Programme Policy Officer (Nutrition Sensitive) SC11- Maputo

The Cost of Hunger in Africa Mozambique (COHA) found that 10.94% of GDP is lost every year due to child undernutrition. The largest share of this cost is the potential loss of productivity due to malnutrition-related mortality, estimated at 53 billion meticais, or 9.4% of GDP. In Mozambique, one out of two children under-five are stunted, 26% of all child mortality in Mozambique is associated with undernutrition, and stunted children complete 4.7 years less of schooling. Furthermore, repeated episodes of acute malnutrition increase the likelihood that a child will be stunted and children that are stunted and wasted are 12 times more likely to die than their well-nourished peers.

Education: Advanced University in Social Science, nutrition, public health, in additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Language: Fluency in English and Portuguese languages.

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.

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 

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.

At least 2- year experience in planning or implementing nutrition-sensitive programs.

At least 3-year experience working with Governments, UN and international donors on nutrition multisectoral projects or nutrition-sensitive projects in development and/or humanitarian contexts.

Prior experience in the Mozambique on food security and/or nutrition sector, preferably including experience at the community, district, sub-national and national levels. 

Strong understanding of food security and nutrition situation analysis, context and infrastructure in Mozambique.

Strong understanding of  government administrative archicteture from national to community levels.

Strong understanding of WFP mandate, programs and principles.

Strong understanding of WFP operations desirable.

Strong analytical and interpersonal skills.

Demonstrated significant expertise providing technical support to country and field program teams, government staff working on nutrition, gender, agriculture and/or SBCC activities.

Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a wide range of partners with varying interests and priorities.

Ability to work independently and meet deadlines with minimum supervision.

Strategic thinking and management.

Excellent written and oral communication skills required.

• Has worked in a Country Office or equivalent level position within technical area.
• Has managed discussions with experts in VAM/Nutritionists.
• Has led a country / are office programme team or a substantial component of a complex programme.
• Has gained direct experience of different programme approaches.
• Has worked with government agencies and gained policy experience.
• Has led team in strategic discussions.
• Has worked in HQ or a Regional Bureau.

Type of Contract: Service Contract SC11

No later than: 01.12.2020

1.    Lead the nutrition-sensitive workstream of the WFP CO/Nutrition and HIV Unit

1. Oversee all nutrition-sensitive activities conducted by the Nutrition Unit M&E team and report to Head of Unit on progress.
2. Support nutrition-sensitive programs design, development and planning, including mainstreaming nutrition within other programs
   1. Develop concept notes and support the design of nutrition-sensitive programs or the integration of nutrition-sensitive activities within other programs.
3. Programs management, monitoring and delivery of results
   1. Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical program transactions; preparing materials and documentations, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support program planning, results-based planning, and monitoring and evaluation of results.
4. Networking and partnership building
   1. Build and maintain effective close working partnerships with stakeholders such us government counterparts, implementing partners, other WFP units, donors, and any other stakeholders for sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programs implementation, resource mobilization to expand nutrition-sensitive programs, and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve programs goals.
   2. Other related duties.

The fight against malnutrition in countries requires multisectoral and integrated programs that combine nutrition-specific with nutrition-sensitive interventions. For instance, evidence shows that implementing large-scale nutrition-specific interventions solely is not enough and will reduce stunting by 20% only (Lancet 2013). Thus, more holistic approaches are needed, to tackle malnutrition in all its forms and promote development by addressing direct, underlying, and root causes of malnutrition. Nutrition-sensitive programming addresses long-term, systemic causes of malnutrition while also increasing the immediate impact of nutrition-specific programs if implemented coherently.

In line with WFP global nutrition policy, the country office is increasingly investing on nutrition-sensitive programming, with development of multisector and nutrition-sensitive projects in partnership with other units within the organization, and with governments and partners. Moreover, since the Nutrition and HIV Unit expanded its portfolio, the staff structure was revised to be organized in three thematic areas: i) Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Communication (MERC); ii) Nutrition in Emergencies; and iii) Nutrition-sensitive, while maintaining HIV and SBCC as a cross-cutting initiative.

Through this Terms of Reference, WFP Mozambique /Nutrition and HIV Unit intends to recruit a Program and Policy Officer to support the design and implementation of nutrition-sensitive programs performing as Nutrition-sensitive Team Leader.

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.