Programme Policy Officer (Head of Programme)-NOB Kyenjojo

Programme & Policy

Overview

Lead programmes ensuring effective food assistance and policy implementation.

You have:

• At least 7 years of experience in program management including VAM/Nutrition.
• Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, or other field relevant to international development assistance.
• General knowledge of humanitarian principles, UN rules, regulations, and procedures.
• Strong initiative and independence, maturity of judgment, tact, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent professional track record in the UN, NGO, private or public sector, working in programme/project implementation and coordination.

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NOTE: WFP DOES NOT SOLICIT FOR FEES OR ANY FORM OF PAYMENT FROM JOB APPLICANTS

WFP is looking for talented people who are committed to joining our efforts to eradicate hunger. It offers unlimited opportunities to grow your professionalism, talent and expertise. Start your journey to be a member of the world-wide effort to eradicate hunger. WFP has a policy of affirmative action for women.

ABOUT WFP

United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) 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 lives. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. The organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to food and contribute to lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas.

Brief description of WFP in Uganda

WFP delivers food assistance in emergencies and work with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP provides life-saving food assistance and livelihood opportunities to refugees in Uganda. In addition, WFP assists the most vulnerable people in Karamoja with food and nutrition assistance. Finally, WFP works with smallholder farmers and links them to markets.

As Uganda strives to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and become a middle-income country by 2040, WFP is also assessing its relevance and repositioning its role in Uganda.

ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?

We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of Programme Policy Officer (Head of Programme) to be based in South West Area Office based at Kyenjojo. Selected candidates will be employed on Fixed Term Contract.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This job is found in the Uganda Country Office (CO) based in Kyenjojo and the job holder reports to the Head of Area Office (South West Area Office). The Job holder operates with a high degree of independence, manages more junior staff to ensure that program and policy objectives are achieved in full. The role in involved in a wide variety of programme and policy activities and analytical work and contributes to performance improvement.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide leadership and management of policy and programme activities for the Area Office that effectively meet food assistance needs, food systems, Nutrition, Asset creation, and Capacity Strengthening and as well offer Leadership to the Kyenjojo Field office activities. To plan and manage field operations to ensure the effective and efficient deployment of food assistance programmes and the use of allocated resources. The incumbent is expected to operate with a high degree of independence, manage more junior staff to ensure that programme and policy objectives are achieved in full. Be involved in a wide variety of programme and policy activities and analytical work, some of which may be of considerable complexity in addition to contributing to performance improvement.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (1/3)

• Contribute towards the development of a wide variety of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
• Lead the AO programme team and activities, solving operational issues and challenges as appropriate.
• Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
• Provide leadership for Kyenjojo Field Office team and operations.
• Research and analyse a range of policy and operational issues to inform the development of policies, programmes, and activities.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects, and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Liaise with Field Office teams to plan and manage WFP field operations in the concerned districts of the Southwest region to ensure effective and efficient delivery of food assistance and that daily operational issues are resolved in a timely manner to prevent losses or delays.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (2/3)

• Ensure that allocated resources are used efficiently and are in line with agreed plans, and any deviations are reported to the Area/Country Office.
• Ensure development and coordination of data gathering, analysis and monitoring systems for the purpose of evidence generation on impact of WFP programmes, and that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Provide leadership and technical expertise for the planning, formulation, and implementation of flexible food assistance programmes for complex operational environments, including through participation in operational planning forums between CO and FOs.
• Support identification, development, and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
• Build strategic, effective, and collaborative relations with the local authorities and contribute to the sharing of expertise and capacity strengthening for effective preparedness and response to food assistance needs.
• Strengthen WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to WFP programme activities and facilitate coordination with other agencies and NGOs to ensure that WFP activities complement one another and do not overlap, and that synergies for the food assistance responses are created and maintained.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (3/3)

• Strengthen WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to WFP programme activities and facilitate coordination with other agencies and NGOs to ensure that WFP activities complement one another and do not overlap, and that synergies for the food assistance responses are created and maintained.
• Ensure extensive and frequent presence at project areas, distribution sites and centres.
• Support capacity building of WFP staff, partners, and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs.
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral while ensuring development of a cohesive, innovative, and high performing team.
• Perform any other duties as may be required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and experience:

Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

At least 7 years’ experience working across the Programme portfolio including VAM/Nutrition; leading a field office or a small country/are office programme team or a component of a country office programme portfolio; engaging in policy discussion and providing input into policy decisions are desirable.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Desired Experience for entry into the role.

• Deepened technical knowledge through exposure and management of technical teams
• Leadership in implementation of programmes.
• Background in policy discussions and decisions
• Strong intercultural and social competences regarding communication and interface
• Strong initiative and independence, maturity of judgement, tact, and interpersonal skills
• Excellent professional track record in the UN, NGO, private or public sector, working in programme/project implementation and coordination
• General knowledge of humanitarian principles, UN rules, regulations, and procedures

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.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance Displays ability to identify the main hunger problem at the national or subnational level to design and implement context-specific programmes that integrate complex analysis and the full range of food assistance tools. Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher) Demonstrates ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information from different sources (e.g., market studies) to inform transfer modality selection and programme development. Broad Knowledge of Specialized areas (i.e. Nutrition, VAM, etc.) Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring. Emergency Programming Displays ability to translate understanding of programme principles in emergencies and protracted conflict situations into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches. Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

18th March 2022

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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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: wfp.org