Programme Policy Officer - Operational Partnerships CST L1/P2 Ouagadougou

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WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, color****, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.

ABOUT WFP

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.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Advanced University degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Management, International Development, International Relations, or a First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience:

Minimum 3 years of professional experience in: Preparing agreements with partners and reviewing budgets and reports for management. Translating operational requirements into financial information. Producing and interpreting consolidated pipeline information, budgets, supply chain and operational plans.

Language:

Fluency (level C) in English and French languages

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The West and Central Africa region is facing multiple crisis with a number of hotspots where the deterioration is already causing significant humanitarian impact, and other where violence and fragility threatens to cause further displacements, human and livelihood losses, and instability. This is against a well-known backdrop of chronic vulnerabilities, recurring shocks, state fragility and poverty, in particular in the central band of the region. Notably, insecurity and armed attacks in the Central Sahel have reached unprecedented levels. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are facing a massive displacement of people due to conflicts. The number of violent incidents is spiraling and spreading quickly into new areas. WFP continues to increase operations in the region and has launched emergency operations (L2) in Mali and CAR, Northeast Nigeria remains a Corporate L3 and more recently Central Sahel (September 2019) was also elevated to an L3 given the magnitude of the crisis for a more coordinated approach between the three involved countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger western borders). In 2021, according to the March 2021 updated analyses, the food security situation continues to deteriorate in most of the Sahelian countries and sets the number of people faced with food insecurity in its severe form at an unprecedented 31 million. This is still largely driven by the expansion of violence and conflict in many hotspots in the region and compounded by the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 and high food prices.

JOB PURPOSE

The Programme Policy Officer (Operational Partnership, Planning and Activity Budget management), under the guidance of the Deputy Head of Programme, will be in charge of the Operational Partnerships unit which will manage the NGOs’ and government’s partnerships supporting the implementation of WFP’s Country Strategic Plan activities. The incumbent will collaborate closely firstly with the operational partnership Unit/Colleagues under recruitment and with Activity owners: Programme Managers, EPR, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Risk Management and Area/Sub-offices in delivering tasks.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Operational Partnership and Coordination

• In line with the NGO Corporate Guidance support the development for Burkina Faso Country office on the administration and use of the UN Partner Portal and Partner Connect platforms and provide the necessary guidance to the Cooperating Partners.
• Lead the operational partnership unit and provide strategic guidance to Management and Activity Managers related to the engagement with actors supporting WFP Burkina Faso assistance delivery, including liaison with RBD/HQ Operational Partnership and Legal units, as necessary, on appropriate contractual relationships with such actors.
• In coordination with NGO partners, implement operational partnerships reviews at Country Office level and facilitate piloting of CP management activities that align with the needs for WP Burkina Faso based on lessons learnt.
• In liaison with HQ/Regional Bureau counterparts, ensure that latest corporate standard and templates on CP engagements are used and that WFP Burkina Faso’s needs inform any new/revised procedures and practices on operational partnership engagements at Regional and HQ level.
• Assist the CO in managing and building the capacity of a robust operational partnership team with expertise and strong analytical skills for the positions.

FLA/MOU Planning and Implementation:

• Lead the development of different tools, guidelines, and SOPs that can resolve audit issues and implementation of IRM and NGO guidance recommendations.
• Review with the operational partnership team the potential risks in CP engagements and recommend risk mitigation measures for Management’s consideration.
• Manage the processes related to Expression of Interest, Request for Proposals and FLA awards requests, drafting of agreements and subsequent amendments, ensuring that all agreements and amendments are constructed and issued in line with WFP legal and financial rules and regulations.
• Lead the operational partnership team to ensure that the reporting requirements are adhered to and liaise closely with the Program, Resource Management, Finance and M&E teams and the supervisor on any delays or other difficulties. Develop tools to support the same accordingly with the operational partnership team unit.
• In collaboration with the Head/Deputy of Programme, EPR Unit and Activity managers, prepare semi-annual and annual performance and implementation plans (aligned to the WFP Country Strategic Plan and Country Portfolio Budget).
• Coordinate the capacity assessment exercise to ensure that the CP’s are compliant to WFP operational partnership requirements.

Budget Management

• Deliver trainings, learning sessions and training materials for CPs and WFP Technical units’ staff on FLA process including, operational partnership process, budgeting, proposals, capacity assessments, performance assessment and reporting.
• In collaboration with Budget and Programme and government partnerships, review on how to improve the reporting Programme expenditure in view of reinforcing the reporting to donors on grants and expenditures.
• Coordinate the review of payment requests process and ensure payments are processed based on the agreement, agreed payment schedules, and are IPSAS compliant.
• Coordinate the review of FLA budgets, and financial reports against standardized cost structures to provide critical feedback to the Programme unit.
• In collaboration with Activity managers and Finance/BPU Unit, review the monthly activity expenditure reports, trend analysis and expenditure forecasts for FLA budget monitoring and accountability purposes

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 Relationship Management Demonstrates ability to build and sustain effective collaborative relationships with appropriate stakeholders and contacts in area of expertise to raise the profile of WFP, build relationships and further organisational aims. Communication Expertise Collates accurate and timely information in required format (i.e. written or visual communications materials as well as verbally), to facilitate information flows and informed decision making on communications issues. Information Analytics, Reporting and Management Gathers and summarises information relevant to partners (trends, regulations, practices) to enable supervisor(s) to efficiently make informed decisions and enhance partner relationships. Captures important information, synthesises and facilitates internal reporting. Sociopolitical Contextual Understanding Shows awareness of the multilateral/interagency environment and the dynamics in which WFP operates which informs approach to daily tasks. NGO, UN and Other Partner Collaboration Actively promotes WFP’s partnering approach. Individually contributes to development and maintenance of partnerships with NGOs, UN agencies, governments and other partners. Is able to provide suggestions that help inform WFP’s evolving engagement with relevant partners. Provides and coordinates input to be shared with partners.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Strong analytical skills; resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment, tact, negotiating skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Type of Contract: International Consultancy Contract L1(P2 equivalent)

Duration of Assignment: 11 Months renewable starting asap

Duty Station: Ouagadougou; Burkina Faso

NB: Please note that Ouagadougou is a non-family duty station, and family members of international staff will not be able to join them at the duty station. However, the Rest & Recuperation (R&R) modality has been put in place, allowing staff to benefit from 7 days off (5 days of R&R +2 days for travel) every 8 weeks of presence in the duty station.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

If interested, please submit your application before Sunday July 30th****, 2023****, Midnight Ouagadougou time.

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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.