Programme Policy Officer (Service Contract SC9)

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 a leading organization delivering food assistance and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. We also support governments of developing countries in their efforts to eliminate hunger and malnutrition by addressing the underlying causes and disparities in access to food and good nutrition to ensure that no one is left behind in line with the Agenda 2030, Sustaining Peace and Agenda for Humanity. WFP is particularly focused on Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Partnerships).

In the Pacific, WFP operates under its first interim Multi-Country Strategic Plan (iMCSP) for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). The iMCSP focuses on strengthening the capacity of PICTs to reduce the risk of, prepare for and respond to disasters with a view of building a resilient Pacific Community. WFP’s strategy focuses on partnerships and innovation, making use of the cluster approach to lead on national capacity strengthening in food security, logistics and emergency telecommunications. In the Pacific, regional and national-level inter-agency food security clusters are incorporated under government-led mechanisms, which are permanently activated for preparedness. WFP operates through partnerships using its role as the global co-lead of the food security cluster to support these clusters.

The WFP Fiji Country Office is looking for a dynamic professional to engage with national Governments and strategic partners, strengthen WFP’s leadership role for food security and preparedness in the Pacific, and advance the implementation of activities under the iMCSP. The Programme Policy Officer will closely coordinate and complement the efforts of Programme Policy Officers responsible for Social Protection/Cash-Based Transfers (SP/CBT) and Vulnerability Assessment and Mapping (VAM), and together support implementation of iMCSP. 

Job title:                            Programme Policy Officer
Vacancy number:             130488
Contract type:                   Service Contract (SC-9)
Duration:                           12 months (with possibility for extension)
Duty Station:                     Suva, Fiji 
 

A.    Strategic Partnerships and WFP Visibility

• Support and foster strategic partnerships with national Governments and other regional and sub-regional actors to position WFP’s role in food security.
• Contribute to the enhancement of WFP’s leadership status in national and regional fora relating to food security, social protection (SP)/ cash-based transfers (CBT) and wider programme policy focus areas such as emergency preparedness, nutrition, livelihoods, social protection and resilience through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
• Contribute to strengthening the relationships with regional actors having multi-country presence and ongoing food security programmes in the Pacific (such as Rome-Based Agencies; SPC; NGOs; academic institutions) for linkages and collaboration on food security, resilience and other themes.
• Represent WFP in inter-governmental and inter-agency fora, strategic working groups and coordination platforms.
• Act as WFP Focal Point for protection, gender and disability inclusion, seeking technical support from RBB and/ or headquarter technical leads as appropriate and building in country partnerships.

B.    External Food Security Emergency Preparedness Leadership

• Co-lead and coordinate (with FAO and SPC) the Regional Pacific Food Security Cluster and support national-level clusters to deliver emergency preparedness activities, DRR initiative and long-term resilience activities to support food systems and the food security of communities in the Pacific.
• Work closely with WFP programme units in SP-CBT and Vulnerability Assessment and Mapping (VAM) to ensure linkages and alignment with Regional Food Security Cluster activities.
• Collaborate, engage and align closely with coordination staff from other clusters present in the region (including Gender and Protection, Nutrition, Health and Education) to make the necessary linkages, simulation activities, assessments, and preparedness actions.
• Collaborate with and attend the Pacific Humanitarian Team Inter-Cluster Coordination Working Group on behalf of Regional Pacific Food Security Cluster.
• Conduct regional and international advocacy and resource mobilization on behalf of the Regional Food Security Cluster and national food security needs.

C.    Capacity Strengthening

• Contribute to national food security emergency preparedness and contingency planning to respond to humanitarian crises and needs.
• Contribute to national and regional Food Security Cluster Support plans outlining capacity support and development initiatives to be supported by the Regional Cluster and provide on-demand remote and in-country support to country clusters on request.
• Contribute to reinforce knowledge and capacity of national authorities, staff, and members in country-level clusters to lead and design preparedness, response, and resilience actions in the food security through training and on-call, in country and remote capacity assistance. 

D.    Any other duties 

Education:

• Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social science or other field relevant to International development, assistance, or a First University Degree with additional years or related work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience:

• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian and/or development assistance; Experience in public policy, capacity strengthening programme design and management.
• Experience in engaging in programme policy discussions with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience in working with partnership questions.
• Experience in managing, designing and/or implementing humanitarian and recovery programmes or similar context.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent written and oral communications and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and negotiation skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts and staff within the office, host population, Government authorities, donors, NGOs and other UN agencies.
• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those under supervision.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural team and establish effective working relationship with stakeholders of different cultural backgrounds.
• Resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment and tact.
• Excellent understanding of national and UN institutional frameworks, including financial management frameworks is an advantage.
• Knowledge of UN operational programmes and policy commitments, and/or programmatic and partnership experience, is an advantage.

Languages:

• Fluency in spoken and written English is required, Proficiency in a second UN languages is an advantage.

Deadline: 14 December 2020 23:59 Eastern Standard Time (14 December 2020 at 16:59 Fiji Time) 
This vacancy announcement is for Nationals from Fiji. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
To be considered, interested candidates are invited to apply through the WFP careers website (http;//www1.wfp.org/careers/job-openings).
 

Qualified female applicants 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.