Programme Policy Officer (Home Grown School Feeding Project Manager)

“Female applicants and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.”

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 or 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

These jobs are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) or Country Offices (COs) and job holders report to a more senior Programme Policy Officer.

Job holders operate with a high degree of independence, manage more junior staff to ensure that programme and policy objectives are achieved in full. They are usually involved in a wide variety of programme and policy activities and analytical work, some of which may be of a considerable complexity. At this level job holders are expected to contribute to performance improvement.

Background

WFP has been supporting the GON to implement the School Meals Programme through food transfers since 1974 to improve education and nutritional outcomes in Nepal. In 2008 the GON have scaled up the programme into 19 districts using its own resources through a cash transfer approach. Currently, the School Meals Programme is among the largest social safety net programs in Nepal, reaching around 2.9 million school children of 71 districts enrolled in lower basic education. For the cash-based school meals programme, national funds are channelled directly to municipalities, shifting responsibility to local authorities and the schools themselves that in many cases are unprepared for effectively implementing this programme. Additionally, since 2019 the MoEST has designed multiple guidelines and for the implementation of the midday meals, including endorsing 10 sets or (Home Grown School Feeding) HGSF menus as reference for the programme nationwide.

In response to the government’s request of technical assistance to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of the national school meals programme WFP has designed a project for capacity strengthening on managing the cash-based school meals in Nuwakot, under a home-grown school meals approach. Improved school infra-structures to deliver health midday meals, better management and increased accountability, healthier eating habits and nutrition of students and their families, and increased participation of local small holder farmers as regular suppliers of food to school meals are among expected outcomes of the project. Additionally, this project is aimed at strengthening overall capacity and governance on school meals among the 12 municipalities and of Nuwakot for better results of this programme.

JOB PURPOSE

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs. The Programme Policy Officer (HGSF Project Manager) should provide expertise on an innovative and sustainable approach for the roll-out of home-grown school feeding in Nepal. Additionally, she or he will support school meals policy and programme activities in support of an effective pathway for the WFP’s contribution to sustainable national school meals programme that meets beneficiaries needs. Additionally, the Project Manager will be responsible for ensuring an effective implementation of the Project, ensuring timely and quality delivery of the expected outputs and outcomes including reporting. She or he will supervise two field staff that includes a field coordinator and an engineer.

WFP is seeking to hire a committed, innovative, and dynamic project manager to join the WFP Nepal CO, under the overall supervision and guidance of the Head of School Meals Programme of the Programme Unit. The Project Manager will be responsible for the overall guidance and management of the Project for the National School Meals Programme (NSMP) in Nuwakot District in alignment with the Activity 3 (School Meals) of the WFP Nepal’s Country Strategic Plan (2019-2023).

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Functional Area: Programme Unit (School Meals Programme)

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not All-inclusive)

• Lead and contribute towards the design and development of a suitable model for the context of Nepal.
• Provide management support to the Project for the National School Meals Programme in Nuwakot District ensuring a coordinated approach as per the CSP and the intention to transition the school meals programme in Nepal that complies with WFP standards and procedures and donor requirement.
• Conduct research and analysis of a range of policy and operational documents related to HGSF and inform the development of policies, programmes and activities in line with the context in Nepal.
• Guide and ensure the effective delivery of Capacity Building activities for relevant stakeholders in the HGSF, including WFP staff, partners and government.
• Develop guidelines, manuals and other standards and regulations on HGSF and the NSMP in Nepal.
• Lead the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on activities of the SMP Project in Nuwakot that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal and external counterparts, such as field staff, local governments and school staff, and cooperating partners, among others, to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects, and highlight and address potential risks to project delivery.
• Overseeing activities developed by implementation partners, field coordinator and engineer at field level for ensuring timely and effective implementation of the project workplan, including but not being limited to school infra-structure development, capacity building activities for government school members and community including rollout of trainings and HGSFmenu planning and contracting cooperatives, behaviour change and communication activities, and other activities for improving the governance on school meals including monitoring and accountability system for the school meals programme in Nuwakot.
• Facilitate the cross-sectoral linkages within WFP and with external stakeholders such as the MoALD, MoHP, MoEST, NPC for the sustainability of the HGSF and the NSMP in Nepal.
• Support local governments on developing policies and strategies that increase the effectiveness and multisectoral coordination since planning till implementing and assessing results of the school meals programme in the 12 municipalities of Nuwakot District.
• Contribute to school meals programme and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Other as required.

DELIVERABLES

• Contribute on planning the transition of school meals in Nepal with the HGSF mainstreamed in government policies and plans.
• Support the CO and SMP unit on developing and testing improved model of technical assistance for the rollout of an effective home grown feeding for the National School Meals Programme in Nepal.
• Contribute to the planning and coordinating the implementation the project’s yearly workplan in alignment Activity 3: School Meals Programme of the CSP (2019-2023) and coordination with engineering unit at WFP CO, government and other agencies directly related with this project.
• Contribute for the development of M&E system that strengthens government monitoring and reporting of SMP in Nuwakot, ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained, including innovation such as piloting a SMS-based monitoring system for the midday meals programme
• Contribute for enhanced governance of school meals in Nuwakot district, including assisting municipalities on formulating policies and plans to guide an intersectoral coordinated approach for effectively implementing of the midday meals programme in their schools.
• Accurate and timely reporting activities developed and use of resources, and lessons learned during the implementation of the SMP Project in Nuwakot, that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved home-grown school feeding models and packages.
• Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and queries related to home-grown school feeding.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

Education: Advanced University degree (Masters) in International Development, International Relations, Anthropology, Sociology, Social Research Methods, or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional five (5) years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses. A Masters degree or PhD in Agriculture of other studies related to HGSF is desirable.

Language: Fluency in English and Nepali language is essential.

Desired Experiences For Entry Into The Role

• Has deep technical knowledge and experience in HGSF through exposure to NMSP and other similar programmes
• Has accumulated knowledge of policy landscape relevant to HGSF, including but not limited to smallholder agriculture, cross-sectoral linkages, food procurement and supply chain, as result of her/his leadership on implementing HGSF programmes/projects.
• Has provided input into programme and policy discussions and decisions by participating in the formulation of policies and or strategies and plans for the rollout of HGSF model in Nepal
• Three (3) or more years of professional experience with Master degree or 5 years with first degree (bachelors) related to national development programmes, policies, strategies or plans and institutional structures, preferably in relation to food security and/or nutrition and revolving around national capacity strengthening and/or programme and knowledge management;
• Has gained experience in implementing home-grown school feeding programmes or projects, or implementing programmes or project aimed at local agriculture development, market opportunities for local small holder farmers and cooperatives;
• Has implemented home-grown school feeding projects or other development projects that required close coordination with agriculture, education, and local government.
• Has solid knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues in areas related to this project;
• Has experience in establishing contacts and liaising with partner organizations/companies, local governments, farmers associations and schools;
• Previous experience working in an International Organization and/or UN organization is an asset.

Other Specific Job Requirements

• Good understanding of the National School Meals Programme (NSMP) of Nepal, and its relationship with the Education and Agriculture policies, strategies and plans;
• Familiarity with key concepts and principles in HGSF and effective knowledge transfer models, concepts and principles relevant to humanitarian context;
• Knowledge of WFP mandate, Country Strategic Planning (CSP) process, intervention modalities, programme and project lifecycle tools, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation is an advantage;
• Good operational, analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Demonstrated ability to produce quality written outputs;
• Ability to confidently make presentation (or present what?) in English and/or in the language of the region desirable;
• Proficiency in computer literacy.
• Ability to develop and maintain networks with a variety of stakeholders;
• Emerging facilitation skills enough to support workshops and group discussions;
• Ability to convey in an informed and professional demeanor towards partners and stakeholders;
• Flexibility to adapt individual contributions to changing contexts and needs;
• Ability to participate in open dialogue and value diverse opinions, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country of assignment;
• Willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work;
• Ability to work independently in a timely and organized manner;
• Ability to work in a team and multi-task as needed.

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.

Functional Capabilities

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level

Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance Displays ability to identify the main hunger problem at the national or subnational level to design and implement context-specific programmes that integrate complex analysis and the full range of food assistance tools.

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 ability to translate understanding of programme principles in emergencies and protracted conflict situations into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches.

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.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Monday, 14 March 2022

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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.