Programme Policy Officer SC9-Food systems, (12 months renewable contract) Windhoek, Namibia

Programme & Policy

Overview

Coordinate and oversee implementation of market-based programs for resilience and livelihoods.

You have:

• Advanced University degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Agronomy or other field relevant to Sustainable Food Systems
• 5 years or more of post graduate research and work experience in agri-business or agriculture economics and agriculture value chains development
• Fluency (level C) in both oral and written English language

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

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

World Food Programme in Namibia works with the Government and stakeholders to promote sustainable and transformative food systems including value chain actor programming that is leveraged to support the Government in the design and implementation of holistic interventions to address 1) Rural Transformation; 2) Food Systems; and 3) Human Capital Development.

During the design and implementation of programmes, WFP and partners continue to support: i) Data and Analytics, ii) Policy and Programme Advice, and iii) Operational Support, with the integration of core cross-cutting priorities including protection, gender, livelihood support, environmental standards, and digital transformation.

The programme contributes to economy-wide priorities including structural transformation of the agriculture and other ancillary and supporting sectors, increase agriculture and related exports and improve opportunities for increased foreign direct investment and investment into the economy, create an enabling environment for adoption and use of technological and scientific data-driven innovation; ensure the deepening of governance and institutional structures and processes; ensure continued and improved macroeconomic stability; deepen financial and capital system development, promote individual savings and investments, fight inequality, improve education and strengthen infrastructural development.

World Food Programme in Namibia works with the Government and stakeholders to promote sustainable and transformative food systems including value chain actor programming that is leveraged to support the Government in the design and implementation of holistic interventions to address 1) Rural Transformation; 2) Food Systems; and 3) Human Capital Development.

During the design and implementation of programmes, WFP and partners continue to support: i) Data and Analytics, ii) Policy and Programme Advice, and iii) Operational Support, with the integration of core cross-cutting priorities including protection, gender, livelihood support, environmental standards, and digital transformation.

The programme contributes to economy-wide priorities including structural transformation of the agriculture and other ancillary and supporting sectors, increase agriculture and related exports and improve opportunities for increased foreign direct investment and investment into the economy, create an enabling environment for adoption and use of technological and scientific data-driven innovation; ensure the deepening of governance and institutional structures and processes; ensure continued and improved macroeconomic stability; deepen financial and capital system development, promote individual savings and investments, fight inequality, improve education and strengthen infrastructural development.

JOB PURPOSE

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the incumbent will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing the implementation of market- based programmes that contribute to resilience, livelihood and value chain activities and develop and foster internal and external partnerships.

In addition, the incumbent will supervise the team and provide technical advice on agribusiness, agriculture extension and post-harvest management, agriculture marketing and agriculture policy engagement, and support to the field teams in the areas of Climate Resilient Agriculture, Livelihoods and its linkages and integrations to nutrition and supply chain outcomes.

More specifically, the staff member will build and strengthen partnerships between WFP and local and international, public, and private sector organizations and institutions working in market-focused agricultural development, post-harvest handling, good agricultural practices for the overall goal to improve access to resilient livelihood and markets for smallholder farmers/farmers’ organizations.

The staff member will be based in Windhoek, with frequent travel to the field.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Contribute towards the development of a limited number of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
2. 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.
3. Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
4. Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in the development of policies, programmes and activities.
5. 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.
6. Liaise with internal counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects.
7. Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
8. 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.
9. Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries.
10. Other as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Agronomy or other field relevant to Sustainable Food Systems

Experience required: 5 years or more of post graduate research and work experience in agri-business or agriculture economics and agriculture value chains development

Language: Fluency (level C) in both oral and written English language.

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.

KEY DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Develop and finalise WFP Namibia’s Climate Resilient Agriculture and Market Access Strategic Plan and the approach to have impact at scale.
• Mid-term results targets for relevant projects are achieved in line with plans.
• Project implementation is aligned with the approved workplan and budget.
• Project staffing structure is in place to meet the expected results and staff are supported and capacitated to fulfil their responsibilities.
• Projects incorporate elements of nutrition, social protection, gender, youth and women empowerment, Market’s support capacity and innovation in line with the objectives of the Country Strategic Plan.
• Relevant reporting requirements have been met.
• WFP local procurement agreements and partnership opportunities are aligned with smallholder farmer activities and approaches.

CONTRACTUAL INFORMATIONS

• This is a (12 month renewable ) Service Contract
• Net Salary monthly range: NAD 55003 - NAD 74805
• Benefits: Annual Leave, Pension & Medical Insurance

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Friday 28 January 2022, 11:59 Namibian time

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This position is open to Namibian Citizens and Permanent resident permit holders only.

Qualified female applicants 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.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

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