Programme Assistant (VAM) G5

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.

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.

WFP’s strategy in Djibouti is aligned with Djibouti Vision 2035 and takes into account regional strategies of the African Union, in particular Agenda 2063 and the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth, and IGAD sub-regional strategies. It is also aligned with the UNDAF for 2018–2022 and builds on relevant recommendations of the Zero Hunger Strategic Review. 

Addressing poverty is a major pathway to addressing food insecurity in Djibouti. Agricultural potential is limited, but the agricultural, pastoral and fisheries sectors offer opportunities for providing direct assistance for rural households susceptible to food insecurity and malnutrition. The two pillars of the WFP strategy are:

• To provide employment equitably for women and men in the most vulnerable households; and
• To use safety nets to ensure access to assistance that meets basic needs, including for food security.

This position is based in the Djibouti Country Office and reports to the Head of VAM and M&E unit. At this level, the job holder is expected to demonstrate responsibility and initiative to respond independently to various queries with only general guidance. There is a requirement to use judgment in dealing with unforeseen operational problems on a daily basis.

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of Unit :

• Contribute towards the development of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.

• Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.

• Research and analyze policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in the development of policies, programmes and activities.

• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

• Liaise with internal counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects.

• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.

• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through project management support of learning initiatives.

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Helps teammates articulate WFP’s Strategic Objectives.
•  Be a force for positive change: Suggests potential improvements to team’s work processes to supervisor.
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Explains the impact of WFP activities in beneficiary communities to teammates.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Articulates how own unit’s responsibilities will serve WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Trains junior teammates on new skills and capabilities.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Seeks opportunities to work with people from different backgrounds.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Serves as a peer coach for colleagues in same area of work.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Tracks progress toward goals and shares this information on a regular basis with supervisor.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Explores ways to consistently be more efficient and accurate in own areas of work and shares new methods of work with colleagues.
•  Focus on getting results: Focuses on getting results and tracks trends in completion rates for own tasks to identify opportunities for efficiency.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes responsibility for own tasks and notifies supervisor as soon as possible of potential delays in meeting deadlines or commitments.
•  Be Decisive: Independently decides what action to take when faced with critical choices in the workplace or in dangerous situations in the field.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Suggests opportunities for partnering with other units to supervisor.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Identifies opportunities to work with colleagues and partners in the field towards common goals.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Develops an understanding of the value of WFP’s teams and external partners in fulfilling team’s goals and objectives.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Aligns own activities with supervisor’s priorities to fulfill internal and external partner needs.
   

• Has facilitated communication with technical teams (i.e. nutrition, VAM, etc.).

• Has contributed to the design of programmes.

• Has provided into policy discussions.

Education : Completion of secondary school education.
Language : Fluency in both oral and written communication in French language. Intermediate (level B) in English. Fluency in local language is required.

Experience : At least 4 years of experience including 2 in the field is desirable.

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.