Programme Manager - SC9

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WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

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.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University Degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Agriculture/Agronomy, Horticulture, Agriculture Economics, Agribusiness, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Education Range management, and equivalent qualification from a recognized institution or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Language: National Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

These jobs are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) or Country Offices (COs) and job holders report to a more senior Programme Policy Officer.
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

The incumbent will provide technical expertise in developing opportunities that will enhance smallholder farmers’ access markets and market services. This will also include fostering linkages with the production side of the value chain where enhanced access to improved farming technologies that climate sensitive and financial services such as input financing done through input credit and/or savings as well as access to weather based index insurance to protect their gains through farming.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

The Programme Officer will lead the planning and implementation of Market support activities targeting smallholder farmers, private sectors (agro-dealers and processors) and aggregators

Specific tasks and responsibilities will include the following;

Market Mapping

• Lead the mapping local potential markets focusing on legume (Soy Bean, Cow Peas, Mixed Beans value chains
• Analyze current market trends in terms of market demand and supply, price-scheduling mechanisms, market determinant factors, supply chains and government market regulatory and control mechanisms
• Analyze possible potential risks the project beneficiaries may face regarding market access and propose remedial measures
• Propose innovative measures to facilitate access to market information for smallholder farmers to enhance their decision-making process which includes gross margin computation
• Explore partnerships with micro financing institutions in facilitating trade financing for aggregators and how that guarantees market access for smallholder farmers

Value Chain Analysis of Legumes

• Assess the resources, skills and capacities of small farmers related to procurement of inputs and production of legumes (soy beans, mixed beans, cow peas and ground nuts);
• Understand the existing market environment and market negotiations between different market players;
• Understand the production capacity of smallholder farmers through their farmer Organizations in terms of their ability to access services, credit, information and resources;
• Suggest improvements in the value chain system to ensure direct linkages of the smallholder farmers to the major markets to increase their agricultural incomes;

Aggregator Management

• Develop tailored curriculum to strengthen aggregators’ skills to enhance their market service support to smallholder farmers;
• Provide lead in ensuring aggregators adhere to standard procedures such as quality of commodities aggregated, packaging and weights and use of recommended and approved implements used in weight checking (scales) and moisture measurements (moisture meters);
• Provide lead role in rolling out the setting up of Rural Aggregation Centers (RACs) to capacitate smallholder farmers in bulking quantities that will attract off-takers thereby reducing transaction costs;

Partnerships

• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships leading to improved market support to smallholder farmers;
• Lead the identification of capacity needs for partners (NGOs playing their roles as implementing partners and Government at National, Provincial, District and field levels);
• Act as liaison person within WFP on all market access support services.
• Represent WFP during donor meetings and missions to field sites around markets;

Other related tasks

• Perform any other tasks required by the Manager and Team Lead of Smallholder Farmers Support Unit and Head of Programme

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

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Have minimum of 5 years working experience working in comparable and/or relevant position in the public service or private sector or an International Organization
• Has deepened technical knowledge through exposure to technical teams.
•  Has taken leadership of implementing programmes.
• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadline to receiving applications 20th May 2018.

This position is open to Zambian Nationals Only.

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Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries 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.