Programme Assistant (Food Value Chains) 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.

The Armenian food sector is characterized by the low productivity of nutritionally diversified commodities, high production costs, fragmented producers, and limited post-harvest market infrastructures and opportunities. This in turn negatively impacts the Armenian population’s access to nutritionally diversified food and is resulting in worrisome levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. At the same time, inefficient post-harvest and supply chain processes entail low quality and safety standards which adversely affect the stability of supplies and which do not allow either the national or international commercialization of Armenian food products. Within its five-year Country Strategic Plan for 2019-2024, WFP Armenia has designed a new portfolio of programme activities aimed at developing food value chains within Armenia. Programme activities include trialling food value chain projects across the country, assessing impact and results, and scaling intervention designs that prove successful.These jobs are found in Regional Bureaux (RBs), Country Offices (COs), Area/Field Offices (AOs/FOs). The job holders typically report to a Programme Policy Officer or the designate.
At this level, job holders are responsible for the completion of a range of specialized and/or standardized processes and activities requiring some interpretation of standard guidelines and practices. Job holders are able to recommend a course of action to staff at various levels and may allocate tasks to other support staff. They work under minimum supervision, perform basic analyses and compile reports to support information consistency and smooth implementation of programmes/projects.

WFP Armenia is seeking a candidate, to be based in Vanadzor, to support at the field level with the implementation of the food value chain programme activities.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Associate (FVC), the Programme Assistant (FVC) will perform the following duties and responsibilities in the Country Office (but not limited to):
- Provide specialized expertise to guide the timely implementation of food value chain project activities.
- Ensure that project activities are performed in line with the targets established within project documents, report proactively where targets might be missed and provide potential solutions to overcome challenges.
- Ensuring activities are implemented according to planned timelines and aligned with wider programme policies and guidelines including programme Standard Operating Procedures. 

- Act as a communication link and foster relationships between WFP, and the key stakeholders engaged at project level. This includes facilitating smooth channels of communication, and proactively engaging with key stakeholders. Stakeholders include project beneficiaries, government institutions, and NGO’s.
- Advise on the design of the expansion of the food value chain activities, including identifying opportunities for pilots to be expanded into national food value chain projects. Provide input into project proposals and support on the implementation of activity scale up.
- Document project activity success, and under the guidance of WFP’s communication team provide input for external communications on project success.
- Work closely with the partnership and communication unit to formulate proposals for funding and for documenting and communicating results;
- Identify capacity building initiatives for stakeholders of FVC activities including WFP staff, the Government and implementing partners;
- Lead and ensure accurate, timely recording of data and consistency of information presented to stakeholders, including WFP internal progress reports, and contributing to external reports.
- Give administrative support to the programme, including supporting with procurement and financial processes.
- Promote synergies between activities supported by WFP Armenia by providing support to al WFP programme teams by monitoring specific activities.
- Support operational research and evidence building by collecting field level data under the guidance of the WFP programme team with support from the WFP M&E team
- Other tasks as required.

Education: Completion of secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in the functional area is desirable. A first level university degree in Business Administration, International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance would be an asset.
 

Experience: One or more years of progressively responsible experience in direct implementation of field level project activities for an NGO, government institution, UN Agency. Experience of working on agricultural projects is highly desirable.

Knowledge & Skills:
Strong analytical, written and oral communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team; ability to plan and organize work with minimum supervision; ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines. General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures is desirable.
 

Languages: Fluency in Armenian, and highly competent in the English language; working knowledge (level B) of Russian language is desired.

1 December 2020

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.