Programme Policy Officer (Emergency Preparedness and Response), NOC, Baghdad, IRAQ 2020

Iraq

Organization: WFP - World Food Programme
Location: Iraq
Grade: Mid level - NO-C, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
- Legal - Broad
- Political Affairs
- Medical Practitioners
- Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
- Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
- Emergency Aid and Response
- Project and Programme Management
Closing Date: Closed

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.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

In 2020, WFP assisted over 630,000 people in Iraq. Through providing food for vulnerable people, skills to build futures and enhanced social protection, WFP is helping the Iraqi government build people’s resilience and food security. For more information, visit wfp.org/countries/iraqand ar.wfp.org/countries/iraq

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Under the direct supervision of Head of Programme, the incumbent will lead the Emergency Response Pillar, Strategic Objective One, of the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2020-2024. This will encompass ensuring an appropriate food and nutrition response of WFP in the case of a crisis in Iraq, in support of IDPs, refugees or other crisis-affected people. In addition, the incumbent will take forward emergency preparedness and response capacity strengthening activities. This will include coordination with all WFP support units and leading a team of professionals to manage operational partnerships, implementation, and reporting.

JOB PURPOSE

To design and manage programmes of moderate size or complexity that effectively meet food assistance needs, or contribute to policy formulation and/or provide technical advice or oversight on programme strategy and implementation.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Provide advice and support to staff throughout the Country Office on moderately complex issues to clarify ambiguities and ensure that policy and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies, Executive Board decisions, and other relevant guidance.

2. 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.

3. Assist counterparts in governments and other partners in identifying where food assistance can be usefully employed and provide support and technical expertise for the planning, formulation and implementation of moderately complex food assistance programmes to strengthen government and community ownership and effectiveness of food security and nutrition programmes at national and sub-national levels.

4. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve assistance provision and support advocacy work.

5. Enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to emergency preparedness and response through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.

6. Manage operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to food assistance, including programmatic reviews and decentralized evaluations.

7. Manage the preparation and dissemination of timely analytical and critical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use.

8. 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.

9. Advise and support the development of functional training in emergency preparedness and response to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partners to design and deliver effective food assistance programmes.

10. Lead, motivate and develop a team of staff to enable high performance.

11. Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set objectives within a moderate budget.

12. Lead Country Office Emergency Preparedness i.e. early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning in order to respond to humanitarian crises and needs.

14. Other duties as required.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name	Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level
Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance	Displays ability to identify the main hunger problem at the national or subnational level to design and implement context-specific programmes that integrate complex analysis and the full range of food assistance tools.
Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher)	Demonstrates the ability to design, implement, monitor and provide oversight over effective and efficient programmes deploying different transfer modalities.
Broad Knowledge of Specialized areas (i.e. Nutrition, VAM, etc.)	Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.
Emergency Programming	Displays ability to translate understanding of programme principles in emergencies and protracted conflict situations into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches
Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government	Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes..

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health/Biological Sciences, 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 (level C) in English and Arabic.

Experience:

· For holders of an advanced degree, 5 years of relevant work experience and 7 years for holders of a first-level university degree, of progressively responsible experience in either humanitarian project management or implementation.

· Experience in managing operational partnerships and emergency preparedness or contingency planning processes.

· Experience managing a team of operational staff.

· Experience in WFP food assistance programmes is an added advantage.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Has experience working across the Program portfolio including VAM/Nutrition.
Has led a Sub Office or a small country/area office programme team or a component of a country office programme portfolio.
Has engaged in policy discussions and provided input into policy decisions.