Programme Assistant (Financial Services), Service Contract, L5, Bahir Dar and Dessie

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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, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or 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.

Amhara region is in the northwest part of the country with a population of over 30 million. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for most of the population. Compounding factors of climate shocks, COVID-19 and the conflict, increased the people in need of emergency assistance drastically from 2.7 million in 2019 to 8.7 million in 2022 .

Malnutrition rate of mothers and children in war affected areas of Waghamra, North Wollo, South Wollo, North Gondar, South Gondar, Oromo-Special and North Shewa zones have been deteriorating.

Currently WFP Bahir Dar Area office is assisting more than 1.6 million people among internally displaced people, host community and refugees under relief intervention as well nutrition prevention and treatment for moderate acute malnutrition cases. WFP is also implementing the R4 Rural Resilience Initiative (R4 project) targeting about 25,000 beneficiaries. In June 2022, WFP also introduced the Ealy Livelihood Recovery Support to the R4 households, to reduce the impact of the shocks that was caused due to internal conflict/tension inflation, protracted drought, and lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of this assignment is to have a two (2) Programme Assistants (Financial Services) based in Bahir Dar Sub-Office and Dessie sub office who will support the implementation of the programme or policy activities implemented in geographical area under Bahir Dar Sub-Office and Dessie sub office, responsibility to guarantee proper on-ground coordination as well as cooperation with Cooperating Partners, government counterparts and other stakeholders

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

These jobs are found in Bahir Dar and Dessie Sub-Offices. The job holders typically report to a Programme Policy Officer or the designate.Job holder will report directly to Programme Policy Officer who will provide overall technical guidance, close support and regular feedback on work performed. The job holder will support in coordinating the programme or policy activities implemented in Bahir Dar Sub-Office and Dessie sub office or similar nature and analytical work of limited complexity.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance and financial service needs.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision of Programme Policy Officer (Food Assistance and Livelihoods), the incumbent will perform the following responsibilities:

• Act as technical focal person for the implementation of the WFP supported financial services that includes the Cash Based Transfers, Financial Inclusion, Index Based Insurance, Village Saving and Lending Associations and Smallholder Market Access support.
• Coordinate the promotion of financial inclusion of the vulnerable community members by supporting the planning and successful implementation of these projects through sustainable partnerships with relevant financial service providers, lenders and development financial institutions.
• Support the capacity strengthening of WFP Field Monitors and Partners’ staff involved in financial services operations, particularly in relation to the management of the CBT, VESA groups, insurance index design, premium and pay-outs and smallholder farmers market access and linkages.
• Support and track the promotion of VESAs among the IDPs/refugees and host communities, the R4 Rural Resilience /Early Livelihood Recovery Support Initiatives beneficiaries and other development livelihood interventions under the sub office.
• Identify and enhance partnerships with financial service providers, government departments and other stakeholders that support and promote the wellbeing of the refugees/IDPs, the R4 Rural Resilience /Early Livelihood Recovery Support Initiatives beneficiaries and other vulnerable people in the community.
• Support the management of cooperating partner’s performance monitoring and documentation based on the provisions of the field level agreement and/or memorandum of understanding.
• Facilitate the woredas’ and community consultations to assess communities’ vulnerabilities, capacities and needs in terms of climate change adaptation, discussed potential activities/assets ideas to be promoted under the Insurance for assets.
• Support the development of a specific capacity development (through training), institutional strengthening, partnership building plans for sub office staff, government and NGO partners, based on seasonal livelihood programming workshops and integrated community-based planning sessions.
• Participate in relevant sector meetings and gather information that will ensure that WFP`s financial services provision support strategy is aligned to the Government and development partners’ sectorial policies and plans for Ethiopia.
• Support the Sub office to identify potential digital financial service providers by managing the selection and due diligence process; collect, analyse and assess profiles of financial service providers and their support to the vulnerable food insecure communities.
• Coordinate the food/cash and NFI transfers: Cash Based Transfer (Value and Commodity Vouchers, and mobile money). Support the beneficiary registration, selection of the delivery mechanisms and contracting of NGOs and financial service providers so that budgeting, reporting, security, and other logistics are compliant with internal policies.
• Prepare weekly updates and review and consolidate the Partners monthly progress reports and other information/materials for use at Country Office/Sub Office.
• Represent WFP in all relevant woreda external level meetings/coordination forums.
• Perform other related duties as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Completion of secondary school education. B.A degree in Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Economics, Financial accounting, or other field relevant to Financial services assistance.

Experience: At least 5 years of relevant (NGOs/UN Agencies) experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. nutrition, refugees/IDPs, smallholder market access, recovery and integrated resilience activities etc.) in the financial services inclusion and access perspectives.
Language: National Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and Amharic.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Has proven experience of implemented programmes and provided input into designing user-friendly financial services operations.
• Good analytical and reporting skills

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Helps teammates articulate WFP’s Strategic Objectives.
• Be a force for positive change: Suggests potential improvements to team’s work processes to supervisor.
• Make the mission inspiring to our team: Explains the impact of WFP activities in beneficiary communities to teammates.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Articulates how own unit’s responsibilities will serve WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Trains junior teammates on new skills and capabilities.
• Create an inclusive culture: Seeks opportunities to work with people from different backgrounds.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Serves as a peer coach for colleagues in same area of work.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Tracks progress toward goals and shares this information on a regular basis with supervisor.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Explores ways to consistently be more efficient and accurate in own areas of work and shares new methods of work with colleagues.
• Focus on getting results: Focuses on getting results and tracks trends in completion rates for own tasks to identify opportunities for efficiency.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes responsibility for own tasks and notifies supervisor as soon as possible of potential delays in meeting deadlines or commitments.
• Be Decisive: Independently decides what action to take when faced with critical choices in the workplace or in dangerous situations in the field.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Suggests opportunities for partnering with other units to supervisor.
• Build strong external partnerships: Identifies opportunities to work with colleagues and partners in the field towards common goals.
• Be politically agile & adaptable: Develops an understanding of the value of WFP’s teams and external partners in fulfilling team’s goals and objectives.
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Aligns own activities with supervisor’s priorities to fulfill internal and external partner needs.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

28 February 2023

• This position is open to all qualified candidates. Female applicants and people with disability are especially encouraged to apply.
• WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.
• WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.
• All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

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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.

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