School Based Programmes (SBP) Advocacy Officer

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Job Title: School Based Programmes (SBP) Advocacy Officer

Type of Contract: Consultancy

Division: School Based Programmes (SBP)

Duty Station (City, Country): Rome HQ, Italy

Duration: 6 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

In 2021, WFP efforts to helping countries to establish and maintain nationally owned programmes as well as implementing school feeding programmes with clear hand over strategies, were taken to the next level with the launch of the School Meals Coalition at the Food Systems Summit.

For more than 60 years, WFP has been the leading organization in supporting countries with their school feeding programmes, which are widely prevalent throughout the world.

In 2020, WFP has launched a 10-year strategy for school feeding. WFP will advocate for the universal adoption of school feeding programmes as a safety net that helps increase children’s access to education and learning opportunities and strengthens their health and nutrition status. WFP will focus increasingly on helping countries to establish and maintain nationally owned programmes. In countries still requiring WFP’s operational support, it will implement school feeding programmes with clear hand over strategies.

WFP is building in Headquarters, the new Advocacy Unit for School Meals Programmes. As part of this initiative, WFP is opening several positions for advocacy and communication officers that will be responsible for different but always interconnected streams of work: 1) WFP School Meals Programmes; 2) School Meals Coalition advocacy initiative; and 3) the “Catalysing Good Food Through School Feeding Programmes and Institutional Procurement” project.

Through this vacancy announcement, WFP is seeking to hire a qualified and experienced individual to be the SBP Advocacy Officer for school meals programmes (1). Reporting to the Partnerships and Advocacy Officer, she/he be expected to support the implementation of WFP's advocacy plan for school-based programmes and support the visibility and partnership of advocacy efforts within the unit.

ACCOUNTABITLITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the supervision of the Partnerships and Advocacy Officer, will be responsible for the following key duties:

1. Proactively mapping, identifying and seizing advocacy opportunities and events, that can help accelerte WFP’s global school meals agenda.
2. Liaising with strategic partners and allies to establish joint advocacy objectives and plans.
3. Coordinating and organizing webinars and events that help position school meals in the global agenda. This includes managing involved partners and developing the concept of the events, agendas, slide decks, talking points and notes for the record for WFP and the School Meals Coalition.
4. Developing and disseminating WFP advocacy and communication tools, including key messages, briefing packages and advocacy tool kits, as well as factsheets and infographics to support fund-raising and awareness activities.
5. Providing support to Regional Bureaus to develop regional advocacy plans and provide backstopping for their implementation, though webinars, trainings, advocacy guidance and tools, etc.
6. Compiling, curating and maintaining a list of contacts for external and internal emailing purposes.
7. Participating in meetings and engage with other functional units, RBs and COs, developing content and language that speak to individual audiences.
8. Any other duties in support of the Partnership and Advocacy Officer or of other teams in the division.

DELIVERABLES QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• One joint advocacy plan developed with a strategic partner
• At least two events organized succesfully
• A partnership tracker to follow up on initiatives with each stakeholder
• Contribute to the overall advocacy efforts of the newly Advocacy Unit established in WFP, including School Meals coalition and the “Catalysing Good Food Through School Feeding Programmes and Institutional Procurement” project

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced University degree in Social Science, Political Science, Journalism, International Relations, Public Relations, Communications or relevant field or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses

Experience:

Minimum of 5 year of related experience in communication, partnerships or advocacy

Knowledge and Skills:

• Prior experience in writing and editing long-form content, including but not limited to articles, blogs, newsletters and managing social media
• Working knowledge on UN communication products, writing standards and terminology is an asset.
• Mature judgment with strong interpersonal skills
• Collaborative spirit able to liaise with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy
• Strong time management skills with an ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements, problems and obstacles, and an ability to juggle competing priorities successfully, and to work to tight deadlines
• Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy
• Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the World Food Programme

Languages:

Fluency (level C) in English language (mother tongue is a plus). Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

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: 26 August 2022

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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