Programme Policy Officer (Nutrition)- SC8 Vientiane

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WFP encourages female candidates and people with disabilities to apply.

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and 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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This job is found in the Laos Country Offices and job holder reports to a Programme Policy Officer (SO Manager).
Job holder is likely to be working under the close support and guidance of a more experienced professional staff member receiving guidance and regular feedback on work performed. They are typically involved in programme or policy activities or similar nature and analytical work of limited complexity.

Background

Lao PDR is characterized by high levels of stunting (33%), wasting (9%) and micronutrient deficiencies in children and women of reproductive age. Overweight and obesity have significantly increased in the past decade, echoing global and regional trends, and is a growing concern particularly among adult women. Thus, Laos can be characterized as experiencing the triple burden of malnutrition. Nutrition remains a high priority in the national development agenda.

Having established a presence in Lao PDR in 1975, the World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting the Lao Government’s vision of “a prosperous country, with a healthy population, free from food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty”. In its approach, WFP is gradually shifting from the delivery of services to building the capacity of both institutions, communities, and individuals to address the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms. As populations are scattered over vast areas where access can be difficult, strengthening the self-reliance of communities for solving their own nutrition and food security problems is central to WFP’s strategy.

Since January 2022, WFP has been implementing a Country Strategic Plan 2022-2026 which is formulated around the achievement of four strategic outcomes. Through Strategic Outcome 2, WFP aims to improve the nutritional status of key population groups. This includes promoting changes in people’s behavior through the introduction of complementary, nutritious foods; diversification of diets; improving infant and young child feeding practices; and enhancing communities’ ownership of initiatives such as school feeding. WFP aims to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable people throughout their life cycle, as well as increase their resilience to seasonal and long-term shocks and stresses.

JOB PURPOSE

The Programme Policy Officer (Nutrition) will support the nutrition team and activities within Strategic Outcome 2 of the WFP Country Strategic Plan (CSP, 2022-2026). The Programme Policy Officer will report to Head of Nutrition with the day to day collaboration with the nutrition team in Country Office .He/She will particularly be responsible for the implementation of the nutrition sensitive projects under the Nutrition Portfolio, in close collaboration with the Field Office, cooperating partners involved in the projects implementation as well as with the government stakeholders at different level.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Contribute towards the development of a limited number of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.

• 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.

• Provide technical support to the Field Office and District Community Facilitators (DCF) in the regards of projects implementation, monitoring and reporting.

• Act as a focal point for the planning and implementation of activities of the respective projects , including operational plans, financial management of the projects.

• Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.

• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

• Work closely with the other teams in program units, as well as M&E, track and analyze project data that enable informed decision making and to ensure accurate and timely reporting;

• Support the identification, development, and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.

• Support the capacity building of the junior WFP staff, partners and national government for the implementation of the project activities.

• Support to back up other activities in Nutrition portfolio when required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University Degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Agronomy, Social Sciences, Programme Management or related field, or First University degree with 6 additional years of relevant professional experience.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in Lao and the UN language in use at the duty station (English with level C)

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

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

This section is optional to describe additional responsibilities & knowledge required for the specific job.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Experience:

• Has gained experience in implementing programs/projects.
• At least 3 year of relevant professional experience in relevant field with Advanced University Degree or 6 years of relevant professional experience with First University Degree.
• Experience working in international organisation, nongovernmental organization/ or managing projects in government entities is strongly desirable.
• Full knowledge of computer applications, such as MS Office.
• Action management skills and ability to take decisions
• Effective interpersonal communication and coordination skills
• Teamwork and partnership in multicultural environment
• Proven and demonstrable project management skills

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Contact type & grade: Service Contract, level SC-8

Duration: One year with possible extension

Duty Station: Vientiane

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Opening date: 9 August 2023

Closing date: 22 August 2023

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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.

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