Programme Officer, Home Grown School Feeding Project (SC-8)

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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.

In Sri Lanka, WFP works every day to help improve the nutrition status and food security amongst vulnerable communities, particularly women and children. We take pride in knowing that our day-to-day work makes a difference in the lives of the people we serve.

WFP is on the lookout for multifaceted individuals to join our dynamic team in pursuing our mission in changing lives and saving lives.

Applications are invited from Sri Lankan candidates to fill the following position

BACKGROUND

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.

In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly 80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas. In Sri Lanka. a lower-middle-income country, WFP is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in tandem with sister UN Agencies and the government, and in particular, SDG 2, Zero Hunger.

Despite sound health indicators in Sri Lanka, in comparison to its South Asian neighbours, maternal, new born and child malnutrition continue to pose major challenges for the country, which is characterized by a high level of acute malnutrition, mild to moderate level of chronic malnutrition and widespread micronutrient deficiencies. Further compounding the issue is the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, as the country undergoes a dramatic nutritional transition influenced by economic growth, urbanization and shifts in the quality and quantity of diets.

A WFP five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2018-2022) was developed in consultation with the Government and other stakeholders and informed by contextual, gender and gap analyses, and recommendations from the 2017 National Strategic Review of Food Security and Nutrition towards Zero Hunger. It supports Sri Lanka’s national development vision with four major Strategic Outcomes:.

➢ Strategic outcome 1: Crisis-affected people have access to food all year round; ➢ Strategic outcome 2: School-age children in food-insecure areas have access to food all year round; ➢ Strategic outcome 3: Children under 5, adolescent girls and women of reproductive age have improved nutrition by 2025; and ➢ Strategic outcome 4: Vulnerable communities and smallholder farmers have strengthened livelihoods and resilience to shocks and stresses all year round.

WFP is on the lookout for multifaceted individuals to join our dynamic team as a Programme Officer, Home Grown School Feeding Project (SC-8) to support in pursuing our mission.

JOB PURPOSE

To lead and manage the full project cycle of the HGSF project in the country under the guidance and supervision of Head of Nutrition and SMP WFP Sri Lanka

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Working under the direct supervision of the Programme Policy Officer - Nutritionist, the incumbent will be responsible for a wide variety of assignments within the delegated authority, including – but not limited to – the following:

• Provide project management support to HGSF projects, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards
• Update project designs in timely manner in consultation with Head of Nutrition and SMP as well as other wider stakeholders
• Identify bottle necks and taking corrective action and/or escalating to Head of Nutrition and SMP as appropriate
• Ensure that accurate guidance for project implementation is provided to the field level by engaging relevant technical experts
• Recruitment and supervision of relevant project staff, timely completing their performance planning and appraisals, mentoring, and coaching
• Strategic communication and coordination with the relevant internal and external stakeholders including the Government officials at the level of technical, Directorial and/or above
• Managing administrative tasks related to all aspects of the project implementation
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on project activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders, and support Head of Nutrition to communicate with Donors
• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved project outcomes
• Other as required

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced University degree (Masters) in Education, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Language:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in the English language.
• Fluency in local language/s.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience at a national or an international organizational experience in school health and nutrition or school feeding related projects Strong experience in working with the higher-level officers of the Government agencies of Sri Lanka and with wide range of other partners Experience in working with WFP or other UN agencies would be an advantage

KNOWLEDGE

Strong knowledge of humanitarian operations and knowledge of the UN system and procedure would be an asset

COMPETENCIES

• Communication
• Leadership and teamwork
• Interpersonal relationships

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.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

*Initial contract will be for a period of one year which is renewable, depending on the performance of the post incumbent, financial feasibility and the organizational requirements.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Wednesday, 13 July 2022

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WFP encourages female candidates and people with disabilities to apply.

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and disability.

WFP is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce. WFP has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority or discrimination. 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.