Programme Policy Officer
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candidates to apply irrespective of race, color, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression,
sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.
Job Title: Programme Policy Officer
Type of Contract: Regular Consultant level I and II
Division: CBT / Cash-Based Transfers Division (Policy and Design Team)
Duty Station (City, Country): HQ Rome, Italy or Home-based
Duration: 11 months
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food and cash assistance to change lives and empower people to meet their essential needs. WFP does this both through direct programming as well as by supporting governments on their national pathways toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in partnership with multiple stakeholders. WFP is the largest cash actor in the humanitarian community: WFP transferred over US$3.3 billion to 56 million people in 2022. WFP is the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2020.
The Cash-based Transfer (CBT) Division in WFP’s Global Headquarters leads the organization’s global efforts in cash programming and is a dynamic and agile team that works multifunctionally and with a range of innovative partners. Within the Division, the Policy and Design team is dedicated to quality policy and normative guidance work, including people-centred CBT programme design, essential needs analysis & programming, digital financial inclusion and women’s economic empowerment through CBT, as well as support to Government-to-People (G2P) payments, among other thematic area.
The consultant will work under the supervision of the Core & Emergencies team lead, within the Policy and Design unit – this team is focused on core elements of CBT design (such as people-centredness, essential needs analysis, MEBs / transfer values, protection, etc). S/he will be either based Rome or home based, with regular travel to Rome (if remote) and will be requested to travel to the field to support WFP Country Offices (COs) and Regional Bureaux (RBx), as possible and needed. The supervisor will provide clear guidance and project priorities and share existing experience and materials which will serve as the basis for the development of new products. It is expected and planned that this assignment represents a learning opportunity for the Consultant, through exposure to a number of core areas related to CBT programmes.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES at level I:
In close collaboration with relevant internal stakeholders and within the Core and Emergencies team, the consultant will be expected to advance the CBT Manual and its accompanying guidance materials (particularly focused on CBT Design, including Essential Needs Analysis, transfer value calculations, and other core design elements of high quality cash programming, etc.), including supporting COs and RBs on implementing the new WFP cash policy. This will also include documenting and sharing evidence and best practices on people-centred CBT programmes. More specifically, this will include:
- Support the CBT Core & Emergencies team lead and colleagues with normative guidance products, regional and country-level trainings, develop products that can help COs advance people-centred quality programmes.
- Participate in field missions as needed, with clear mission TORs and Back to the Office reports.
- In close collaboration with the RAM team, advance the Essential Needs Analysis (ENA) & Response global workstream, contribute to documenting and sharing evidence and best practices on essential needs, and work with other programme areas to mainstream the essential needs approach and identify synergies with other analytical and programme tools (e.g., with Nutrition, Social Protection, Emergencies, and others).
- Coordinate the Essential Needs Analysis and Transfer Value portfolio, including support to COs and RBx.
- Support EN Analysis and Minimum Expenditure Basket construction, as required.
- Document best practices/examples and contribute to current thinking on portfolio areas of responsibilities, including in emergencies, with a goal to simplify processes and enable good quality programming.
- Support and advance targeting-related discussions and help inform the vision of the new/upcoming WFP CBT policy in relation to targeting, essential needs and other CBT design features.
- Propose and develop new products that can support COs and advance people-centred programmes.
- Other duties as needed.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES at level II:
In close collaboration with relevant internal stakeholders and within the Core and Emergencies team, the consultant will be expected to formulate substantial parts of the CBT Manual and its accompanying guidance materials (particularly focused on CBT Design, including Essential Needs Analysis, transfer value calculations, and other core design elements of high quality cash programming, etc.), while supporting and advising to COs and RBs on implementing the new WFP cash policy. This will also include documenting and sharing evidence and best practices on people-centred CBT programmes. More spefically, this will include:
- Formulate substantial parts of the development of trainings and materials in collaboration with the Core & Emergencies team lead and colleagues to help COs advance people-centred quality programmes.
- Participate in field missions as needed, with clear mission TORs and Back to the Office reports
- Manage with the RAM team, advance the Essential Needs Analysis (ENA) & Response global workstream, developing reports and a variety of information products to share evidence and best practices on essential needs, and establish with other programme areas to mainstream the essential needs approach and identify synergies with other analytical and programme tools (e.g. with Nutrition, Social Protection, Emergencies, and others).
- Manage the process of Essential Needs Analysis and the products within Transfer Value portfolio, including technical support to COs and RBx.
- Lead the process from identification to analysis for the Minimum Expenditure Basket construction, as required.
- Oversee the documentation of best practices/examples and contribute to current thinking on portfolio areas of responsibilities, including in emergencies, to advocate for simplification of processes and good quality programming.
- Advice and advance targeting-related discussions and help inform the vision of the new/upcoming WFP CBT policy in relation to targeting, essential needs and other CBT design features.
- Lead the proposing and development of new products that can support COs and advance people-centred programmes.
- Other duties as needed
DESIRED EXPERIENCE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
The specific deliverables and products will be discussed and agreed upon with the Consultant at the beginning of the assignment, depending on the CBT Core & Emergencies scrum’s annual plan, and will be reflected in the WFP’s performance management system. The plan will be regularly revised with the consultant according to priorities, preferences and new projects/products being planned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
Advanced University degree or University degree in one or more of the following disciplines: International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Social Sciences, or another field relevant to international development assistance.
Experience:
Minimum 3 years (for consultancy at level I) and minimum 5 years (for consultancy at level II) of post-graduate or progressively responsible experience in international humanitarian and/or development settings, including with experience implementing cash transfers. Cash transfer programme design experience, targeting and selection, and large-scale programming highly regarded. Field experience and previous work with WFP Country. Offices or partners, NGOs, or with Governments implementing cash-based safety nets is an asset.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Aptitude and passion for writing!
- Proactive attitude, with initiative and a sense of accountability.
- Ability to provide technical advice that is actionable and can be understood by diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to develop user-friendly tools.
- Team player.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and facilitation skills(written and oral).
- Ability to work productively and in an organised fashion.
- Innovative.
- Proficiency in Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint,Outlook).
Language:
Working knowledge of English (proficiency/level C). Intermediate/level B or working knowledge of another UN official language among (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is a particular asset.
Terms and Conditions
WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.
http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.
Deadline for applications: 09 July 2023
Ref.: VA 827990
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.
