Programme Policy Officer (School Feeding Operations) _SC-8

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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 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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. WFP Rwanda works in partnership with the Government and other stakeholders through the direct implementation of integrated programmes targeting the most vulnerable people and will progressively shift towards building national capacity to formulate, manage and implement programmes for achieving zero hunger. In implementing its activities, WFP will bridge the humanitarian–development nexus and leverage its extensive experience and the contributions it has made in Rwanda over many decades in order to achieve five strategic outcomes:

•    Refugees and returnees in Rwanda have access to adequate and nutritious food at all times.
•    Vulnerable populations in food-insecure communities and areas have improved access to adequate and nutritious food all year.
•    Children under 5, adolescents and pregnant and nursing women and girls in Rwanda have improved access to nutritious foods and services that enable them to meet their nutrition needs all year.
•    Smallholder farmers, especially women, have increased marketable surplus and access to agricultural markets through efficient supply chains by 2030.
•    The Government of Rwanda and the humanitarian community is provided with adequate, timely, cost-efficient and agile supply chain services and expertise necessary to effectively respond to emergency crisis.

Under Strategic Outcome 2, WFP provides home-grown school feeding in food insecure areas in Rwanda and acts as a key technical partner of the Government of Rwanda in developing and expanding the national school feeding programme. This position of the School Feeding Programme Officer-Operations will be part of the school feeding team based in WFP’s Country Office in Kigali, Rwanda and contributes to the effective and efficient design and operational implementation of school feeding activities – WFP-implemented school feeding and technical assistance to Government - under Strategic Outcome 2.
 

JOB PURPOSE

To deliver against the above, the Country Office is seeking a School Feeding Programme Policy Officer- Operations (SC-8) to provide support to its school feeding activities. The incumbent will operate under the direct supervision of the Programme Policy Officer- School Feeding Programme Manager. The incumbent will be responsible for carrying out the following tasks and responsibilities specific to school feeding operations.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1.    Contribute towards the development of a limited number of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with corporate policies and guidance relevant to school feeding.
2.    Provide operational coordination and project management to specific and defined school feeding activities and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures. Lead the development of standard operating procedures for core programme areas. 
3.    Research and analyse policy and operational issues to inform the development of in-country school feeding policies, strategies, programmes and activities.
4.    Support the development of monitoring tools with the M&E unit and in the facilitation of key programme surveys/data collection activities. 
5.    Ensure quality and timeliness of school feeding data entered in the corporate beneficiary management and monitoring systems, particularly COMET and SUGAR
6.    Support M&E in the development and roll out of the school feeding dashboards and support regular dashboard updates 
7.    In consultation with the RB and HQ, as well as programme stakeholders such as different departments of the Government and potential implementing partners, research, set up and implement the cash to schools’ model including operational arrangements 
8.    Support the CBT Officer to oversee the day-to-day management and implementation of the cash to schools model including operational issues, awareness raising on program objectives and procedures, interaction with programme stakeholders (such as Government departments and WFP partners) and coordination with on-going programmes, including training and support to WFP staff in good practice guidelines.
9.    Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on school feeding programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
10.    Contribute to support school feeding studies and assessments, surveys and research activities 
11.    Contribute to the development, management and sharing of knowledge products pertinent to school feeding.
12.    Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration including acting as the school feeding focal point for the procurement and finance units.
13.    Manage key aspects of external implementing partnerships- coordinating agreements, reporting and payments- to ensure strong partnerships.
14.    Support the capacity strengthening of WFP staff, partners and national government to identify and address in-country school feeding needs, e.g. by providing inputs into specific school feeding guidance materials and/or learning initiatives.
15.    Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries related to school feeding.
16.    Support the SC5 through technical guidance and a dotted supervision line.
17.    Other as required.
 

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: An advanced University degree in Education, Nutrition, Project Management, Agriculture, International Development, International Relations, Sociology, or other fields relevant to school feeding, or, a First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses 
Experience: At least 3 or more years of relevant professional experience in some or all the following areas: Programme Operations, Partnership Management, Monitoring and reporting, Education
Language: Fluency in both written, and oral communication in English and/or French with a working knowledge of the other. Fluency in Kinyarwanda is essential

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
• Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
•  Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
•  Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

•    Understanding of Agenda 2030 and respective targets – particularly SDG2, SDG4 and SDG5 - and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them;
•    Knowledge of current thinking and developments in the field of school feeding and public policy;
•    Knowledge of current thinking and developments in country capacity strengthening and effective knowledge transfer models, concepts and principles;
•    Knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues;
•    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
•    Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written outputs and ability to present in English.
•    Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders, conveying an   informed and professional demeanour toward internal and external partners and stakeholders;
•    Appetite for exploring and experimenting with new ideas and approaches.
•    Ability to work independently in a timely and organised manner;
•    Ability to work as part of a team, participating in open dialogues and valuing diverse opinions of others, regardless of gender, culture, background, experience, or country         assignment. 
•    Moderate to proficient computer literacy.
 

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

•    Programme Operations
•    Partnership Management
•    Monitoring and reporting 
•    Education
•    National development programmes, policies, strategies or plans and institutional structures, preferably in relation to school feeding and/or revolving around food security and/or nutrition.
 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

JOB TITLE : Programme Policy Officer (School feeding operations)_ SC-8
JOB GRADE: Service Contract- Level 8
DURATION: 12 Months renewable upon satisfactory performance and availability of funds
LOCATION: Kigali

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadline for receiving applications is 13th May 2021

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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.