Int CST – Programme Policy Officer

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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 (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger globally. 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.

In the Latin American and Caribbean Region, WFP increasingly focuses on better supporting host governments and strengthening their capacities to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). While maintaining and delivering on its humanitarian and development mandate, WFP is committed to advancing the rights and well-being of people with disabilities (PWD).

In November 2020, WFP approved a Disability Inclusion Road Map along with a resource and implementation plan with the Asia Pacific as the initial pilot region. The Road Map supports the implementation of the Secretary General’s 2019 UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) and WFP’s obligations more broadly regarding disability inclusion. On 17 November 2021, the Road Map was officially extended until the end of 2022. Beyond 2022, WFP has incorporated disability inclusion into its Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 outlining three goals: to realize the meaningful participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all operations and programming; to integrate disability inclusion as a key consideration for management and support functions; and to become an employer of choice for persons with disabilities.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The WFP Regional Bureau of Latin America and the Caribbean (RBP) works in 13 countries in the region, including a multi-country office, to save lives and change lives, by an implementing as well as an enabler role. The issues related to protection and accountability to affected populations are varied, and WFP needs to respond to and advise on responding to the diverse needs of people, including indigenous and afro descendants, people with disability, rural people, people in human mobility, with a gender approach. As it delivers on its humanitarian and development mandate, WFP seeks to adapt its program to address the attitudinal and physical barriers that hamper food security and diminish the resilience to shocks of PWD.

Within the country offices in the LAC region, WFP in Venezuela has a specific focus on strengthening assistance to PWD through schools in the most vulnerable areas of the country. WFP began operations in Venezuela in 2021 within the framework of a memorandum of understanding with the Venezuelan State for implementing a large-scale humanitarian school meals programme and setting the foundation for a country programme. In February 2023, WFP's Executive Board approved an interim country strategic plan (iCSP) for Venezuela, which includes four outcomes: (i) contributing to the country's food and nutrition security, (ii) paying greater attention to nutrition for the population, (iii) promoting activities for the recovery of livelihoods, and (iv) building capacity to deal with the effects of climate change and strengthening the country's productive and logistical capacity. Within this framework, WFP Venezuela supports over 14,000 PWD and 6.000 school staff members in some 230 special education schools in 8 states. These institutions provide education, health, and psycho-social services to people with cognitive, sensory, and motor disabilities.

JOB PURPOSE

The RBP is seeking a Disability Inclusion Advisor to help advance the implementation, the priorities and actions set out in the DI Roadmap and support Country Offices to operationalize it as appropriate in their contexts, with a specific focus on Venezuela.

The Advisor will need to coordinate closely with technical experts in Headquarters and contribute to corporate learning and efforts under the Disability Road Map. The Advisor may be required to undertake field missions to emergency and hardship duty stations as part of this role.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

For the Latin America and Caribbean region, the Disability Inclusion Advisor (DIA) will provide strategic direction, technical support and oversight to WFP country offices as required by the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBP). Additionally, the DIA will offer guidance on designing and implementing program activities for persons with disabilities and mainstreaming inclusion within programme components. This includes but is not limited to registration, data analysis, training for partners, community communication, and delivery of assistance. From an operational perspective, WFP will aim to ensure the meaningful participation and perspective of persons with disabilities in programs it delivers and supports. This requires strong partnerships with organizations of persons with disabilities (OPD) and consultation with PWD in the populations that WFP serves. The DIA will work in close collaboration with the cross cutting themes team in RBP, which is responsible for supporting the diversity and inclusion, gender, protection and AAP agenda.

As a particular country of focus, In Venezuela, the DIA will coordinate and draft a case study to: (i) explore the connection between disability and food security, (ii) systematize Venezuela Country Office´s (VECO) approach to disability by synthesizing the collected data and registering all the program adaptions for this population, (iii) identify evidence-based key considerations and generate recommendations for tailored program design to address vulnerable groups´ needs, (iv) and advise the CO on integrating the 3 main goals per WFP’s strategic plan into a CO plan for inclusion.

Depending on travel conditions and programmatic needs, the DIA may be required to undertake field missions within Venezuela and to other countries as part of this role.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

Under the overall supervision of VECO´s Head of Programme, the DIA will be responsible for coordinating and drafting the case study mentioned above and generate guidance to design and implement more inclusive programmes. More specifically:

• Support the RAM team in designing a methodology for a case study to assess the link between disability and food security. Such methodology will include a strategy, tools and plan for data collection, analysis and key products that will be produced. The methodology will take into consideration the already existing WFP tools and the approaches and information already available in line with the RAM strategy.

• Conduct stakeholder mapping in Venezuela and develop a network of credible contacts in the geographical areas to facilitate WFP's operational readiness to implement other school-based activities with the Venezuelan special education system.

• Support the capacity-building activities and trainings for VECO´s staff, NGO partners and government in communicating with PWD.

• Support the CO in developing a plan with management, programme, human resources and communication units to: improve meaningful participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all operations and programming; to integrate disability inclusion as a key consideration for management and support functions; and to become an employer of choice for persons with disabilities.

Under the supervision of RBP´s Gender Advisor the DIA will be responsible at regional level to support the roll out of the Disability Inclusion Road Map, through technical assistance, capacity building and evidence generation across the operations and functional areas. Main responsibilities include:

• Provide technical advice on disability inclusion for WFP-relevant activities and coordinate its mainstreaming through programme components by providing recommendations of feasible actions regarding WFP’s mandate and policies regarding disability inclusion;

• Provide technical advice and support to RBP technical teams to identify and gain a deeper understanding of barriers and challenges for disability inclusion and recommend ways to overcome them and Prepare briefing notes and proposals and inputs for advocacy materials on disability inclusion;

• Provide guidance on integration of disability considerations in tools, processes and plans across the programmes cycle from data collection for vulnerability analysis to programme design and implementation to monitoring and reporting a swell as advocacy and translation of analysis into policy and technical recommendations to governments in countries where WFP operates;

• Lead the review of existing tools, approaches and guidance as they relate to disability inclusion between HQ, RBP and country offices;

• Produce and support the dissemination of knowledge management products and good practice on disability inclusion-related across the region that can contribute to corporate learning and vice versa;

• Support RBP and country offices to identify and build meaningful partnerships with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and other UN agencies and organizations with expertise in disability-specific programming and mainstreaming; and

• Support RBP and country offices advocacy and communication efforts on disability inclusion.

• Support broader RBB efforts to sensitize and build awareness of staff on disability inclusion and its relevance to their work.

LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced degree in International Affairs, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Sociology, or other relevant area.

Lenguages: Complete fluency in English and Spanish.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

Experience:

• At least 6 years of professional post-graduate experience in relevant areas, with previous experience in programme design and/or implementation.
• At least 4 years of progressively responsible professional experience in disability inclusion for development and/or humanitarian assistance context.
• Experience in delivering training and conducting capacity-building activities about disability or diversity and inclusion more generally.
• Experience in addressing protection issues more broadly will be an asset, especially if on gender equality.
• Experience in operational research and programme design in the areas covered under this TOR is preferable.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Title: Disability Inclusion Advisor – Latin America and the Caribbean

Type of Contract: International Consultant II

Unit/Division: Programme

Duty Station: Caracas, Venezuela

Duration: 11 months

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadline for applications is August 28st, 2023.

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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

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.

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