Programme Policy Officer/ Head of Area Office (NOB)

World Food Programme Vacancy Announcement

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

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.

In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 75 countries each year. The organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been presented in Myanmar since 1994 and is now focusing on helping the Government reach its national Zero Hunger Challenge by 2025. WFP’s work in the country is guided by three priorities: emergency preparedness and response; nutrition; and provision of social safety nets.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This job is located in WFP Office in Pakokku, Magway Region. Job holder works under close supervision of Deputy Country Director, or the designate.  

Job holders operate with a high degree of independence, manage more junior staff to ensure that programme and policy objectives are achieved in full. They are usually involved in a wide variety of programme and policy activities and analytical work, some of which may be of a considerable complexity. At this level job holders are expected to contribute to performance improvement.

JOB PURPOSE

To plan and manage field operations to ensure the effective and efficient deployment of food assistance programmes and use of allocated resources.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision of Deputy Country Director and the overall supervision of Country Director, the incumbent will perform as a Head of Area Office, covering the operations in Chin State, Magway, Mandalay and Sagaing regions. The incumbent will take accountabilities of the following duties and responsibilities.

• Undertake the overall management of Pakokku Area office, Chin and Khamti (Sagaing) field offices to ensure the continued development of a cohesive and higher performance team;
• Build (and support to the field offices) for effective collaboratives relations with the counterpart, line departments and local authorities for the smooth implementation of WFP operations;
• Plan and manage WFP field operations to ensure effective and efficient delivery of food assistance and ensure that all the allocated resources are used efficiently and the daily operational issues are timely solved to prevent losses or delayed;
• Assess the food need for Emergency and draw up plans for its timely arrival in co-ordination with Cooperating partners (NGOs, INGOs and UN Sister Agencies) and monitor the implementation of these plans;
• Assist Country Director and Deputy Country Director in all matters related delivery of WFP emergency assistance and bring to the attention of appropriate regional/country staff any administration constraints arising from rapidly evolving emergency in the field;
• Assess the training needs of WFP and Cooperating Partner Staffs and design and organize appropriate training, workshop in collaboration with WFP Country Office in Yangon;
• Liaise with the cooperating partners and undertake field visits to view project activities are in line with WFP’s guidelines, achieving quality outputs and perform beneficiaries contact monitoring;
• Ensure maintaining database of COMET, M&E, Food security and nutrition data of WFP projects;
• Encourage the cooperating partners on the maintenance of all records, accounts and books as stipulated in the Field Level Agreements and ensure that reports require for WFP are accurate and provided as scheduled;
• Ensure compliance with WFP’s policies, criteria and procedures with respect to food assistance projects in the operation area;  
• Hold accountability for the security of WFP’s staffs, office premises and assets in the Area and field offices;
• Hold accountability for the designated level of project financial management;
• Supervise Logistics team and ensure Pakokku Logistics service is fully support to the operation areas in Chin state, Mandalay, Magway and Sagaing regions and Pakokku is serving as Logistic hub for other Field Offices as required;  
• Prepare periodic reports on the progress of WFP operations in the field;
• Performed any other related duties as required.

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.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Advanced University degree in Economics, International Development, Social Sciences or other related field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Knowledge & Skill:

Knowledge of humanitarian assistance and development practice. General knowledge of UN system, policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration. Knowledge of the political, economic and social situation in Myanmar.

Language:

Fluency in both oral and written English and Myanmar.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Preferable to have at least three years of postgraduate professional experience in humanitarian assistance, food aid support, or, development. Experience in following areas is an advantage.

• Has developed, or supported in the development of, single discipline work plans to support the achievement of WFP strategic aims within a defined area.
• Has gained some exposure in field operations, preferably in a hardship duty station or emergency situation.
• Has field experience via field rotations or working in a sub-office, and through field postings.
• Gained experience of analysing local political situations and assessing risk accurately.
• Gained broader exposure across areas within a function (i.e. policy, programme etc.).
• Has gained experience managing small to mid-size financial budgets, balancing priorities effectively.
• Has experience leading a small to mid-size team to ensure the effective delivery of objectives.
• Participated in a vendor/government/ partner negotiation within area of focus.
• Participated in a small emergency operation/ development programme.
• Has experience with security co-ordination and compound management within a smaller area.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This post is opened for Myanmar Nationals Only.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

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Female applicants and qualified 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.