Programme Policy Officer NOA, Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka 1

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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This project aims to increase access to economic empowerment, social integration, resilience and peacebuilding participation for  female former combatants and other disadvantaged and conflict affected women members of the Puthukkudiyiruppu Women’s Entrepreneurs’ Cooperative Society (PTK) in one of the most isolated and war-affected Northern district of Sri Lanka through cooperative enterprise engagement with new markets, networks and opportunities that have opened up as a result of an improved post-conflict environment.

JOB PURPOSE

To ensure smooth implementation of this joint project, the two UN agencies (WFP and ILO) are looking for qualified Sri Lankan applicants to fill the necessary positions (to be based in the district of Mullativu) in order to provide day-to-day support to the district and the PTK as well as closely coordinate and monitor the project implementation with all stakeholders. As far as WFP is concerned, a Programme Associate, to be based in Mullative, is sought for the purpose.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• University agree or Master degree in one of the following: agriculture; agronomy; agriculture engineering; community development or similar field, business administration etc.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Country Director and working closely with the WFP Sub-office in the Kilinochchi, the Programme Associate will be responsible for the following:

• Work closely with the PTK and the district of Mullativu and related stakeholders to provide day-to-today support to the PTK and the beneficiaries in order to provide the expected technical and capacity as designed in the project document.
• Coordinate with the PTK and the ILO-appointed project manager in planning project activities and monitoring the project activity implementation to ensure well-coordinated and integrated activities.

Act as a bridge between WFP, ILO, PTK and local authorities on operational issues and propose solutions for the smooth implementation of the joint project.

Assist WFP Country Office in coordination with ILO, PTK and related government agencies in organizing training workshops on best agricultural practices, post hart loss management as well as in conducting assessments (including supply chain planning exercise in conjunction with the market feasibility assessment to identify possibilities for crop diversification crop production, survey and evaluation) etc., incorporating climate change adaptation (including drip irrigation and greenhouses) and drought resilience considerations, water harvesting at household level for commercialized home gardening, organic production methods and market linkages.

• Work with the PTK and ILO as well as local authorities in exploring feasibility and viability to set up a food center or the like and link it with the cooperative for food supply.

• Plan service/consultancy procurement schedule in coordination with all stakeholders to synchronize project activities.

• Establish a monitoring plan and conduct regular monitoring visits and joint monitoring visit in coordination with ILO and local authorities, and report on monitoring findings, suggesting solutions to issues and making recommendations for improvement.
• Assist in the setting up of member database for the cooperative, including demographic and household vulnerability data, establishing internal processes for management of the database and in cooperation with local government social welfare officials, using WFP tools such as SCOPE (system to manage beneficiairies).

• Assist in exploring member-based savings and micro-credit schemes, including training sessions, awareness raising and establishment of funds management processes, in partnership with the government social safety net programme.

• Assist in conducting a rapid assessment among the cooperative members in order to examine the gender dynamics in terms of finance (e.g. income, saving, spending, and financial distribution among family members by gender), food consumption (e.g. nutritional care practices, alcohol and substance abuse by gender), domestic violence (e.g. awareness, history of physical and psychological abuse, reporting), gender-based violence within the community (e.g. history of physical and psychological abuse by an external, third party).

• Prepare periodical report as stipulated by the donor (Peacebuilding Fund) in coordination with the project manager of ILO, PTK and other stakeholders, ensuring meeting deadlines.

• Organize field visit and donor visit in coordination PTK, ILO and local project authorities.

• Assist in linking the joint project activities with on-going WFP-assisted project in the district of Mullativu, particularly resilience building activities and other such school meals programme and nutrition-sensitive activities.

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.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Experience: At least three to four years in:

• Community participatory planning, gender related issues.
• Sound knowledge in community development, agriculture production and experience in field work.
• Experience in working with UN agencies in peacebuilding, reconciliation through livelihood support is a value add.
• Agricultural production and market linkages.
• Language: fluent in booth Tamil and Sinhala languages (oral and written); English fluent (oral and written).

Skills: good computer skills (Microsoft Office), good report writing and good presentation skills

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the generic job profile of the Programme and Policy Officer, the following knowledge and skills set are required:

• Knowledge of climate shock impact on the affected population’s food security and nutrition.
• Knowledge of natural shocks and design of resilience building activities for the affected population to overcome food and nutrition insecurity.
• Sound knowledge in community development and experience in field work.
• Knowledge in community participatory planning.
• Sound technical knowledge one or more of the following areas:
  • Adaptive measures to climate shocks to improve agricultural production at community and household level.
  • Agricultural experience in home gardening and crop diversification.
  • Agricultural production and post-harvest loss reduction techniques.
  • Agricultural production and market linkages.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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Qualified female applicants are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

26 February 2018