Programme Policy Officer (Livelihoods and value chain) NOB

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.

The Mali CO is embarking on a new five-year Country Strategic Plan (2020 - 2024) built around three interconnected pillars supporting the building absorptive, adaptive and transformative capacities of vulnerable communities and the national system:

1. Pillar 1 focuses on assisting shock and crisis-affected vulnerable people through an integrated and conflict-sensitive food and nutrition assistance package.
2. Pillar 2 relates to building the resilience of individuals, households and communities The shift towards recovery and development will be addressed by working with decentralized authorities in planning, budgeting and implementation. In line with WFP’s Sahel resilience scale-up strategy, WFP aims to support lifting the most vulnerable out of extreme vulnerability and encouraging their progressive integration into broader economic and social systems. It will include investments in human and social capital, through school feeding (strategic outcome 2) and nutrition interventions (strategic outcome 3). Livelihood and value chain support (strategic outcome 4) will be a central component, strengthening financial, physical and natural capital. WFP will integrate its interventions with those of other partners, especially the RBAs, to reinforce community resilience.

The enabling pillar 3 will leverage WFP’s expertise and operational capacity to help shape and institutionalize the emerging social protection system and reinforce national emergency response and preparedness systems (strategic outcome 5) and the broader articulation

To translate the Mali CSP into a strategy for strengthening and expanding livelihoods and value chain support activities to assist the transition towards resilience building and connection with social protection under national leadership and ownership, building on partnerships, innovation and capacity development (strategic outcome 4), a position of national officer (NOB) is created within the WFP Mali country Office.

Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Rural Development, Political or 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.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English and French language

Others: Good competencies in ICT (MS Office, data base, ERP systems, etc.). Experience with technological innovations is an asset.

1. at least 2 years’ experience with progressive responsibilities in programme management, working across the Program portfolio, with experience on resilience.
2. Experience on livelihoods and value chain programmes, gender and nutrition is an asset.
3. Strong research and analytical skills with experience in publication
4. Experience in innovations, knowledge management and capacity development
5. Experience in policy dialogue and advocacy and with social safety nets
6. Experience with international organizations is an asset

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Livelihoods and Value Chain Support Section and the overall supervision of the Head of Programme, the Programme Policy Officer (Livelihoods and Value Chain) will be responsible for the following duties:

1. coordinate all key analyses and assessments in relation to the livelihood and value chain outcome, including comprehensive analyses on youth, gender, social and financial inclusion, protection and environment/climate change;
2. Contribute to strategic planning and formulation of WFP-wide programme policies in line with both organizational strategy and the practical realities of operating in the field and translate programme policy into Country level practices;
3. Develop innovative approaches and tools and facilitate systematic capitalization and knowledge management on the latter to better support national system strengthening and scale up, including management of operational research, lessons learned/best practice exercises and evidence building on issues relevant to livelihoods and social protection;
4. Lead the development of the implementation plan and the tools, technical guidance and operational manuals/materials for staff and partners to guide the implementation, including ensuring risk management is in place;
5. Integrate gender, protection and sustainability, to ensure they are effectively mainstreamed within the outcome and coordinate with protection and gender focal points to effectively include the most vulnerable, i.e. through innovative approaches and tools;
6. Define a capacity development and progressive transfer strategy, with a special attention on the articulation between resilience and social protection and contribution to key policy work and processes, ensuring that the 2030 agenda and SDG2 are prioritized;
7. Coordinate regular data collection, proactive monitoring of implementation and adequacy with strategic orientation and quality criteria, budget and deadlines in collaboration with the M&E unit;
8. Ensure management of strategic partnerships with different actors (Government, civil society, UN, private sector, academics) to support advocacy and results on SDG 2 ;
9. Ensure WFP’s contribution in United Nations joint programming (UN Sustainable Development Country Framework -UNSDCF, Integrated Strategic Framework-ISF, joint projects, etc.) and coherent contribution and alignment to the overall national priority and the 2030 agenda;
10. Represent WFP in the relevant coordination and policy mechanisms and platforms and ensure its contribution through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
11. Contribute to resource mobilization efforts for WFP interventions, including clearly articulating the needs, priorities and WFP’s contribution and added value, and follow up on the resource situation;
12. Manage the preparation and dissemination of timely implementation, analytical and critical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use;
13. Advice and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partner;
14. Lead, motivate and develop a team of staff to enable high performance;
15. other related duties as required

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.

This position is a Fixed Term contract for one year renewal. 

1. Attractive salary
2. 2,5 days of annual leave per month
3. Maternity/Paternity leave
4. Sick leave
5. 10 Official days
6. Member of United Nations pension fund
7. Medical insurane for staff member and eligible dependants

Female applicants and qualified are especially encouraged to apply