Programme Policy Officer (Nutrition) at World Food Programme

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

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.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Advanced University degree in Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition, Food Technology, Medicine or other relevant field.

Experience:

5 years’ experience in a relevant field of work. with at least 3 year in Extensive experience in leading multicultural teams and improving performance.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

WFP Zambia has designed a five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP) as the result of rigorous consultations with government, donors and other stakeholders, and reflects their appetite to support and partner with WFP in the country. It is informed by, and strongly aligns with, national and United Nations priorities, and global commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It embraces the Government’s long-term Vision 2030; aligns with 16 key strategic areas of its current 7th National Development Plan (NDP7); and contributes to the joint Zambia-UN Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF). The CSP is informed by WFP’s long-standing and broad experience in the country, embracing lessons from evaluations and reviews which call for greater synergy, a consolidation of ‘pilot’ initiatives, and improved gender-sensitive approaches to programme design. Finally, it is guided by the Zero Hunger Strategic Review (ZHSR).

In a break with past approaches, both the ZHSR and the NDP7 recognise that hunger and nutrition issues are multi-faceted, and require well-integrated, collaborative, multi-sectoral national approaches, that draw on the skills and resources of key stakeholders.

These key strategies point to an increasing national consensus on food and nutrition security, which has created a strong opportunity for WFP to re-focus its investments and efforts to areas of genuine comparative advantage, and give effect to maximum impact. WFP Zambia’s integrated and pragmatic CSP shifts away from unsustainable localized and micro-level interventions, to embrace more effective advocacy and engagement with national policies, systems and programmes to achieve national impact on SDG2. Given the Government’s commitment to budget support for nutrition, social protection, and agriculture, despite the country’s constrained fiscal position, WFP’s overarching strategy seeks to enable the government to meet its policy aspirations with better systems, expertise and resources for implementation. This means a decisive shift of WFP’s country positioning towards the provision of upstream technical assistance for nationally-owned solutions.

Advancing the WFP Corporate Strategic Plan (2017-2021), the CSP addresses both SDG2 and SDG17, and WFP’s Strategic Results 1, 2, 3 and 5. WFP will implement six activities to achieve four Strategic Outcomes (SO).  These SOs will: respond to crises and shocks including support to refugees (SO1); address the root causes of malnutrition (SO2); build the resilience, enabling environment and market access for smallholders, especially women (SO3); and support government institutions to provide social protection systems (including home grown school meals) and disaster preparedness and response (SO4).

JOB PURPOSE

Provide support to WFP Zambia programmes and activities to contribute to meeting the nutritional needs of affected populations. The Nutrition Officer will report directly to the Deputy Country Director.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• As SO manager on Nutrition, manage the nutrition team and provide technical advice to mainstream nutrition in all relevant CO activities in line with WFP standards and processes.
  Support the strengthening of national nutrition initiatives, including the development of national government policies related to nutrition as well as nutrition strategies, action plans, protocols and guidelines in line with the SUN Movement and international guidance and current evidence.
• Support policy and capacity strengthening support through technical assistance to government to prevent all forms of malnutrition, nutrition policy and strategy design, and implementation.
• Provide research and knowledge management support through the FNG, CoHA, and other surveys and assessments.
• Provide technical support and recommendations to increase effectiveness and efficiency of nutrition programming, particularly related to the first 1000 Most Critical Days II strategy.
• Work with relevant staff to ensure effective design and delivery of WFP nutrition programming.
• Expand engagement of local private sector to nutrition, including implementation of complementary initiatives that drive consumer demand for improved nutrition.
• Lead development of relevant funding proposals to support, strengthen, and strategically expand WFP CO programming in a manner that complements existing national efforts.
• Provide support for operational partnerships, including inter-agency collaboration and advocacy, to ensure a strong multi-sectorial response to nutrition in both emergency and non-emergency settings.
• Design, conduct and communicate the nutrition situation clearly and effectively to nutrition stakeholders.
• Represent WFP to contribute in technical discussions, exchange experiences, advocate for nutrition interventions and identify areas of potential collaboration.
• Build capacity of WFP staff, partners and national governments to prepare for and respond to nutrition problems.
• Prepare accurate and timely reporting and learning, contributing to a knowledge base that informs decision making of WFP and other stakeholders.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of WFP activities, provide technical analysis, and interpretation.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.  Be a force for positive change: Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area. Make the mission inspiring to our team: Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities. Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP. Create an inclusive culture: Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries. Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement. Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations (e.g., unprecedented issues and/or scenarios)

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries. Focus on getting results: Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks. Make commitments and make good on commitments: Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders. Be Decisive: Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning Build strong external partnerships: Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships  Be politically agile & adaptable: Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• 3+ years of experience supporting nutrition programs, preferably in humanitarian contexts.
• Operational experience with IMAM/CMAM and prevention of malnutrition strategies.
• Experience working in the UN, especially WFP is valuable, as is experience working with NGOs and the Nutrition Cluster.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 05 August 2019

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

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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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