Programme Policy Officer (NOB) - Nutritionist

Programme & Policy

Overview

Lead and manage nutrition and school meals initiatives to improve community nutrition.

You have:

• Advanced University degree in Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition, Food Technology, Medicine or relevant field, or First Degree with additional years of experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; working knowledge of local languages desirable.
• Strong knowledge on management of moderate acute malnutrition and food security issues.
• Experience in project management and financial oversight responsibilities.
• Knowledge of government policies related to food and nutrition.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with agencies and organizations.

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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 Policy Officer - Nutritionist (NOB) to support in pursuing our mission.

JOB PURPOSE

The Nutritionist will lead the overall implementation of the Nutrition and School Meals portfolio, including for the current emergency response, for the WFP Office. For this, Sri Lanka Country Office is looking for a dynamic individual with strong leadership and technical skills on nutrition and school meals programme. The Nutritionist will lead the overall implementation of the Nutrition and School Meals portfolio, including for the current emergency response, for the WFP Office. For this, Sri Lanka Country Office is looking for a dynamic individual with strong leadership and technical skills on nutrition and school meals programme.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Working under the direct supervision of the Deputy Country Director, the Programme Policy Officer (NOB) will be responsible for the following duties within delegated authority (but not limited to):

1. Manage and lead the nutrition and school meals portfolio of the Sri Lanka to ensure the effective implementation of activities.
2. Contribute to the development of nutrition projects and activities, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider nutrition policies and guidance.
3. Provide project management support to specific and defined nutrition projects and activities, ensuring a co-ordinated approach with wider programmes/projects that complies with WFP standards and procedures
4. Develop and co-ordinate data gathering and monitoring/assessment systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained
5. Track and analyse data to provide input into reporting activities and contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on nutrition activities that enables informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
6. Represent WFP in different committees, technical working groups and forums (internal and external).
7. Liaise with implementing partners (internal and external) to monitor ongoing projects, ensuring effective collaboration, timeliness and efficiency, and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
8. Manage the activity’s budget, monitoring expenditures against outputs as the progresses.
9. Support the identification of potential partners and partnership negotiations to ensure a collaborative and holistic approach to meeting nutrition needs.
10. Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to nutrition needs for example the production and review of training materials.
11. Guide more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with more complex analysis and queries.
12. Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
13. Be accountable for budget management for related strategic objectives and activities
14. Other as required

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced University degree in Advanced University degree (Preferable) in Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition, Food Technology, Medicine or other relevant field, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience.

Language: Excellent oral and written communication skills in the English language. Working knowledge of local language/s.

KNOWLEDGE

• Strong knowledge on management of moderate acute malnutrition, nutrition sensitive programmes and agriculture, social and behaviour change communication approaches and methodology and food security issues in a developmental context
• Project Management, including financial responsibilities for budget preparation and oversight
• Knowledge about national Nutrition programmes, including ability to articulate theoretical approaches and options, and implementation experience
• Knowledge of relevant government policies related to food, Nutrition, including relevant national safety net programmes to support the most vulnerable
• Knowledge about climate change, disaster management and disaster risk reduction would be an advantage

COMPETENCIES

• Understands, supports and promotes the organisation's vision, mission, and business objectives
• Ability to conceptualize, develop, plan and manage programmes
• Good analytical, negotiation, communication and advocacy skills
• Thinks strategically and responds positively to change
• Establishes clear plans and timeframes for project implementation
• Leadership and teamworking
• Ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with other agencies/ organizations, donors, government counterparts, and other NGOs/INGOs

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Strong knowledge on management of moderate acute malnutrition, nutrition sensitive programmes and agriculture, social and behaviour change communication approaches and methodology and food security issues in a developmental context
• Project Management, including financial responsibilities for budget preparation and oversight
• Knowledge about national Nutrition programmes, including ability to articulate theoretical approaches and options, and implementation experience
• Knowledge of relevant government policies related to food, Nutrition, including relevant national safety net programmes to support the most vulnerable
• Knowledge about climate change, disaster management and disaster risk reduction would be an advantage

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.

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Potential interview questions

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