PD Internship Programme 2021 – Cash-Based Transfer (CBT) and Social Protection (SP) Intern

Asia and Pacific, Programme Division, Bangkok, Thailand

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. We are currently seeking motivated and qualified candidates to fill positions of the 2021 Policy and Programme Department (PD) Internship Programme.

The position will either be based in our Social Protection (SP)/Cash-Based Transfers (CBT) Unit of the Regional Bureau Bangkok Programme Division, based in Bangkok, Thailand, or home-based, depending on the pandemic-caused restrictions. The internship will be typically for the period of at least 3 months during June to August/September 2021.

Brief description of SP/CBT Unit, Regional Bureau Bangkok Programme Division:

The World Food Programme’s mandate is to help build a world with zero hunger in line with the sustainable development goals, through both delivery of emergency food assistance to people in need and support to governments for national capacity strengthening, resilience and food security and nutrition. Thus, WFP adopts a variety of operational strategies and delivery modalities to be able to provide food assistance wherever the support may be needed to affected populations and support governments to achieve zero hunger. Increasingly, this assistance is provided through cash or vouchers which gives more flexibility and dignity to the people we support and is often a more efficient an effective way of transferring assistance.

In order to continue responding effectively to challenging contexts while also contributing to longer-term efforts to end hunger, WFP is also reshaping engagement and support to countries’ social protection systems. In the Asia and the Pacific region, the number of national social protection systems and strategies has expanded in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, coverage, consistency and efficiency vary widely among different programmes. As a set of policies, programmes, and arrangements, social protection has been considered as effective in responding to poverty and vulnerability, enhancing the resilience of populations. Available evidence indicates that when implemented properly and with other appropriate arrangements and/or mechanisms, social protection is an effective tool in achieving food security and nutrition security results.

The SP/CBT unit in the Regional Bureau in Bangkok works with Country Offices and governments to increase their capacity to respond to shocks through social protection systems, provides technical assistance to Country Offices on increasing operational effectiveness of CBT direct delivery as well as increase government readiness to use CBT in response to emergencies, ensures nutrition and gender sensitive social protection, builds evidence and manages knowledge on the appropriateness of social protection and social safety nets in responding to vulnerability and increasing resilience, including the linkages between early warning and early action, urban food security, amongst other priorities around social protection and cash-based transfer modalities.

General Information

• ****Title of Post:** PD Internship**
• Supervisor: Programme Policy Officer for Cash-Based Transfer (CBT) and Social Protection
• ****Unit:**** Programme, Social Protection and CBT Team
• Country: Thailand
• Duty Station: Bangkok (In-person internship is preferred)
• Duration of internship: At least 3 months
• Expected Start Date: June 2021

Duties and responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Policy Officer for Cash-Based Transfer (CBT) and Social Protection, the candidate will perform the following duties:

• Conduct a desk review of social policy and/or social protection system especially in Asia and the Pacific region
• Update the mapping of national social protection systems and WFP interventions in social protection in the region
• Gather and analyse data and information for the regional bureau cash-based response and preparedness platform, working closely with WFP country offices and relevant regional bureau functional units
• Assess and support on improvements to the interactive preparedness platform displaying the data in a user-friendly way to inform future operations, working with relevant counterparts in WFP HQ to link to other databases already existing at corporate level
• Prepare country and other thematic briefs on cash-based transfers in the Asia and Pacific region
• Support on the knowledge sharing platform i.e. WFP communities on SP and CBT
• Support a tracking tool for recommendations and follow-up from oversight missions
• Support with operational research on social protection and cash-based transfers
• Perform any other tasks as required

Qualifications and experience

• Currently enrolled with in a graduate programme and have attended classes in the past 12 months, or a recent graduate from a graduate programme (within six months prior to the application to the internship programme), preferably in the areas of international affairs, international development, economics, monitoring and evaluation, food security, nutrition, public health, food technology, public policy, or similar field
• Excellent command of English; Working knowledge of a second UN language would be an asset
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook)
• Experience in using data visualisation software (e.g. Tableau) and GIS mapping is desirable
• Knowledge of international development, socio-economic and social policy as well as familiarity with social protection and cash-based transfers
• Experience in operational research and analysis, reporting, compiling information is desirable
• Familiarity with the Asia and Pacific region is desirable

Required soft skills/WFP Competencies:

• Excellent team player with the ability to work in a diverse, multi-cultural team and establish an effective working relationship with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong communication skills
• Skills in knowledge management and/or organizational learning desirable

Working Languages

Working knowledge of English (proficiency/level C) is required.

Supervision (Level/Methods of Supervision)

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Policy Officer for Cash-Based Transfer (CBT) and Social Protection, the incumbent will be provided with close mentoring, guidance and technical supervision. Performance planning and reviews as well as learning and development discussions will be elemental part of the supervision. The Head of Unit for Cash-Based Transfer (CBT) and Social Protection will be the second-level supervisor. With the support of a comprehensive induction package and assignment of a buddy/mentor, the intern will rapidly become a productive member of the team.

Training components

Throughout their assignment WFP interns have access to an industry leading learning platform, WeLearn. Depending on opportunities and availability of funds, he/she may participate in WFP workshops or seminars, as appropriate.

Learning Elements

At the end of the assignment, the Intern should:

• Have become familiar with WFP’s work in the Asia and the Pacific Region, as well as at corporate level, on commitments to supporting governments to achieve zero hunger through social protection and cash-based transfer programming
• Contributed to programmatic analysis and enhanced knowledge management for Social Protection and CBT at regional level
• Further develop drafting/presentation skills by having produced country and/or thematic briefs on Social Protection and CBT activities in the region and given a presentation to the team

Information on the Country of Assignment

• ****Living conditions in Bangkok, Thailand**** (Living conditions, security, health, etc)

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is one of the largest and most vibrant cities in Southeast Asia. A tourist destination famous for its tropical beaches, royal palaces, Buddhist temples and ancient ruins, the city also boasts some of the world’s best dining restaurants and gastronomic diversity.

With a wide range of options in housing, well established education systems, state-of-the-art medical facilities and user-friendly banking and telecommunications services, Bangkok has plenty to offer for anyone who wish to visit or stay. Depending on individual choice, the cost of living in Bangkok can differ tremendously for each person.

Locally produced goods are usually cheap while imported items incur a hefty tax. Public transport makes it easy to escape the hectic roads with a skytrain and underground network, along with canal boats and river ferries.

Recent years have witnessed several political crises, leading to mass protests and crackdowns. Despite this, Thailand is a very safe place to live, and crimes targeting foreigners are quite rare.

The tropical climate is hot and humid all year round particularly March-May. New year for the predominantly Buddhist nation falls in April, the hottest month, when the country celebrates Songkran.

VA Reference no: 141726

Closing Date: 2 May 2021

Please note that the deadline is at 11:59 pm Rome time (GMT + 1)

Terms and Conditions:

• Interns receive a monthly stipend from WFP up to the maximum amount of US$1000 per month depending on the duty station of assignment.
• WFP is not responsible for living expenses, arrangements for accommodation, necessary visas and related costs.
• WFP will reimburse travel ticket for candidates who are nationals of developing countries and are pursuing their studies in their home country.
• WFP will recognize candidates’ educational credentials from recognised institutions that have been certified by competent international or national authorities such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) or Ministries of Education.
• Candidates who bear any of the following relations to WFP staff members are not eligible to apply: sons, daughters, brothers or sisters.

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.

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