Programme Policy Advisor - Social Protection and Safety Nets (Short-Term Policy Officer P4)

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.

WHY WORK AT WFP?

SAVING & CHANGING LIVES ❤
Make a difference the world will notice.
We are driven by our mission to fight world hunger and feed people’s dreams of a brighter future.

GLOBAL COMMUNITY 🌍
Build bridges that unite people across the world.
Being part of a global, diverse and multicultural community like WFP, will continuously expose you to new ideas and perspectives.
How we deliver our mission in deep respect for personal and cultural differences and close collaboration between every member of our global team, will certainly enrich your experience and knowledge on so many levels. 

UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES 💡
Unlock possibilities you never thought you'd find.
WFP goes anywhere it is needed and does whatever it takes to get the job done.

LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE ⭐
Reach beyond yourself and discover your true potential.
WFP offers the kind of life-changing experiences you’re unlikely find in many other organizations.

Join us to make a difference
Watch this video to know more about us!!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mzGbaRAhz8&feature=youtu.be

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is well known for its ability to deliver food assistance rapidly to people in need. To continue responding effectively to challenging contexts while also contributing to longer-term efforts to end hunger, WFP is in the process of its support to strengthening national safety nets and social protection systems, to support governments with their hunger-fighting strategies.

In recent years, WFP has experienced a paradigm shift in response to an evolving operating environment that requires the UN agency’s technical expertise not only in the delivery of food assistance, but also in the development of sustainable hunger-smart and nutrition-sensitive solutions that will support progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Two: “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture”.

This paradigm shift means that WFP Middle East, North Africa, East Europe and the Central Asia region needs to focus on providing technical advice and operational services aligned with national social protection strategies (when available) and frameworks. Efforts from WFP towards 2030 Agenda need to influence the design of these programmes and these efforts need to yield high and significant impact on nutrition status and contribute to improved food security outcomes.

WFP’s Regional Bureau for Middle East, North Africa, East Europe and the Central Asia region (RBC) is looking to expand its support to national social protection systems in the areas of nutrition, food security and emergency response, and to strengthen its support to WFP Country Offices (COs) in the region in this thematic area.

RBC provides strategic guidance, policy/technical support and direction to WFP operations and activities in 17 countries: Algeria, Armenia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen. This position is intended to ensure dedicated expertise in the Regional Bureau on safety nets and social protection, with a view to strengthen support on this thematic to WFP Country Offices in the region, in the context of Country Strategic Plans and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.

• Support Country Offices in the RBC region to articulate their strategic priorities in Social Protection (SP) and Safety Nets as part of their Country Strategic Plan (CSP):
  • In collaboration with RBC and CO teams, support priority opportunities for WFP’s potential onward engagement in social protection in targeted countries (notably Sudan, Libya, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and others as required);
  • Support COs to build a policy dialogue on social protection with host governments and their development partners.
• Provide strategic direction-setting on RBC regional social protection strategic positioning and engagement, and input into the global WFP social protection strategy;
• Foster the integration of social protection work in the RBC region with relevant technical Programme and other teams in the RBC (school feeding, nutrition, cash based transfers, emergency preparedness and response planning, IT…), including on use of different safety nets (cash, school feeding etc), strengthening nutrition-sensitive and shock-responsive social protection, and the underlying systems that support national social protection mechanisms

• Support capacity building of Country Offices in the area of social protection through:
  • Enhancing understanding of SP concepts through at least 2 SP thematic webinars, monthly calls with SP regional focal points, establishment of monthly SP newsletter, supporting Essential Needs Assessment training and its subsequent utilization;
  • Strengthening use of econometric analysis to inform strategy;
  • Enhancing Country Office capacity to engage social protection policy engagement –and utilize their evidence base to engage with government in SP policy shaping, with a focus on at least 4 Country Offices (notably Sudan, Libya, Iraq, Palestine and others as required).
  • Prepare a plan with ILO and UNICEF to modify the TRANSFORM training for the RBC region, including introducing a food security and nutrition component
• Support Country Offices that have been awarded social protection funding in programme implementation; and other Country Offices to secure funding for social protection
• Support the RBC Programme to engage in a broader policy dialogue on social protection at regional level with key actors (e.g., Government agencies, UN agencies, social protection partners such as the World bank).
• Support other on-going initiatives relevant to social protection led by other units within the Bureau;
• Formulate substantial parts of programme policies and implementation plans related to Social Protection and Safety Nets in line with both organizational strategies and the practical realities of operating in the field, (particularly but not limited to the context of Syrian Refugees);

• Manage or oversee operational research and evidence building (including working with the VAM team), as well as lead the documentation of regional learnings and wider knowledge management on issues relevant to social protection;
• Support the utilization of outcomes from WFP analyses to inform social protection programming, including on bridging humanitarian assistance
• Lead, motivate and develop a substantive team to enable high performance.
• Incorporate gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal and meaningful participation of women and men.
• Other tasks as required and assigned by the supervisor or the senior management.

1. Finalize the regional social protection strategy
2. Support at least 4 country offices to articulate their social protection strategy, focusing on priority countries;
3. Enable the capacity building of country offices in social protection through:
   • At least 2 SP thematic webinars, monthly calls with SP regional focal points, establishment of monthly SP newsletter, ENA training for COs and utilization of ENA to inform SP planning in at least 1 country;
   • Strengthening Country Office engagement in national SP policy dialogues in at least 4 countries;
   • Prepare a plan with ILO and UNICEF to modify the TRANSFORM training for the RBC region, including introducing a food security and nutrition component;
4. Support at least 2 Country Offices in the implementation of social protection programme funding (notably the Joint SDG Fund);
5. Lead the development of a portfolio of regional knowledge products on social protection.

• ​​
• University degree in relevant field such as economics, business, public policy, social sciences
• Advanced University degree in Social Sciences, International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Public Administration, Public Policy or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

• At least 8 years’ experience in social protection implementation in low- and middle-income countries, with at least 6 years’ experience in policy design, analysis and guidance;
• 3 to 5 years’ operational experience in national social protection systems, including responsibility for liaising with different line ministries at national and decentralized levels;
• Experience in managing or implementing cash transfer programmes, electronic payment systems for social assistance; strengthening and aligning with national social protection and safety nets
• Experience in the Middle East, North Africa, East Europe and Central Asian Region is an asset
• UN or donor experience, especially with WFP and/or UNICEF, DFID or World Bank is an asset

Knowledge & skills:

• A sound understanding of policymaking processes and the ability to distill operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for governments and other partners;
• Strong capacity for analysis, learning, research and innovation;
• Capacity to foster strong cross-agency collaboration
• Good leadership and interpersonal skills

Languages:

• Working knowledge (proficiency/Level C) of English
• Basic knowledge of Arabic would be a plus

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.
•  Be a force for positive change: Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area.
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations (e.g., unprecedented issues and/or scenarios)

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries.
•  Focus on getting results: Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders.
•  Be Decisive: Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning
•  Build strong external partnerships: Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships 
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

Job Title: Programme Policy Advisor - Social Protection and Safety Nets
Type & Level of Contract: Short-Term Professional / P4
Duration & Start Date: 6 months - Starting ASAP
Unit/Division: Programme
Duty Station(City, Country): Regional Bureau in Cairo (RBC), Egypt
Reports To: Programme Policy Officer

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application no later than Thursday, 11 April, 2020.

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.