Programme Policy Officer SC8 (6 Month Service Contract) Namibia, Windhoek
Support policy and program activities to effectively meet food assistance needs.
Overview
Support policy and program activities to effectively meet food assistance needs.
You have:
- A degree or post graduate degree in sociology, economics, agriculture, humanitarian assistance, nutrition, development or relevant discipline.
- 6 years of experience at a national or international level in development and/or humanitarian assistance with knowledge of development paradigms.
- Proficiency in writing and verbal communication in English is requisite.
- Working knowledge of one or more local languages spoken in the country is essential.
- Ability to participate in open dialogue and values the diverse opinion of others.
- Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
.
WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.
Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.
ABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. 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. We manage an operating budget of approximately $5.9 billion each year, distributing 12.6 billion rations to those most in need. We reach an average of 80 million people with food assistance in around 80 countries each year. The World Food Programme office in Johannesburg is a Regional Office coordinating and supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to 11 Southern Africa countries including, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Malawi, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazaville.
For more on WFP and what we do, please go to http://www.wfp.org/videos/zero-hunger
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.
JOB PURPOSE
To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A degree or post graduate degree in sociology, economics , agriculture , humanitarian assistance , nutrition , development and or relevant discipline.
Experience: 6 years of experience at a national or international level in development and/or humanitarian assistance with good knowledge of development paradigms and social, economic, and political situation of Namibia.
Additional Experience Required
Skills and Abilities :
- Ability to set own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations and can communicate this link to others.
- Ability to participate in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
- Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
- Portrays an informed and professional demeanour toward internal and external partners and stakeholders
Languages :
- Proficiency in writing and verbal communication in English is requisite;
- Working knowledge of one or more local languages spoken in the country is essential
- Fluency (level C) in English language. Fluency in both oral and written communication
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
These jobs are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) or Country Offices (COs) and job holders report to a more senior Programme Policy Officer. Job holders are likely to be working under the close 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.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
- Contribute towards the development of a limited number 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 initiatives.
- Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries.
- Other as required.
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 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.
DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE
• Has gained experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. nutrition, etc.). • Has implemented programmes and provided input into designing operations. • Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.
Contractual Information
- This is a 6 month Renewable Service Contract
- Net monthly salary range: NAD40.620-00 to NAD55,242-00
- Benefits: 12 DAYS Annual Leave & Medical Insurance
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
This vacancy announcement will close on Monday the 8th of February 2021 at 11:59 Namibia Windhoek time.
.
This position is only open to Namibian Nationals or candidates holding Namibian Permanent Residence.
Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply
WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
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.
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe a time when you had to adapt quickly to a change in a project? | This question assesses your flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic work environment. | Share an example where you demonstrated your ability to adjust plans or approaches to meet new challenges. |
| How do you approach working with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds? | This question evaluates your interpersonal skills and ability to foster collaboration. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Tell me about your experience conducting data analysis for policy development. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |