Programme Policy Consultant - Cash-based Transfers Design and Programme Quality

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

Job Title: Programme Policy Officer, Cash-based Transfers (CBT) - User-centred CBT Design and Programme Quality

Type of Contract: Regular Consultant (Level I)

Division: CBT (Programme and Policy Department)

Duty Station (City, Country): Home based

Duration: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food and cash assistance to change lives and empower people to meet their essential needs. WFP does this both through direct programming as well as by supporting governments on their national pathways toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in partnership with multiple stakeholders. WFP is the largest cash actor in the humanitarian community: US$ 2.1 billion of cash assistance was provided to beneficiaries in 64 countries in 2019. WFP is the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2020.

The Cash-based Transfer (CBT) Division in WFP’s Global Headquarters leads the organization’s global efforts in cash programming and is a dynamic and agile team that works multifunctionally and with a range of innovative partners. Within the Division, the User Experience (UX) Design team is dedicated to quality programme design, essential needs analysis & programming, digital financial inclusion and women economic empowerment through CBT, as well as support to Government-to-People (G2P) payments, among others.

The Consultant will work under the supervision of the UX Design team lead. S/he will be home-based and will be requested to travel to Rome or to the field to support WFP Country Offices (COs) and Regional Bureaux (RBs), as possible and needed. The supervisor will provide clear guidance and project priorities and share existing experience and materials which will serve as basis for the development of new products. The consultant will work alongside other team members as well as colleagues from the Vulnerability Analysis and Assessment (VAM) team, with whom he/she will share responsibilities and to whom he/she will refer if guidance or institutional experience/memory is needed. It is expected and planned that this assignment represents also a learning opportunity for the Consultant, through exposure to a number of core areas related to cash transfer programmes. Depending on progress and performance, the consultant could later join a “cadre” of CBT Officers available for field deployments.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES****:

• In close collaboration with the VAM team and the rest of the UX team, advance the Essential Needs Analysis (ENA) & Programming global workstream, contribute to documenting and sharing evidence and best practices on multipurpose cash, and work with other programme areas to mainstream the essential needs approach and identify synergies with other analytical and programme tools (e.g. with Nutrition, Social Protection, Emergencies, and others).
• Support WFP COs and RBs in the roll-out of ENA and help to coordinate ENA-related events with partners.
• Contribute to the improvement and roll-out of the Transfer Modality Selection and Transfer Value Setting approaches and respective guidance, together with VAM and other functions, and support COs in collaboration with the Field Support Team.
• Document best practices/examples and contribute to complement/advance current thinking on Transfer Modality Selection and Transfer Value Setting with a goal to simplify processes and enable good quality programming.
• Support evidence-building initiatives and specific studies on CBT effectiveness, as needed.
• Work with the team on the development of User-centred CBT design tools and methodologies for COs, including CBT user journeys and beneficiary-centred approaches.
• Support the development and roll-out of regional and country-level trainings, and remote or in-person internal capacity building initiatives on CBT Design.
• Provide inputs on CBT Design for CBT manuals, tools and strategies as needed.
• Participate in field missions as needed, with clear mission TORs and Back to the Office reports.
• Draft internal and external communication material, and propose innovative ways of visualizing and sharing complex information, including animated videos etc.
• Propose/initiate and develop new products that can support COs and advance beneficiary-centred quality programmes (all options open and initiative is welcome!).
• Support any work related to CBT Design and support to Governments, as required.
• Other duties as needed.

DELIVERABLES/PRODUCTS:

The specific deliverables and products will be discussed and agreed with the Consultant at the beginning of the assignment, depending on the UX Design team annual plan, and will be reflected in the WFP’s performance management system/planning phase. The plan will be regularly revised with the Consultant according to priorities, preferences and new project/products being planned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Language:

Working knowledge of English (proficiency/level C). Intermediate/level B or working knowledge of another UN official language among Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is a strong asset.

Education****:

Advanced University degree or University degree in one or more of the following disciplines: International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Social Sciences, or other field relevant to international development assistance.

Experience:

Minimum 3 years of post-graduate, progressively responsible experience in international humanitarian and/or development settings, ideally with specific focus on cash transfers. Field experience and previous work with WFP Country Offices or with Governments implementing cash-based safety nets is an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Proactive attitude, with initiative and sense of accountability.

  • Ability to provide technical advice that is actionable and can be understood by diverse stakeholders.
  • Ability to develop user-friendly tools.
  • Team player.
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication and facilitation skills (written and oral).
  • Ability to work productively and in an organised fashion.
  • Innovative.
  • Proficiency in Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
  • Command of basic statistical packages and basic understanding of WFP’s VAM and M&E activities is an asset.

  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.

Deadline for applications: 07 December 2020

Ref.: VA No. 131441

Qualified 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.