This post is open to Ecuadorian citizens, who are invited to apply until **9 January 2024*****. Selection of candidates is made on a competitive basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further steps in the process.***

The World Food Programme seeks applicants of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. WFP is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to achieving diversity in its workforce in terms of gender, ethnicity and culture. We value inclusion and encourage women, people from minority groups and people with disabilities to be part of our organization.

To enhance the accessibility and inclusiveness of the recruitment process at the World Food Programme (WFP), we encourage individuals requiring disability-related accommodations or other accessibility assistance to reach out to us. Please email your requests to global.inclusion@wfp.org. Upon receiving your email, a dedicated member of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team will contact you to discuss your needs in a confidential and supportive manner. We are committed to providing a recruitment experience that respects and responds to the unique needs of every candidate.

BACKGROUND AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Climate change multiplies existing threats to food security, hunger and malnutrition. Expected impacts of climate change include an increase in the number and intensity of climate related disasters, increased scarcity and lack of access to land and water, decreases in agricultural productivity. Impacts will be felt disproportionally by the most vulnerable people, the majority of whom live in fragile areas prone to natural hazards, ultimately putting hundreds of millions of people at risk. The World Food Programme (WFP) approaches the challenge of climate change from the point of view of its impact on hunger and under nutrition through activities that manage climate risk, build resilience and help people adapt to climate change.

Food insecurity in Ecuador has increased significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with those most vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition having faced difficult challenges to meet essential needs. Ecuador is highly exposed to natural hazards, including floods, landslides, droughts, earthquakes and volcanic activity. Extreme climate-related events have been more frequent in the last decade, with an increasing impact on loss of life or material damage and food and nutritional insecurity. The impacts of climate change threaten to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and lead to displacement and external and internal migration, which may lead to reduced social cohesion in receiving communities, reduced economic growth across the country, and reduced food security. Across the world but particularly in Ecuador, climate change is leading to warming temperatures, increased extreme weather activity, and water scarcity – a trend that is expected to increase by 2050 and onward. Of particular concern is the potential for rural outflows, because of climate change, to reduce rural food production, which may impact livelihoods in rural areas and food security countrywide, especially in growing urban areas.

In this context, the formulation of WFP Ecuador’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP, 2023-2027) focuses on reducing hunger and malnutrition, achieving food security, and moving towards the consolidation of sustainable, equitable and inclusive food systems. Among its Strategic Outcomes (SO), SO3 aims that “vulnerable communities, family farmers and relevant actors in food value chains in Ecuador benefit from more sustainable, inclusive and healthy food systems and strengthened resilience against climate change and other shocks and stressors...:”.

WFP Ecuador is seeking a Programme Policy Officer to lead programmatic activities under the SO3, who will work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Country Director, who leads the Programme Unit, and the general supervision of Country Director.

At this level, job holders are likely to be working under the support and guidance of a more experienced professional staff member receiving guidance and regular feedback on work performed. They are typically involved in programme or policy activities or similar nature and analytical work of limited complexity.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Contribute towards the development of a limited variety of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of small to moderate size that are relatively straight forward in nature, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in 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 counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects.
Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through project management support of learning activities.
Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries.
Other as required.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

This section describes other duties, skills & knowledge required for the specific job.

This role involves spearheading strategies for climate change, sustainable food systems and food security initiatives, overseeing technical aspects and offering advisory support. Responsibilities include analyzing climate data, designing intervention plans, managing finances, fostering partnerships, coordinating proposals for donors, ensuring compliance, and coordinating teams.
It also involves advocating for marginalized groups and climate action, documenting successful practices and providing key information to Communication and Partnerships team to contribute to showcase WFP and partner work.
Ensure conflict sensitivity and protection, gender and disability mainstreaming within assigned programming and project activities.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK: COMMON STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR

Leads by Example with Integrity

Upholds WFP values, principles, and standards: Demonstrates and encourages others to uphold the WFP values, principles and standards

Respects others and values diversity: Values diversity using respectful and inclusive language, and encourages others to do the same

Stays focused and calm under pressure: Stays focused and calm when under pressure and encourages others to do the same.

Demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn: Demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn and share knowledge, frequently seeking and acting on feedback, and taking up opportunities to develop

Drives Results and Delivers on Commitments

Delivers results for maximum impact: Holds self and/ or others accountable for the delivery of results

Delegates appropriately: Delivers results against delegated tasks and seeks guidance and support when needed.

Adapts readily to change: Responds readily to change adjusting work as needed

Fosters Inclusive and Collaborative

Is inclusive and collaborative Promotes inclusive teamwork and psychological safety by sharing ideas and openly raising issues

Gives timely and constructive feedback: Supports development for others by giving timely and constructive feedback

Builds and shares new perspectives: Listens attentively to others to capture, learn, build and share new perspectives

Applies Strategic Thinking

Communicates and fulfils WFP’s vision: Fulfils WFP’s vision and is able to explain how their objectives support the vision

Embraces curiosity and new ways of doing things: Demonstrates curiosity, and proposes new ways of doing things when relevant

Analyses and evaluates data: Gathers data and shares knowledge to inform team decision making

Considers the impact of decisions: Implements decisions and asks questions to understand the impact for wider objectives

Builds and Maintains Sustainable Partnerships

Builds partnerships: Builds partnerships by seeking out opportunities to work with others

Collaborates to deliver common objectives: Collaborates with partners by sharing information and working together to deliver common goals

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Capability Name

Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level

Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance

Demonstrates ability to identify key variables and contextual factors that affect food assistance problems and programmes throughout the lifecycle to inform quality programme design or re-design.

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 capacity to provide inputs into the development, implementation and realignment of high quality emergency programmes.

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.

Other desired skills:

Knowledge of how climate change impacts people’s food security and nutrition, and a good understanding of the possible climate change adaptation interventions to address these challenges.
Knowledge of global and national climate change policy frameworks and climate finance mechanisms.
Curiosity and willingness to learn, including proactively researching different climate innovation areas to deepen one’s knowledge in their design and implementation.
Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities, with ability to synthesize and produce a range of well-communicated information products from reports to proposals, best practices, advocacy documents etc.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

At least 1 year of postgraduate professional and relevant work experience in which the candidate:
Has gained experience in implementing technical programs.
Has implemented programmes and provided input into designing operations.
Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

The following experiences are desired and will be considered assets for the role:

International experience;
Experience in project management and project cycle (including assessments, design, implementation, M&E, budget, staffing and partnerships); preferably in leadership roles;
Experience with programmes in the food security, agricultural and/or rural sector; and/or climate risk management or climate change adaptation interventions at national or community levels;
Experience in climate risk and vulnerability assessments, participatory appraisals, stakeholder consultations and/or institutional capacity assessments;
Experience with different climate adaptation approaches such as climate services, community/ecosystem-based adaptation, climate smart agriculture, adaptive social protection, energy services, risk finance (including sovereign/micro-insurance, forecast-based financing) and rural financial services (such as financial inclusion through savings and credit);
Experience with design and/or implementation of climate finance proposals/projects, such as with the Green Climate Fund or Adaptation Fund;
Experience in providing support to national government policy/planning processes that address climate change impacts on food security and nutrition.

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Advanced University degree (Master’s Degree or higher) 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.