Programme Policy Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Cameroon is a lower-middle-income country with a population of 23.3 million people of diverse ethnic and two linguistic groups. Ranked 153rd of 188 countries in the 2016 Human Development Index, the average life expectancy is 58 years; 24% live on less than USD 2 per day and poverty is concentrated in the Northern and Eastern regions, where 90 percent of people requiring humanitarian support reside. At least 75 percent of the people over 15 years of age are illiterate, with wide disparity between men and boys (78 percent) and women and girls (65 percent).

Cameroon is confronted with three major complex crises: the crisis in the Lake Chad basin impacting the Far North region; the consequences of the influx Central African refugees in the east and the crisis in the Northwest and Southwest (SW/NW). More than one million people are displaced, and 4.5 million people have humanitarian needs. These challenges are reinforced by structural factors and chronic vulnerabilities that aggravate the impact of crises and affect people's resilience capacity.

Cameroon is a unique country with a mix of Development-Humanitarian unique operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live, work and travel in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. WFP’s current Country Strategy Programme (2018-2021) contributes to all four United Nations Development Assistance Framework pillars: (i) increase employment opportunities and measures to protect women, young people, children and socially vulnerable people in target areas; (ii) improve the health of target populations and prevent child malnutrition in all its forms; (iii) improve access to education and quality vocational training; and (iv) strengthen the resilience of target populations addressing food insecurity and environmental, social and economic shocks.

WFP Cameroon is currently seeking for International UN Volunteers to provide support and technical expertise to the Field Offices with the design and management of programmes of moderate size or complexity that effectively meet food assistance needs or contribute to policy formulation and / or provide technical advice or oversight on programme strategy and implementation.

Under the general supervision of the Head of Field Office, and the technical supervision of the CO Head of Policy, the incumbent UN Volunteer will perform the following tasks:

1. Contribute to formulation of WFP-wide programme policies in line with both organisational strategy and the practical realities of operating in the field; or translate programme policy into Regional/Country level practices. Developing programme guidance and implementation modalities and operations, to ensure a clear and strong connection between HQ and field operations.
2. Provide advice and support to COs on moderately complex issues to clarify ambiguities and ensure that policy and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies, Executive Board decisions, and other relevant guidance.
3. Provide technical advice or mobilise technical expertise on programme and policy issues including assessment and analysis, the choice of objectives, activities, transfer modalities and appropriate food products, the deployment and testing of innovative approaches and the development of strategies to support government efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition.
4. Assist counterparts in governments and other partners in identifying where food assistance can be usefully employed and provide support and technical expertise for the planning, formulation, and implementation of moderately complex food assistance programmes to strengthen government and community ownership and effectiveness of food security and nutrition programmes at national and sub-national levels.
5. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work.
6. Enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to area of specialism, for example food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience or engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
7. Manage operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to food assistance.
8. Manage the preparation and dissemination of timely analytical and critical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use.
9. Contribute to resources mobilisations efforts for WFP projects, including clearly articulating the need for food assistance and related programme opportunities, and follow up on the resource situation of projects including commodity and cash availability, seeking advice from senior colleagues where necessary.
10. Advice and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partner to design and deliver effective food assistance programmes.
11. Lead, motivate and develop a team of staff to enable high performance.
12. Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set objectives within a moderate budget.
13. Contribute to Country Office Emergency Preparedness i.e. early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning in order to respond to humanitarian crises and needs.
14. Other as required.

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to WFP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to WFP procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and WFP in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary. • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance, and commitment towards WFP’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

working across the program portfolio including VAM/Nutrition. • Has led a sub-office or small country/ area of office programme team or a component of a country office programme portfolio. • Has engaged in policy discussions and provided input into policy decisions. • Proficiency in Windows MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). • Strong analytical skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources and statistics. • Advanced skills using database, statistical analysis, and data visualization software, such as SPSS, Stata, R, Tableau, etc. Experience with data collection using ODK/ONA a plus. • Behavioral competencies such as Action Management, Client Orientation, Cognitive Capacity, Innovation, Partnering and Teamwork. • Experience in humanitarian context as well as relevant experience within the UN system is desirable. • Ability to quickly establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different cultural backgrounds and languages, willingness to strengthen capacities of partners and colleagues, share best practices and lessons learned.

These positions are located within the WFP field Offices of Bertoua, Batouri, Ngaoundere, Meiganga and Kousseri.

• Bertoua: capital city of the East region of Cameroon, located in the Lom-et-Djérem division and erected as an urban council in 2008.Located 350 km from Cameroon capital, Yaoundé, Bertoua has a population of around 300,000 people. Together with neighboring communities, Bertoua hosts a considerable number of refugees fleeing conflicts in Central African Republic. Mainly accessible by a road drive of around four hours and offers all acceptable commodities for a city, including a young state university created in 2022 (University of Bertoua).WFP has a Field Office in Bertoua overseeing two antenna offices in Batouri and Garoua Boulai and implementing emergency and development programmes using General Food for Assistance, Cash Based Transfers and resilience-focused activities Food for Assets in favor of refugees from Central African Republic and host communities.

• Batouri: main town of to the Kadey department in the East region of Cameroon.2-hours drive from Bertoua, and 7-hour drive from Yaounde, Batouri is host to around 50,000 people, living mainly from agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, petty trade and widespread artisanal mining of precious minerals. WFP has an antenna office in Batouri supporting with the implementation of emergency and development programmes using General Food Assistance, Cash Based Transfers and resilience-focused activities Food For Asset in favor of refugees from Central African Republic and host communities.

• Ngaoundere or Meiganga: Ngaoundere is the capital city to the Adamawa region of Cameroon and Meiganga is a subdivision. It enjoys mild temperatures most of the year and is host to one of the largest universities in Cameroon, University of Ngaoundere, with over 25,000 students. With an estimated population of 230,000 people in 2020,Ngaoundere is located in the north of the Adamawa plateau and offers interesting attractions such as the Benue Natural Park. It offers a variety of hotels of good standard as well as medical facilities. Ngaoundere is accessible by road (12 hours’ drive from Yaounde), by train (14 hours’ trip from Yaounde) or via weekly local flights of around 50 min. WFP has a Field Office in Ngaoundéré which oversees 2 antenna offices in Touboro and Meiganga, implementing emergency and development programmes using General Food for Assistance (GFA),Cash Based Transfers(CBT) and resilience-focused activities Food For Assets (FFA) in favor of refugees from Central African Republic and host communities.

• Kousseri: located 150 km from the Waza Natural Park on the left bank of the Logone River, Kousseri is a bustling city in the Logone-et-chari division of the For-North region of Cameroon. As an ancient city dating back to the Sao civilisation (XI – XVI centuries), Kousseri is steeped in rich history and cultural significance. It is known for its blend of traditional and modern elements and offers a unique experience for residents and visitors alike. With a population of over 200,000 people, Kousseri is a melting pot of ethnic diversity and a major economic and commercial center for Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria (10km from Ndjamena, Chad’s capital and 60 km from Nigeria). Kousseri has a Sahelian climate with high temperatures most of the year and heavy rains (63-75% of yearly rains) falling between July and August, causing recurrent floods. WFP has an antenna office in Kousseri which support with the implementation of emergency and development programmes using GFA,CBT and resilience-focused activities (FFA) in favor of refugees from Nigeria, host communities and communities at large that are affected by natural disasters.