Programme Policy Officer (Head of Field Office) at World Food Programme (WFP)

JOB PURPOSE

The purpose of this post is to lead a cross-functional field team, and to provide technical coordination and support to the county government(s) to incorporate disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) for improved food security and nutrition.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Planning and implementation

• Lead, plan and manage WFP programmes within the areas of assignment to ensure effective and efficient delivery of food assistance and that daily operational issues are timely resolved to prevent losses, delays or reputational risks;
• Provide technical guidance to the county governments in capacity needs mapping to identify gaps in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. This may include policies and legislation, humanitarian supply chain management, food security coordination, food security analysis and monitoring systems;
• Collaborate with county government departments to design and implement programmes that strengthen the capacity of county and community institutions to prepare for, and respond to climatic shocks, and build resilient food systems while protecting the most vulnerable members, including women.
• Help the county government(s) incorporate age and gender-responsive food security concerns and climate change adaptation options into their policies, plans and budgets;
• Facilitate the integration of DRR/CCA approaches and tools into resilient livelihoods, market support, nutrition, school meals and shock-responsive safety nets;
• Coordinate targeting of vulnerable communities, adoption of new projects or approaches on sustainable, inclusive resilient food systems. Identify communities ready to transition from support and select new expansion areas in consultation the relevant county departments.

Partnerships, Coordination and Resource Mobilisation,

• Establish and maintain partnerships at county level, and identify synergistic opportunities for collaborations for locally-driven solutions (includes private sector and civil society);
• Manage and monitor performance of partners or contractors, and verify monthly invoices before submitting to the country offices;
• Ensure WFP’s representation in the relevant coordination forums at county level;
• Contribute to preparation of funding proposals, ensuring funding is utilised according to the donor requirements/earmarking conditions, and advocate for increased investments on DRR/CCA by the county government(s);
• Plan and manage donor missions to the areas of operations.
• Liaise with technical and functional areas in Nairobi to support effective programme delivery

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting –

• In coordination with M&E unit and partners, ensure project monitoring data is collected and verified, support for outcome monitoring, baselines and evaluations given;
• Generate, manage and share information and knowledge continuously, to support improvement in programme design, and learning
• Ensure regular reports summarizing key achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, are prepared and shared on timely basis.

Team leadership and office management –

• Effectively manage the Field Office to ensure the continued development of a cohesive and high performing team by planning, organizing, guiding, distributing, and coordinating the flow of work, as well as support capacity building of WFP staff;
• Ensure that allocated resources are utilized efficiently and are in line with agreed plans, with any deviations reported to the country office;
• Make recommendations concerning recruitment, performance, and other personnel actions, ensuring staff perform their functions with the highest standards of integrity as required by the Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service, the WFP Code of Conduct

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced University degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change, Environment, Public Administration, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a field relevant to international development assistance; or First University Degree with additional five years of related work experiences and/or training/courses.
• At least five years’ postgraduate professional experience in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, capacity building and institutional development, project management, emergency preparedness and response and resilience-building programmes.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the project cycle management
• Strong analytic, communication and interpersonal skills, including conceptual analysis, planning and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with government with the required diplomacy and tactical skills to handle complex situations