Policy Officer, Director’s Office and Strategy Team (DOST)

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.

Job title: Policy Officer, Director’s Office and Strategy Team (DOST)

Unit/Division: Private Partnerships and Fundraising (PPF)

Duty Station: Rome HQ

Contract type: Short-Term, Regular Consultant CST II

Duration: 11 months

Line Manager/Supervisor: Head of Director’s Office and Strategy Team

Deadline for applications: 16.05.2023

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency working to create a world with zero hunger. WFP and its partners believe that no child should go to bed hungry and that individual and collective wellbeing can only be achieved if all children, women and men get the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, dignified lives. Each year, WFP assists 90 million people in 83 countries. Every day, some 5,600 WFP-chartered trucks are on the road, 92 planes are in the air and 20 ships are at sea. These numbers speak to WFP’s unparalleled reputation as an emergency responder, one that is often the first on the scene in the most difficult environments. WFP also works with partners to strengthen the resilience of communities most vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition through long-term development programmes aimed at boosting food security, local economies, education, employment and gender equality. While hunger and malnutrition are the world’s largest solvable issues, the needs are still immense and growing. 821 million people in the world suffer from chronic hunger.

The Private Partnerships & Fundraising Division (PPF) is responsible for working with the private sector to achieve greater impact in WFP’s work. PPF has embarked on an exceptionally ambitious new strategy to raise an additional one billion dollars for hungry or malnourished people in the next five years and to expand the contribution to WFP from the business sector through effective and sustainable long-term partnerships as well as from private individual supporters around the world. This includes securing new high impact technical partnerships, signing significant new corporate deals and growing existing relationships as well as building a base of one million individual supporters.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

PPF has a need for a Policy Officer to work under the leadership of the Head of the Director’s Office and Strategy Team (DOST) to focus on WFP and UN-wide policy and regulatory issues to help facilitate the increased work of technical teams, while support servicing increased requests that DOST receives from WFP senior leadership, Office of the Executive Director, and Partnerships & Advocacy department as implementation of the PSPF strategy accelerates. Working as part of the DOST, the Policy Officer will be a dynamic, detail-oriented and highly motivated professional, working independently and providing strategic and operational advice to the DOST tasked with the provision of guidance on the development and implementation of WFP and UN-wide policy and regulatory initiatives related to private sector engagement.

More specifically, the Policy Officer will help DOST identify roadblocks and explore potential solutions, empower PPF’s technical teams to lead on operational effectiveness, ensure that relevant WFP policies and operating procedures are fit for purpose, all to maximize WFP’s private sector engagement in the service of achieving a world with zero hunger.

The Policy Officer will facilitate implementation of change management processes resulting from any new or updated policies as appropriate, to advance overall goals of the PSPFS strategy. S/he will work with key WFP business units to ensure smooth collaboration and communication across divisions for relevant organizational and operational processes. The Policy Officer will play a strong role in coordinating PPF’s Executive Board engagement, through which the EB monitors progress of implementation of the PSPFS 2020-2025 as agreed upon approval of the strategy.

The Policy Officer will provide additional capacity to DOST to address ad-hoc queries related to WFP and UN system-wide initiatives and regulations, while ensuring PPF’s active participation in the development of any relevant policies or initiatives from UN system or peer organizations that might impact WFP’s private sector work.

ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities:

WFP and PPF internal policy development:

• Author, contribute to, and coordinate PPF’s inputs for WFP’s new or updated policies, regulations, ED Circulars, and others related to private sector engagement;
• Facilitate PPF leadership’s involvement in key decision points related to WFP’s new or revised policies, frameworks and strategies, in line with PPF strategic priorities (i.e. WFP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, PSPF Mid-Term-Evaluation, etc.);
• Author or provide PPF’s timely inputs to PA-department in response to evaluations, audits, and similar exercises as conducted on an ongoing basis;

• Advise and support DOST on change-management planning and implementation for PPF teams as needed, to ensure alignment with WFP and UN-wide frameworks and policies (i.e. unrestricted income allocation procedure);

• Support DOST’s efforts in facilitating communication within and across teams within PPF to ensure understanding and coherence between overall divisional goals and wider WFP/UN systems initiatives;
• Advise DOST on how to best facilitate implementation of changes required to achieve divisional goals and targets as set out in 2020-2025 PSPF strategy;
• Help DOST ensure strong working relationships and smooth collaboration between PPF and key WFP divisions (i.e. Legal, Procurement, others) to advance policy development and implementation.

Executive Board (EB) engagement:

• Provide high-quality and timely updates to WFP senior leadership and Executive Board on PPF’s policies/frameworks, including development of PPF’s quarterly and bi-annual reports to EB on implementation of PSPFS 2020-2025;
• Working with PPF’s DOST, facilitate PPF’s regular updates to the Executive Board on implementation of PSPFS 2020-2025;
• Provide updated briefings and materials for PPF Director’s Executive Board meetings as required.

UN systems-wide policy engagement and coordination:

• ctively participate in inter-UN agency discussions on UN-wide rules and regulations related to engagement with the private sector (ranging from partnering with companies, to procurement, to fundraising from individuals), and facilitating the involvement of specialized PPF, technical unit or field-level teams as needed;
• Support DOST in regularly review new and updated policies, papers and events from peer organizations to understand changing landscape of UN system and peer organization private sector successes, challenges, and new initiatives that might be relevant for WFP.

Rome-Based Agencies (RBA) engagement:

• Support DOST in serving as PPF liaison Team with comparable divisions at RBAs;

• Review and provide PPF’s responses to IFAD and FAO’s policies and strategic initiatives related to private sector as needed;
• Work with WFP’s RBA unit as required to maintain smooth and proactive coordination and collaboration for key private sector initiatives across the RBAs.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT

• Inputs to WFP’s new or updated policies, regulations, ED Circulars, and others related to private sector engagement has been prepared through effective Divisional coordination and ready;
• PPF leadership’s involvement in key decision points related to WFP’s new or revised policies, frameworks and strategies, to reflect PPF strategic priorities has been efficiently and strategically facilitated;
• DOST is supported in advising on change-management planning and implementation for PPF teams as needed, to ensure alignment with WFP and UN-wide frameworks and policies;
• Contribution to DOST’s leadership role in defining PPF’s cohesive approach to new issues that emerge in the global/UN landscape of private sector partnerships and fundraising, such as data privacy and hybrid partnerships/procurement, is made by facilitating communication within and across team and authoring position papers.
• Implementation of changes required to achieve divisional goals and targets as set out in 2020-2025 PSPF strategy (i.e. Individual Fundraising Advisory Group) as well as of the Mid-Term Evaluation are facilitated working with DOST;
• Working relationships and smooth collaboration between PPF and key WFP divisions (i.e. Legal, Procurement, others) to advance policy development and implementation are stronger and ensured;

• Bi-annual Executive Board narrative reports, and quarterly Executive Board financial reports, are ready and in the process the PO has communicated effectively with all PPF units to provide comprehensive and clear updates on progress of implementation of PSPFS 2020-2025;
• Support to leadership provided on coordinating PPF’s forward-looking Executive Board engagement, including Executive Board informal sessions as required; and managing PPF Director’s bilateral meetings with key Board members and engaging key Board and WFP Senior Leadership stakeholders as appropriate to raise awareness and sustain support for WFP’s private sector partnership and fundraising activities;
• Updated briefings and materials for PPF Director’s Executive Board meetings provided as required;

• Inputs for new or updated policies and frameworks related to private sector engagement within the UN system coordinated and provided;
• Participation in regular inter-UN agency discussions related to engagement with the private sector (ranging from partnering with companies, to procurement, to fundraising from individuals) ensured (also self) and coordinated, and the involvement of specialized PPF, technical unit or field-level teams facilitated as needed;
• Policies, papers and events from peer organizations to understand changing landscape of UN system and peer organization private sector successes, challenges, and new initiatives that might be relevant for WFP are regularly reviewed and updated;

• Support to PPF liaison with comparable divisions at RBAs is provided to maintain smooth and proactive coordination and collaboration for key private sector initiatives across the RBAs.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education	University degree in Business Management, International Development, International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Marketing, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Work history	Minimum of 6 years progressively responsible experience working in an International Organization, (experience in the UN is a plus), in policy advisory roles, multi-stakeholder coordination and liaison, and/or strategic and advisory roles.
Hard skills	Essential computer skills in Microsoft Office applications: proficiency in Word, PowerPoint and Excel Proven ability to conceptualize, plan, manage, develop and monitor processes Excellent understanding of global issues and an ability to translate an Organisation’s mission Excellent writing skills in particular in policy document preparation.
Soft skills	Outstanding analytical, negotiation and advocacy skills Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to cultivate relationships and influence senior decision-makers Highly organized with exceptional planning and problem solving skills Ability to handle multiple tasks within deadlines and deliver on commitments Work effectively in a multi-cultural environment and international organization Understanding or appreciation for working in a large, complex, hierarchical, decentralised and geographically dispersed organisation Uses tact and courtesy to give and receive information with a variety of individuals (people oriented) Motivated team spirit and contributed to an inclusive and sound working environment (team player) Highly adaptable to change and comfortable dealing with ambiguity, stress and competing demands with grace and humor
Language(s)	Excellent command of spoken and written English Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language would be a plus (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

Terms and Conditions

Short-listed candidates can be subject to written assessment.

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by role’s responsibilities and deliverables, please be aware that as per UN policy any negotiation based merely on personal cv is not allowed.

This consultancy assignment is renewable upon funding.

Visit the website for detailed information on working with WFP: http://www.wfp.org – Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about our operations.

Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.

WFP is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the Organisation. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the selection & recruitment process, and for work-related needs upon joining the Programme.

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status. WFP has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority or discrimination. 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.

We greatly appreciate your interest in WFP and joining our mission to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030.

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