of WFP’s school-based programmes through the integration of Nutrition, gender, AAP, disability and other cross-cutting themes.  Coordinate and participate in regular field missions to provide oversight and support to school feeding operations in the field. Represent WFP during meetings with partners to contribute to technical discussions, exchange of knowledge and experiences, and identify areas for potential collaboration. Support the professional development of team members, including in the area of country capacity strengthening. Lead knowledge management initiative in coordination with Communication, CBT, nutrition and other units including i) Developing knowledge products on school health and nutrition related topics (integration HGSF, food system and etc.) such as: Country case studies; a series of standardized slide presentations; and information brief; ii) Organise learning and experience sharing events/sessions; ADSF, etc.  Lead the implementation of the School of Excellency agenda Support country level initiatives (as required during the time of the assignment) including finalization of SABER road map, the Decentralized procurement Model, the use of CBT in school feeding Model, designing of new proposals, advocacy for more investments in school-based programmes. Establish a database with relevant indicators on the management of the school canteens in the interventions areas. Develop training modules for the various people involved in school canteens programmes and modules to raise community awareness of the need to gradually take over school feeding activities. Provide support for the design of the second generation of CSP (2023-2024) and deliver solid technical and managerial leadership on a broad range of strategically important and complex policy and Programme issues related to capacity strengthening to support the technical leads and the government efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition. Advice and support the development of functional and technical training in capacity strengthening to enhance the capacity of WFP staff, and partners to design and deliver effective school feeding programmes. Monitor and oversee preparation and dissemination of timely analytical and critical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposal for both internal and external use that describe ongoing capacity strengthening efforts and outcomes and help present a consistent picture to internal and external stakeholders and enable informed decisions- making. Contribute to build the capacity of implementation partners, schools within the specific technical area on HGSF and FFA programmes activities. Coordinate and participate in joint monitoring visits in the field with all relevant implementing partners, donors, and Prefectorial coordinators. Take on other activities in relation to school health and nutrition work as required Perform any other related duties required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRED EXPERIENCES :

Education :

Masters/Advanced university degree in a relevant discipline including Food, Nutrition, Health, Education, Agriculture, Environmental, social Protection, Economics, Political and Social Sciences, or other field relevant to international development and food assistance.

Experience:

• At least 6 years of work experience in the area of public health, school feeding and in managing development projects and teams, including for school feeding programmes with increasing level of responsibility
• Has gained experience in implementing programmes with cooperating partners.
• Proven experience in working in humanitarian operations implementing General Food Distribution, nutrition, resilience, and school feeding activities using in kind and Cash Based transfers with Internal Displaced People, refugees, and host populations.
• Has gained some exposure in field operations, preferably in a hardship duty station or emergency.
• Experience in implementing and managing Programmes, as well as providing inputs into Programmes design. Specific experience in joint Programmes related to General Food distribution, Nutrition, Food for Assets, Resilience, Schools-based Programmes, and capacity building will be further value.
• Resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgement, excellent communication skills both orally and in writing.

Knowledge and competency

• Strong organizational and project management skills with ability to work with high degree of autonomy.
• Strong  analytical  skills  and  demonstrated  ability  to  transform  analytical  products  into presentable visual pieces with key messages.
• Strong demonstrated ability to produce professional level written outputs and ability to present in French and English.
• Strong  communication  &  interpersonal  skills  including  good  facilitation, negotiation and  problem solving skills.
• Ability to undertake policy discussion and dialogue with senior level stakeholders within Government and non-governmental organisations and value diverse opinions, regardless of background, experience, or country assignment.  
• Willingness to explore and experiment ability with new ideas and approaches in own work.
• Proactive and ability to work independently in a timely and organized manner.
•  Proficiency in Windows MS Office (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). 
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective working relations with internally and externally counterparts, partners, and stakeholders with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines.

Languages:

• Fluency in French with working knowledge at least an intermediate level B of knowledge in English and  in English languages.  

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