Programme Policy Officer (School Feeding) – Consultant II

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

4 December 2024-23:59-GMT+02:00 Central Africa Time (Maputo)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP’s values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

In July 2022 WFP will start a new cycle of Country Strategic Plan (CSP) in Mozambique. This second-generation CSP consolidates WFP’s role as a technical advisor and positions WFP as an expert technical partner of choice in supporting national priorities and programmes in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda.

On school feeding, WFP will support the Government in the development and operation of nationally owned home-grown school feeding programmes (HGSF) for chronically vulnerable or shock-affected primary school children. WFP will continue to provide technical assistance aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Government to manage and implement the national school feeding programme (PRONAE) effectively and supporting an integrated package of gender-transformative and nutrition-sensitive interventions that contribute to the building of human capital and resilience to shocks while stimulating local economies through employment creation and links to local agriculture and local procurement.

WFP will also augment the national school feeding programme through direct management of home-grown school feeding programmes for shock-affected or chronically vulnerable populations and will support the construction of infrastructure for school meal preparation, including water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and school gardens. In this context, WFP is looking for a Programme Policy Officer to act as Manager of Activity 5 under the new CSP.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Within delegated authority and under direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Programme Policy Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Programme Strategic Engagement and Programme Cycle:

• Lead strategic engagement of WFP Mozambique with the Ministry of Education and Human Development (MINEDH) and other line ministries contributing to PRONAE.
• Lead programme cycle management (planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) of the full portfolio of school meals programmes (covering PRONAE, WFP-led Home-Grown School Feeding and School Feeding in Emergency) in coordination with senior government counterparts  from MINEDH and other key stakeholders.
• Lead policy setting, capacity strengthening, strategic and operational planning of the full portfolio of school meals programmes in coordination with senior government officials from MINEDH and other key stakeholders.
• Monitor School Feeding outputs and services delivered to ensure they contribute to the Country Office’s planned Strategic Outcomes and are to the appropriate quality, on time and within budget. Proactively monitor overall progress and initiate corrective actions as appropriate to resolve issues.

Partnerships:

• Represent WFP at partnership fora with donor representatives and other stakeholders within the Education sector (Education Cluster, Education Partners Group, UNDAF Education Outcome Group, etc).

Staff Management:

• Facilitate the recruitment and development of technical staff to the Activity 5 team and manage their performance.

Budget and Fundraising:

• Manage the Activity budget, monitoring expenditures against outputs as the programme progresses.
• Engage in resource mobilization efforts for school meals (e.g. scanning for opportunities, preparing proposals, raising funds, etc.), with both development and humanitarian donors.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

•  Advanced University degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Political Sciences, International Law, International Development or other relevant field.

Experience:

• At least 6 years of progressive postgraduate professional experience in programme/project development, capacity strengthening, representation in a humanitarian or development environment.
• Experience with school feeding programmes in development and emergency settings.
• Experience with government capacity strengthening.
• Experience of leading or contributing to strategy development.
• Proven experience of working with governments, donors, and UN agencies.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Sound knowledge of project implementation, programme and resource management, humanitarian principles and tools, and transfer modalities.
• Ability to explain projects and operations to counterparts and to communicate. with Government and partners clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to translate understanding of programme principles and policies into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches.
• Good networking skills and capacity to build and maintain professional contacts
• In-depth understanding of WFP program, objectives and strategic priorities.
• Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multitasking skills.
   

Languages:

• Fluency (level C) in English.
• Fluency (level C) in Portuguese.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our recruitment process is inclusively crafted to welcome candidates of all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and ensuring a respectful environment for all. We aim for an accessible and fair recruitment journey. Should you need any reasonable accommodations or have accessibility concerns, please reach out to us confidentially at [email protected]. Our DEI team is here to ensure your full participation in our recruitment process.

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Please contact us at [email protected] in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

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.