Programme Policy Officer (Resilience coordinator

Background

Senegal is committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and to the measurement and monitoring of progress towards the goals and targets. Sustainable Development Goal two (SDG2) manifests the prominence of food security and nutrition in the Agenda, aiming to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture” by 2030. WFP Senegal has aligned its objectives with the Sustainable Development Goals, prioritizing emergency life-saving and development work that benefits the poorest and most vulnerable people. WFP foresees a hunger free Senegal, in which poor and food insecure household have access to adequate nutritious food all year around; and vulnerable populations are resilient to shocks and can rely on integrated sustainable food systems. Within the context of the Integrated Road Map for achieving Zero Hunger by 2030, WFP Senegal is currently implementing a new Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2019-2023) which defines WFP’s portfolio of assistance and contributions to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2019-2023) as well as the national economic growth programme (Plan Senegal Emergent), and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Within the framework of the CSP, WFP Senegal will focus on a gender-transformative and adaptive social protection and resilience programmes aimed at ensuring that food-insecure populations, including school-aged children, have access to adequate food and improved nutritional status all year all year; and food-insecure populations and communities exposed to climatic shocks and other risks have resilient livelihoods and sustainable food systems all year round. In so doing, WFP will also ensure that national and local institutions have strengthened capacities to manage food and nutrition security, social protection and resilience-building programmes.

Under the Strategic Outcome 3 of the CSP, interventions have the overarching goal to ensure people have improved and sustainable livelihoods. To achieve this, WFP Senegal implements a risk-informed and integrated package of climate change adaptation activities. These include: i) rural development, soil and water conservation activities to create or restore key assets that support vulnerable communities’ livelihoods, food security and nutrition; ii) smallholder agriculture market support activities to increase production and supply of food, creating stronger links with the local economy and contributing to job creation along value chains; iii) access to micro-finance including micro-insurance, savings and credit to build adaptability of households to withstand the impact of climate change and natural hazards; and access to climate information to smallholders to make informed decisions.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Head of Programme, the Programme Policy Officer will be in-charge of the coordination of the activities implemented by the Resilience and Livelihoods Unit together with the Deputy Coordinator and, the technical team of programme officers. She/he will play a key role in coordinating the relevant activities (Disaster risk reduction, rural development, access to micro-finance, smallholder farmer market access support, value chains and lean season interventions) and will ensure building synergies with other WFP programme activities and resilience and partners activities as well.

Specifically, the incumbent will oversee the following responsibilities and tasks:

• Provide overall coordination and management for the activities implemented by the Resilience and Livelihoods unit (rural development, access to micro-finance, smallholder farmer market access support, value chains and lean season interventions). This role requires a dedicated level of oversight and the Coordinator must be able to work autonomously to ensure all programme objectives are achieved.
• Supervise the rural resilience team in the country office, and organize, coordinate and manage the work of the team;
• Work closely with other programmatic units (nutrition, school feeding and CBT) teams build synergies across interventions and regions;
• Liaise with Area and Sub Offices and provide adequate guidance and technical support to sub-offices, including on the design and management of new activities, and budget and programme team for budget management.
• Support overall partnership discussions and formulation at Sub Office and CO level, including with key partners, and donors;
• Ensure close coordination with government partners and cooperating partners concerned by the implementation of activities under this project, including operational planning and coordination of national level advocacy;
• Represent WFP in strategic fora with UN, Government, donors and other partners; Participate in and lead, regular coordination meetings with implementing partners, in Dakar and at field level where necessary;
• Supervise the development of all related communications and reporting material;
• Provide inputs for resources mobilization for resilience & livelihood interventions
• Oversee the learning and evaluation agenda by working closely with Research, Assessment and Monitoring team (RAM)
• Travel regularly to the field to meet with partners and the teams responsible for programme implementation and monitoring, in order to oversee general implementation of activities
• Perform other duties as required

Required Qualifications

• Advanced university degree or university degree with experience and advanced courses/training in one or more of the following disciplines: economics, agriculture, environmental sciences, social sciences, development studies.

• At least eight years of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in coordination of complex resilience projects, emergency assistance, and/or operational aspects of national, bilateral or multilateral food aid or commercial transactions.

• Excellent written and spoken French language skills, with the ability to facilitate workshops, negotiate agreements, and write publishable reports in French; Good command of English.

• The incumbent must also possess good experience in participatory approaches and management of agricultural/rural development projects, including “Food for Assets".

• In-depth understanding of food security vulnerability and ability to link analysis to programme design, in the context of WFP programmes.

• Excellent work planning and project management skills, ideally demonstrated in a WFP context.

• Excellent ability to coordinate across multiple units and organizations.

• Training and/or experience utilising computers, including word processing, spreadsheet and other standard WFP software packages and systems.

• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES:

Purpose

• Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.
• Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area.

• Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities.

• Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People

• Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP.

• Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries.

• Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement.

• Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations (e.g., unprecedented issues and/or scenarios)

Performance

• Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries.

• Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks.

• Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders.

• Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high

pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership

• Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning

• Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships
• Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations
• Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

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