Programme Policy Officer – Market Access, Fixed Term, NOA, Bahir Dar

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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 north-western 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 people in need of humanitarian assistance drastically from 2.7 million in 2019 to 8.7 million in 2022 [Regional Disaster Risk Management Commission figures]

Currently WFP Bahir Dar Area office is assisting more than 1.6 million people among including Internally Displaced People (IDPs), 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) that is built on an innovative model that combines four risk management strategies: disaster risk reduction, micro insurance, access to credit, and savings. From 2022, the R4 initiatives started undergoing an in-depth redesign phase aimed at putting in place a refined design of the project as well as the basic programmatic instruments and partnerships for the project to achieve its objectives by the year 2024. In addition, WFP introduced an Early Livelihood Recovery Support (ELRS) interventions linking R4 supported households as conduit for averting impacts of shocks and stressors emanating from internal conflict/tension, inflation, protracted drought, and lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the year 2023, WFP plans to scale up the implementation of integrated Smallholder Agricultural Market Support (SAMS) and resilience intervention with clear linkages HGSM as alternative markets and Nutrition that will be mainstream across entire value chain

The purpose of this assignment is to have a Programme Policy Officer (Market Access) based in Bahir Dar Area Office who will oversee all the markets access programme or policy activities implemented in geographical area under WFP Bahir Dar area office responsibility to guarantee proper on-ground coordination as well as cooperation with Cooperating Partners, government counterparts and other stakeholders.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This job is found in Bahir Dar Area Office and job holder report to a more senior Programme Policy Officer.

Job holder will report directly to Head of Programme – Bahir Dar Area Office who will provide overall guidance, close support and regular feedback on work performed and technically will get support from Country Office Climate Change Adaptation Resilience Building (CCARB) unit. The job holder will also oversee all CCARB Market Access related programme activity implementation under Bahir Dar area office.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively aim at enhancing food and nutrition security through improved smallholder productivity, incomes and resilience.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

In close consultation with the Head of Programme- Bahir Dar Area office, the incumbent shall;-

• Lead and provide technical support for the livelihoods and economic inclusion interventions, provide technical insights to staff and stakeholder (including WFP Cooperating Partners) to advance livelihoods, resilience and economic/financial inclusion that includes the Cash Based Transfers, Financial Inclusion, Index Based Insurance, Village Saving and Lending Associations and Smallholder Agriculture Market Support (SAMS).
• Lead the development and provide guidance on the implementation of integrated Smallholder Agricultural Market Support (SAMS) and resilience intervention with clear linkages HGSM as alternative markets and Nutrition that will be mainstream across entire value chain.
• Conduct desk review of existing documents to understand the production and marketing capacity of smallholder farmers, farmer organizations and their ability to access extension and financial services, for the purposes of improving the local and viable value chains linked to predictable and structured markets to increase their agricultural incomes.
• Participate in relevant sector meetings and gather the information that will ensure WFP`s SAMS and Resilience interventions are aligned to the Government and development partners’ sectorial policies and plans for Ethiopia.
• Coordinate the promotion of financial inclusion of the vulnerable but viable community members sustainable and strategic partnerships with relevant financial service providers, lenders and other financial institutions.
• Provide lead role in promoting Village Economic and Saving Associations among IDPs/refugees and host communities and beneficiaries of R4 Rural Resilience /Early Livelihood Recovery Support Initiatives and those from the SAMS”
• Identify and enhance partnerships with financial service providers, government departments and other stakeholders that support and promote the wellbeing of the refugees/IDPs and beneficiaries on the R4 Rural Resilience /Early Livelihood Recovery Support Initiatives and SAMS.

• 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.
• Support the Area 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.
• Support the SO in setting up mechanisms of timely monitoring and reporting of SAMS, recovery and integrated resilience activities.
• Prepare weekly updates, review and consolidate the Partners monthly progress reports and other information/materials for use at Country Office/Sub Office.
• Contribute towards the development of concept notes of prospective projects, plans and processes, while ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance is adhered to.
• Represent WFP in all relevant woreda external level meetings/coordination forums.
• Perform other related duties as required.

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.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in economics, social sciences, agricultural insurance, disaster risk management, Agricultural Economics, Social Sciences, or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses

Experience: At least one (1) year of postgraduate senior professional experience. Additional 7 years of relevant (NGOs/UN Agencies) experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. R4, SAMS, agricultural insurance, Cash/food assistance for assets, smallholder market access, recovery; refugees/IDPs and integrated resilience activities etc.) is desirable.

Language: National Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and Amharic

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Experience in the establishment of partnerships with public and private sector actors; understanding of policy issues.
• Understanding of food security vulnerability and ability to link analysis to programme design, in the context of WFP programmes.
• Excellent work planning and project management skills, ideally demonstrated in a WFP and other UN context.
• Excellent ability to coordinate across multiple units and organizations.
• Previous experience with or knowledge of R4 and SAMS programmes is a plus

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

10 March 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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