Job Vacancy at WFP (World Food Programme) – Programme Policy Officer (School Feeding)

Requisition ID 156126

Posted  – Fixed Term – Africa, Western – Sierra Leone – Makeni – (English) – PROGRAMME & POLICY

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, physical or mental 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

WFP Sierra Leone is working with the Government and partners to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable populations and to chart a more prosperous and sustainable future for the next generation.

WFP has been implementing the School Feeding Programme for many decades. In 2021, the Government of Sierra Leone developed a School Feeding Policy and recommended to start a Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) approach as a priority investment to connect smallholder farmers with schools, eradicate poverty and lay the foundation for sustained growth to attain the goals of the 2019 – 2023 Medium-Term National Development Plan.

In the current academic year, WFP will be providing hot meals for approximately 237,000 primary school students attending 918 schools across 5 districts in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE). WFP is also piloting the HGSF programme in two districts (Pujehun and Kambia) to provide fresh foods to schools that are locally sourced from Farmers Based Organizations (FBOs).

This job is based at WFP’s Makeni sub-office and the job holder will report to the Head of Sub Office for day-to-day operational matters. The Country Office School Feeding Unit will provide overall technical guidance. She/he will work closely with regional and district offices of the National School Feeding Secretariat.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide effective technical and operational support to the school feeding programme that meets the objectives of WFP food assistance needs for the respective districts. She/he will be responsible for any school feeding-related issue implemented under the sub-office.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• • Provide project management support to the school feeding programme to ensure that the various activities are performed within the established targets, policies and strategy, implementation guide and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
  • Responsible to coordinate the school feeding and HGSF programme operation under the sub office operational areas
  • Provide support to HGSF implementing partners to strengthen multisectoral collaboration and coordination at the districts, chiefdom, community and school levels
  • Coordinate with local partners, FBOs, Agricultural Business Centres (ABCs), NGOs and Government institutions to perform HGSF-related activities in a timely and effective manner
  • Identify school feeding and HGSF capacity gaps in the operational area, prepare and facilitate, and deliver trainings in collaboration with the CO school feeding unit to build the capacity of implementing sectors at district, school, and community level
  • Coordinate data collection and analysis related to school feeding and HGSF programme and highlight issues ensuring deliverables adhere to corporate standards and quality control
  • Identify challenges and opportunities, analyze the situation, and proactively respond to a range of operational queries and problems related to school feeding and HGSF in the operational area of responsibility
  • Plan, monitor and coordinate the effective implementation of WFP school feeding and HGSF, and bring the issues and recommendations to WFP Sub Office, school feeding unit and the District Education office for timely corrective actions
  • Coordinate with the HGSF implementing sector including education, agriculture, and health to ensure effective implementation of programme
  • Maintain good relationship with the Government counterpart in the sub office and facilitate and proactively lead school feeding programme monitoring in collaboration with government counterparts

• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on school feeding activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders
• Support school feeding and HGSF studies and assessments, surveys and research activities and ensure effective knowledge management
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration with stakeholders and community participation in all school feeding activities to build local ownership and programme sustainability
• Regularly monitor, update and track data related to school feeding programme issues, commodity pipelines, following the timely delivery of commodities and distributions to ensure effective implementation of the programme
• Provide operational support to the districts and schools in preparing plans, project implementation, facilitating food procurement process and ensure the delivery of food commodities and provision of Non-Food Items on time
• Coach and support School Management Committees (SMCs), Head Teachers, FBOs, and community members to ensure the cash transferred to HGSF is utilized for the intended purpose as per the agreed MoU and SOPs.
• Prepare and compile detailed monthly and quarterly school feeding reports describing project activities, disaggregated by age and gender, and ensure timely submission to WFP SO and CO school feeding unit.
• Work in close collaboration with WFP’s Asset Creation and Livelihood unit, and other local actors to enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers to produce and supply nutritious and quality fresh foods to HGSF
• Perform additional duties, as required by the supervisor.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: First university degree in nutrition, agriculture, economics, rural development, education management, social sciences, or any other related field
Six years of progressively responsible work experience in school feeding-related programme operations, nutrition, agriculture, emergency response, etc., including at least five years at the regional or district level. Experience working on programme monitoring, capacity building and technical assistance to the government and prior coordination role will have an added advantage.
Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English. Fluency in local languages and knowledge of the operational area are highly desirable.

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.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Proven success working with technical teams (i.e., school feeding, nutrition, agriculture, and social protection with similar role).
• Experience implementing complex projects.
• Has observed or assisted with policy discussions
• Has ability to analyze and interpret information and provide solutions.
• Experience implementing school feeding activities an added advantage

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Position open to Sierra Leonean Nationals only

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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

10 February 2022

Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

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.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested individuals should click on the button below to apply.

 

 

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