WFP encourages female candidates and people with disabilities to apply.

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourage qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and disability.

Job Title: Programme Policy Officer SC8

Grade: SС 8

Type of contract: Service Contract 8

Duty Station: Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

Vacancy Number: 833604

Date of Publication: 14.06.2024

Deadline of Application: 30.06.2024

This vacancy announcement is for Nationals from the Kyrgyz Republic.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Building on successful implementation in previous years, the WFP’s Country Strategic Plan 2023-27 focuses on the institutionalization and sustainability of an optimized national school meals model through policy support, advocacy, direct technical assistance and horizontal mutual exchanges and learning from other countries in the region, leveraging the WFP-supported school nutrition unit within the Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Health. WFP support in school feeding, therefore largely focuses on capacity strengthening towards the transition to full national ownership. As the transition process continues, the Government, with the support of WFP and other partners, explores and adopts alternative options and models while seeking to identify the most sustainable and cost-efficient approach. WFP supports a farm-to-school linkage model, Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF), which facilitates local procurement from local farmers to supply fresh, safe and nutritious food to students. To reinforce this transition process, activities of school feeding at a decentralized level continued to promote the fullest capacity building and system change for HGSF, by supporting smallholder farmers/cooperatives in terms of skills, techniques, tools, and management, as well as monitoring and reporting. It is aligned with WFP’s strategy - smallholder agricultural market support (SAMS) strategy, which outlines WFP support for smallholder farmers with clear capacity building and market linkages.

This role is focused on increasing smallholder farmers’ capacities and engagement for improved access to both public and private markets through planet-friendly agricultural practices and tools as well as strategic, policy and operational engagement with the government and partners, and link their products to school meals to improve health and education of students, increase the income of smallholders, stimulate the local economy, and consequently contribute to food security and nutrition of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Supervision: The Programme Policy Officer will be directly supervised by the Outcome 4 Manager and under the general supervision of the Head of Programme

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

1. Contribute towards the development of a limited number of SAMS (incl. GAFSP-funded) and Farm-to-School projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
2. Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of small to moderate size that are relatively straight forward in nature, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
3. Follow data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
4. Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in the development of policies, programmes and activities.
5. Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
6. Liaise with internal counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects.
7. Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
8. Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through project management support of learning initiatives.
9. Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries.
10. Other as required.

SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

11. Support the development and provide guidance on the implementation of a comprehensive smallholder agricultural market support (SAMS) strategy that outlines WFP support for smallholder farmers with clear capacity building and market linkages through the Home-Grown School Feeding.
12. Manage defined agriculture projects, including GAFSP, which are implemented in WFP KG to improve food security and nutrition through capacity building of smallholders/cooperatives, and coordinate with cooperatives, ministries, local authorities, and other partners.
13. Support the development of funding proposal(s) to mobilize resources to support the roll-out of activities and programmes to support the capacity building of smallholder farmers for planet-friendly school meals, with consideration of also other access to market opportunities, and effective and quality delivery of the HGSF linkages with smallholder farmers under WFP’s SAMS strategy.
14. Conduct a desk review of existing documents and undertake field visits to understand the production, value chain, and capacity of smallholder farmers, farmer organizations, their ability to access skills, tools, services, credit, information and resources and suggest improvements in the value chain system to ensure direct linkages of the smallholder farmers to structured markets to increase their agricultural incomes.
15. Organize stakeholder meetings to validate the HGSF strategy.
16. Participate in relevant sector meetings, gather the information, and advocate related policies that will ensure that WFP`s HGSF strategy is aligned with the Government and development partners’ sectorial policies and plans for the Kyrgyz Republic.
17. Support the M&E team in updating the CO M&E tool to align with WFP corporate reporting and accountability requirements.
18. Prepare and participate in relevant internal WFP and external meetings.
19. Support also with coordination and supervisory or other tasks as required by the Head of Outcome 4.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Training in and/or experience in food systems, including agricultural value chains development and market systems.
• Knowledge of research methods and monitoring and evaluation standards related to this TOR.
• Utilizing computers, including word processing, spreadsheet, and other software packages.
• Understanding of donor policies, strategies, and programme priorities.
• Experience in coordinating across teams and with external partners.
• Strongly desirable: knowledge of education and/or school feeding sector in Kyrgyz Republic and recent developments in the field.
• Food security and multi-sector programme knowledge and experience (desirable)
• Knowledge of WFP financial regulations and rules and WFP policies and procedures in procurement and supply chain (desirable).
• Quantitative and qualitative agriculture survey methodologies and assessments (desirable).

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: At least one year of postgraduate professional experience specifically in working with governments in implementing agriculture projects and/or school feeding programs; overall several years of progressively responsible experience in programme-related functions, of which significant experience (2 or more years) should be related to agricultural value chains, capacity building of smallholders and cooperatives, market linkages for smallholder farmers and/or market analysis.

Experience in programming of capacity building assistance for smallholder farmers in development contexts, such as technical best practice training, revolving fund, seeds, organic compost, water, drip-irrigation, greenhouse, post-harvest management, or cooperative capacity-building is specifically desirable.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK: COMMON STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR

Leads by Example with Integrity	Upholds WFP values, principles, and standards Demonstrates and encourages others to uphold the WFP values, principles and standards	Respects others and values diversity Values diversity using respectful and inclusive language, and encourages others to do the same	Stays focused and calm under pressure Stays focused and calm when under pressure and encourages others to do the same	Demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn Shows humility and a willingness to learn and share knowledge, frequently seeking and acting on feedback, and taking up opportunities to develop
Drives Results and Delivers on Commitments	Delivers results for maximum impact Holds self and/or others accountable for the delivery of results	Delegates appropriately Delivers results against delegated tasks and seeks guidance and support where needed	Adapts readily to change Responds readily to change adjusting work as needed
Fosters Inclusive and Collaborative	Is inclusive and collaborative Promotes inclusive teamwork and psychological safety by sharing ideas and openly raising issues	Gives timely and constructive feedback Supports development for others by giving timely and constructive feedback	Builds and shares new perspectives Listens attentively to others to capture, learn, build and share new perspectives
Applies Strategic Thinking	Communicates and fulfils WFP’s vision Fulfils WFP’s vision and is able to explain how their objectives support the vision	Embraces curiosity and new ways of doing things Demonstrates curiosity, and proposes new ways of doing things when relevant	Analyses and evaluates data Gathers data and shares knowledge to inform team decision making	Considers the impact of decisions Implements decisions and asks questions to understand the impact for wider objectives
Builds and Maintains Sustainable Partnerships	Builds partnerships Builds partnerships by seeking out opportunities to work with others	Collaborates to deliver common objectives Collaborates with partners by sharing information and working together to deliver common goals

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES:

Capability Name	Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level
Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance	Demonstrates ability to identify key variables and contextual factors that affect food assistance problems and programmes throughout the lifecycle to inform quality programme design or re-design.
Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher)	Demonstrates ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information from different sources (e.g., market studies) to inform transfer modality selection and programme development.
Broad Knowledge of Specialized areas (i.e. Nutrition, VAM, etc.)	Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.
Emergency Programming	Displays capacity to provide inputs into the development, implementation and realignment of high quality emergency programmes.
Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government	Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes.

Education: Advanced University degree in Agriculture , Economics, Nutrition/Health, International Affairs, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Language: Fluency (level C) in both oral and written communication in English and proficiency in the duty station’s language(s) (Russian or Kyrgyz, both considered an advantage).

All WFP Employees are expected to demonstrate the competencies and standards of behaviour aligned with our core values and defined in the WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK, namely:

Leading by example with integrity,

Driving results and delivering on commitments,

Fostering inclusive and collaborative teamwork,

Applying strategic thinking,

Building and maintaining sustainable partnerships.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered, interested candidates are invited to apply via (https://www.wfp.org/careers/job-openings). Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.

Request for Disability related Reasonable Accommodations:

It is important to WFP to create an accessible and inclusive workplace for everyone. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection and hiring process, please direct your request and inquiries to the Diversity and Inclusion team on: global.inclusion@wfp.org, cc’ing bangkok.recruitment@wfp.org. A member of the reasonable accommodation team will contact you to confidentially discuss your needs.

This email is only to be used for any disability related accessibility requirements, and not for sending the application itself. Due to volume of applications, any applications or CVs sent through this email address will not be considered as a formal application and will not receive a reply from WFP.

Please note that WFP may keep candidates who successfully passed recruitment tests and interviews, but were not the first-choice candidate selected for a position, on a roster for similar (or lower-level) upcoming positions or short-term opportunities for direct contracting. Successful candidates will be informed about their inclusion into the roster.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) 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’s vision is that people in the Kyrgyz Republic will have substantially increased access to national social protection systems that safeguard and foster their ability to meet their food security, nutrition and associated essential needs, and to manage the risks and shocks they face, with ample opportunity to graduate from poverty and contribute to sustainable food systems, national disaster risk management efforts and social cohesion.

WFP, the second largest UN agency in the Kyrgyz Republic, will support and promote the inclusion of people with diverse and often intersecting vulnerabilities and inequalities, by supporting nationally led social and civil protection systems and programmes (strengthening the government’s ability for anticipatory action and ensuring that no one is left behind) and by modelling new approaches within complementary WFP interventions (which can be adopted or transitioned), leveraging WFP’s global expertise in promoting healthy diets and sustainable food systems, climate risk management, warehousing, food safety, smallholder market access and innovations such as private sector-oriented solutions, micro-insurance and digital public goods.

Derived from the UN Cooperation Framework and national priorities, promoting participatory community engagement and nutrition-sensitive approaches, the 2nd generation Country Strategic Plan (2023-27 EN|RU) continues WFP’s human capital development, capacity building and productive asset creation activities to enhance the resilience and livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, with a focus on food systems strengthening across three core pillars: (i) Social Protection; (ii) Climate Change Adaption, Disaster Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness; and (iii) Schools as platforms for healthy diets. In addition, a contingent emergency response outcome can be activated in case of need.

WFP is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce. WFP has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority or discrimination. 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.