Recurrent crises have eroded coping capacities of vulnerable households and the institutions they rely upon. Years of emergency humanitarian response has undoubtedly saved lives but have had limited impact on the underlying causes of vulnerability. Following the two consecutive years of El Nino induced droughts, with 2016 recorded as the worst in 35 years; WFP globally classified Zimbabwe and other countries under emergency (L3). While maintaining its strong humanitarian assistance capacity, the CSP strategy seeks to sharpen WFP’s focus on supporting longer-term national social protection and resilience-building agendas with a view to achieving zero hunger. WFP’s 2017–2021 Country Strategic Plan(CSP) for Zimbabwe (about to be rolled out in April 2017) addresses food security and nutrition challenges and proposes priority actions based on: lessons learned; discussions with the Government, donors and partners; the findings of the Zero Hunger Strategic Review; processes that inform programming such as the three pronged approach (3PA); and an assessment of funding possibilities.The CSP has six Strategic outcomes. CSP’s Strategic Outcome 4 aims to enhance the livelihoods of the most food-insecure women, men, boys and girls by developing and protecting productive assets. WFP has systematically been increasing its efforts to build resilience through Food Assistance for assets interventions. Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) is a resource transfer that assists households in meeting their food needs in the near term, while promoting and investing in the creation and rehabilitation of productive assets. Strategic Outcome 5 supports the Social Protection Floor Recommendation; primarily focusing on addressing “root causes”. One of the activities under SO5 is the R4 Rural Resilience Initiative that focuses on links between early warning and risk financing.
The CO therefore seeks to strengthen its capacity to ensure the momentum created in creating productive assets through FFA. WFP CO is seeking services of an experienced and versatile person responsible for managing the two activities namely R4 Rural Resilience and Food assistance for asset programme.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Recurrent crises have eroded coping capacities of vulnerable households and the institutions they rely upon. Years of emergency humanitarian response has undoubtedly saved lives but have had limited impact on the underlying causes of vulnerability. Following the two consecutive years of El Nino induced droughts, with 2016 recorded as the worst in 35 years; WFP globally classified Zimbabwe and other countries under emergency (L3). While maintaining its strong humanitarian assistance capacity, the CSP strategy seeks to sharpen WFP’s focus on supporting longer-term national social protection and resilience-building agendas with a view to achieving zero hunger. WFP’s 2017–2021 Country Strategic Plan(CSP) for Zimbabwe (about to be rolled out in April 2017) addresses food security and nutrition challenges and proposes priority actions based on: lessons learned; discussions with the Government, donors and partners; the findings of the Zero Hunger Strategic Review; processes that inform programming such as the three pronged approach (3PA); and an assessment of funding possibilities.The CSP has six Strategic outcomes. CSP’s Strategic Outcome 4 aims to enhance the livelihoods of the most food-insecure women, men, boys and girls by developing and protecting productive assets. WFP has systematically been increasing its efforts to build resilience through Food Assistance for assets interventions. Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) is a resource transfer that assists households in meeting their food needs in the near term, while promoting and investing in the creation and rehabilitation of productive assets. Strategic Outcome 5 supports the Social Protection Floor Recommendation; primarily focusing on addressing “root causes”. One of the activities under SO5 is the R4 Rural Resilience Initiative that focuses on links between early warning and risk financing.
The CO therefore seeks to strengthen its capacity to ensure the momentum created in creating productive assets through FFA. WFP CO is seeking services of an experienced and versatile person responsible for managing the two activities namely R4 Rural Resilience and Food assistance for asset programme.
The United Nations World Food Programme (UN/WFP) in Zimbabwe seeks applications from qualified candidates for its Harare Country Office.
JOB PURPOSE
Lead the WFP Food Assistance for Assets and R4 Rural Resilience Unit and provide support to other policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the Programme Policy Officer (Food Assistance for Assets and risk management, insurance and financing mechanisms) shall perform the following duties:
- Lead the Asset Creation and Risk Financing sub-unit that covers both activities 7 (Food Assistance for Assets (FFA)) and 10 (risk management, insurance and financing mechanism programmes); act as primary interlocutor for both activities within the Programme Unit and at CO level more broadly;
- Lead, supervise and guide FFA and related team, provide feedback and conduct regular staffing reviews in writing as appropriate .
- Work in close liaison with other persons responsible for managing activities ensuring fully integrated programming and fostering synergies particularly with activities that focus on small holder farmer organisations.
- Lead the development of the sub-units annual work plans in close collaboration with the supervisor and other sub-unit and unit heads.
- Prepare, review and manage the sub-units budgets. Regularly report on spending and budget changes to the supervisor.
- Develop funding proposal as well as related communication material in close cooperation with the communications unit. Present and discuss overall area of work and funding proposals to government, partners and donors.
- Ensure full alignment and coordination of workplans with government, ZUNDAF and partners work and policies in the same field of work;
- Develop and update operational guidelines and Standard Operation Procedure under both activities ensuring compliance to WFP standards and procedures;
- Develop, in close collaboration with the M&E unit, a comprehensive monitoring and assessment plan for all activities planned.
- Liaise with internal and external counterparts (including Government and donors) to ensure effective collaboration, monitor projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery;
- Ensure timely review of EOIs, proposals and budgets and signing of the FLAs;
- Develop the capacity strengthening plan and lead the implementation of the same for WFP and partners staff;
- Lead the preparation of accurate and timely reporting and/or communication on relevant activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders;
- Work with FFA engineer to define standard and respectable work norms, cash transfer rates and/or food rations;
- Identify linkages with organizations with similar projects in order to avoid the development of parallel and overlapping structures and maximizing synergies with programmes implemented by other actors;
- Ensure the required consultancies and service contracts are in place to support project assessments and implementation;
- Organize, coordinate and manage a series of technical assessments, project component design, and monitoring and evaluation activities required to implement projects in coordination with other Programme activities;
- Supporting the organization of relevant events at national and regional level and represent WFP Zimbabwe accordingly;
- Perform other related duties as required.
OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS
This section is optional to describe additional responsibilities & knowledge required for the specific job.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Advanced university degree with experience in one or more of the following disciplines: economics, urban and rural planning, social sciences, agriculture, environmental sciences, agricultural insurance,project management and disaster risk management or related field.
National Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.
DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE
• At least five years of professional experience in public sector management, development projects, emergency assistance, agricultural insurance and/or diverse aspects of national, bilateral or multilateral food assistance.
• 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 and monitoring and evaluation systems, ideally demonstrated in a WFP and other UN or donor context.
• Excellent ability to coordinate across multiple units and organizations.
• Previous experience with or knowledge of R4 Programmes is a plus.
• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to facilitate workshops, negotiate agreements, and write publishable reports.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Qualified candidates are requested to submit their application via E- Recruitment attaching a signed application letter and a signed Personal History Form (P11) available at http://www.unon.org/docs/P11.doc. Applicants are also requested to submit a Curriculum Vitae.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the recruitment processes.
Qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.
WFP DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING)