Programme Policy Officer - NOB

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.

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

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office, the Programme Policy Officer will be responsible for the following:

1. Contribute towards the development of projects and provide project management support, ensuring alignment with WFP programme policies, standards and procedures.
2. Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making, including proposals for improvement in operation and scope of programmes, and ensure consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
3. Provide support in ensuring alignment of WFP’s programme and initiatives with national strategies and priorities, and promote coherence of approaches, in coordination and collaboration with UN agencies and other key stakeholders.
4. Provide advice and support the government on the pilot and implementation of the Home-Grown School Feeding programme and support the development of sustainable school feeding framework.
5. Provide technical advice or mobilise technical expertise on programme and policy issues including assessment and analysis, the choice of objectives, activities, transfer modalities and appropriate food products, the deployment and testing of innovative approaches and the development of strategies to support government efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition.
6. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work.
7. Enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to area of food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience or engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
8. Manage operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to food, cash and capacity strengthening assistance.
9. Contribute to resources mobilisations efforts for WFP projects, including clearly articulating the need for food assistance and related programme opportunities, and follow up on the resource situation of projects including commodity and cash availability, seeking advice from senior colleagues where necessary.
10. Assist in designing and implementing of a WFP strategy for Eswatini that is focused on capacity development of the Government in the areas of programming, supply chain and M&E, with the ultimate aim of handover of sustainable Government owned food and nutrition programmes.
11. Advice and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partner to design and deliver effective food assistance programmes.
12. Design and manage the implementation and monitoring of cash and voucher projects, in line with the new Cash and Voucher corporate business model;
13. Lead and coordinate activities of the Programme unit. 

14. Other as required.

Education:   Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, 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 in both written and oral English and Siswati languages.

• Ability to interpret and analyze a wide variety needs, partners’ requirements etc.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective working relations with internally and externally counterparts, partners and stakeholders with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to participate and promote open dialogue with the team, valuing the diverse opinion of others to achieve common goals.
• Result oriented attitude.
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines.
• Resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment, excellent communication skills both orally and in writing;
• Self-starter and able to work with minimum supervision;
• Good analytical skills and experience in report writing;
• Sound negotiation skills and ability to accept responsibility;
• Experience in use of computer software (particularly MS Word, Excel, Power Point and SPSS and STATA and GIS) and understanding of data collection and analysis methods;
• Supervisory skills required.

• Minimum of 7 years post graduate, progressively responsible, job related experience in development assistance projects, public sector management.
• Experience in implementing and managing programmes, as well as providing inputs into programme design.
• Specific experience with Nutrition and food assistance programmes will be further valued.
• Experience in Government partnership implementation and in technical assistance areas will be considered as a strong asset.
• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration is an added advantage.

• This is a local position for Swazi nationals only. 
• Qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• WFP does not charge any fees from applicants at any stage of the recruitment process.
• WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

Deadline for receiving applications 27 October 2020