Programme Policy Officer, Country Strategy Initiative and Middle Income Countries Pilot

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. We are currently recruiting a Programme Policy Officer for the Policy, Programme and Innovation Division (PPI) to support both the Country Strategy initiative and the Middle Income Countries Pilot in the development of policy guidance, applied research on food security and nutrition, and partnership building with public and private stakeholders. The position will be based at our Headquarters in Rome, Italy, for an initial contract period of 6 months.

Background

WFP’s Policy, Programme and Innovation Division (PPI) is coordinating the development of new approaches to contribute to national actions for addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. Through the formulation of consolidated Country Strategy documents and the Middle Income Countries Pilot, the Division is evaluating and implementing changes to WFP’s positioning in countries informed by the organizational shift from food aid to food assistance and the on-going discussions on the post-2015 Development Agenda.

The Country Strategy defines WFP’s role, vision and priorities in the country over a five-year period and is based on a thorough analysis of the current food and nutrition security situation, the host government’s and partners’ response plans and WFP’s comparative advantages in the country. The Country Strategy is created in consultation with the government, the United Nations Country Team, donors and other stakeholders through a collaborative and inclusive process that generates joint ownership and a high level of buy in. It aims to ensure the integration of food security and nutrition as key elements of the national Poverty Reduction Strategy, and/or other overall national policy frameworks, and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

In addition, WFP is piloting an enhanced engagement with selected middle income countries (MICs). Food insecurity and malnutrition are increasingly found in MICs, and this trend is likely to continue as more low income countries attain middle income status.

The primary objective of the pilot is to support Country Offices to positioning themselves as enablers of governments in addressing the food security and nutrition issues common to MICs. The ultimate goal is to eradicate hunger in line with the Zero Hunger Challenge and the emerging Sustainable Development Goals framework. Through this, WFP will orient its work under the pilot to identify and support catalytic programmes and country capacity strengthening efforts that can have a significant impact on national food security and nutrition indicators, including undernourishment.

Responsibilities

The Programme Policy Officer will report to the Director of PPI Division, and be responsible for the following key duties:

• Ensure coordination across pilot countries, and with corporate initiatives and Headquarters units;
• Work with other WFP units within and outside of the PPI Division to ensure the effective sharing of knowledge and practices gleaned from the Middle Income Countries Pilot;
• Lead strategic dialogue and form partnerships with key external stakeholders, including governments and private sector actors;
• Coordinate strategic reviews of food security and nutrition across pilot countries and provide quality assurance at headquarters level;
• Support Country Offices to formulate government engagement strategies framed around the Zero Hunger Challenge;
• Support, as needed, the Country Strategy/Framework Team to i) provide technical support for the design of new WFP Country Strategy/Framework documents and ii) facilitate the migration from the currently used Country Strategy to a consolidated Country Framework approach;
• Report and provide regular updates on project activities to the Director of PPI Division.

Qualifications & Experience Required

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Economics, Agriculture, International Affairs, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Development Studies or a field relevant to international development assistance.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of postgraduate professional experience working in development cooperation and/or humanitarian assistance, preferably in developing countries.

Technical Skills & Competencies:

• Knowledge of policy formulation;
• Strong writing, analytical and research skills (qualitative and quantitative);
• Good interpersonal skills to collaborate with various stakeholders and subject matter experts. Ability to forge partnerships with both public and private stakeholders;
• Ability to work independently and in a team;
• Ability to plan and organize work with minimum supervision;
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working language) is an advantage.

Terms and Conditions

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.

http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.

http://www.unstaffmobility.org Learn more about countries where the UN operates.

How to apply:

Go to: http://i-recruitment.wfp.org/vacancies/14-0015086

Step 1: Create your online CV.

Step 2: Click on “Description” to read the position requirements and “Apply” to submit your application.

NOTE: You must complete Step 1 and 2 in order for your application to be considered for this vacancy.

Application deadline:11 May 2014

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are encouraged to apply.

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.

REF: 14-0015086

Fighting Hunger Worldwide