Programme Policy Officer, Social Protection (Strategic Policy Advisor) (826793)

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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

The corporate WFP Social Protection Strategy 2020-2030 frames WFP’s social protection work in the context of second-generation country strategic plans (CSP). Within the strategy, WFP’s role as a solutions analyst is determined. WFP supports governments around the world to understand their policy challenges and support the articulation and implementation of suitable policy solutions that underpin the direction of programmatic and administrative efforts in social protection.

The Strategic Plan (2017-2021) marked a major shift for WFP by aligning its strategic goals to SDG2 and 17, leaving the setting of specific strategic results to country offices with the view to ensure strong alignment with national priorities as part of the country strategic planning. This large step forward for WFP – shifting from being a doer to increasingly taking on an enabling role – requires a sophisticated understanding of national processes for developing and implementing public policy, including social and fiscal deliberations. Moreover, the shift represents a new potential business model for WFP, including increased attention to inter-agency collaboration mechanisms (as exemplified by the projects under the Joint Fund for the 2030 Agenda) and new potential resource channels (strengthening contributions from host governments to cover the cost for technical assistant).

Likewise, the corporate Strategic Plan 2022-2026 is envisaged to further assert WFP’s changing lives agenda, and this, the organization’s role in development. Within this strategy, WFP’s contribution to social protection systems will be emphasized as a way to deliver development outcomes at scale.

In recognition of the growing demand from governments to WFP country offices within the region for highly specialized support in social protection, especially in the context of the medium-long term response to a prolonged, multidimensional crisis in the region (economic, climate, migration factors, combined with structural socio-economic inequalities), the provision of this policy and technical expertise has been ensured since 2021 through the creation of a Regional Strategic Policy Advisor – Social Protection position. The need for this specialized skillset is still very much required moving forward.

JOB PURPOSE

To ensure WFP is equipped to leverage the opportunities that accompany the shift from being a doer to increasingly taking on an enabling role, the Regional Bureau Panama is seeking a Strategic Policy Advisor to position WFP as a partner of choice with influence on a wide set of social protection-related policy dialogues, relevant to food and nutrition security. The incumbent will report to the Regional Social Protection Advisor (who is also the Regional Social Protection and Nutrition Team Lead).

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Provide strategic and technical policy advice to country offices for the design and implementation of social protection components of the second-generation CSPs (including preparatory work required with Country Offices, participation in formulation missions and/or strategic realignment missions, and budget revisions).
• Provide strategic advice to the Social Protection and Nutrition Team Lead (Social Protection Advisor) in the definition and management of the RBP evidence generation and learning agenda for social protection, in coordination with the Evaluation Unit, the Research Assessment and Monitoring team, Strategic Plan Headquarter units, as well as Programme.
• Manage the Knowledge, Communication, and Capacity Regional Strategy for Social Protection.
• Facilitate the operationalization of the corporate strategic vision for social protection in LAC, as described in the Regional Social Protection Strategy for LAC, launched in 2019, and in the global Social Protection Strategy 2021-2030; in particular, accelerate WFP regional positioning in priority areas of shock responsive and social protection, social protection and climate change, and national systems strengthening. Collaborate with the Policy Programme Office – Nutrition-sensitive social protection to ensure linkages between the Shock Responsive Social Protection and Social Protection / Climate Change portfolio with the integration of nutrition through national systems.
• Identify strategic entry points for WFP to support social protection policy formulation and implementation, based on solid analysis of the policy problem and evaluation.
• Establish and maintain strategic regional partnerships for complementary and collaborative approaches and initiatives that strengthen national government social protection related strategies and support related advocacy work.
• Position WFP as a reference point, a thought leader and agenda-setter in regional forums relevant to social protection. .
• Contribute to global corporate thinking and dialogue related to social protection, as required.
• Provide strategic guidance to country offices on how to best position WFP country strategic plans vis-a-vis national policy priorities, strategies, and programmes, pertinent to social protection and food and nutrition security.
• Identify and provide advice on how on-going WFP activities can be adjusted to ensure better alignment with national social policies and priorities.
• Coordinate corporate tools and guidance on social protection (including on new areas of work) to be adapted to the needs and specific situations of country offices and the regional context.
• Contribute to strengthening the capacities of regional and country colleagues to engage confidently and credibly in national social policy dialogues.
• Support the Team Leader in the management of Social Protection resources, employees, Long-Term Agreements, and processes, to ensure they are managed effectively to meet Strategic Plan established priorities.
• Other duties as required, to achieve the RBP Social Protection agenda.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF CONTRACT

• Country support provided on social protection through CSP processes and other country strategic needs.
• RBP evidence and learning agenda on social protection revised and updated.
• Capacity strengthening and operational toolkits related to social protection, in particular to SRSP, SP, and climate change and systems strengthening developed and/or adapted to regional needs and rolled out in LAC countries.
• RBP and countries in LAC represented in WFP global and regional events related to SP.
• Strategic input provided to global SP-related strategies and initiatives.
• WFP RBP represented in external SP-related high-level conferences and events.
• South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives on SP and other exchanges within the region and with other regions facilitated.
• Strategic partnerships relevant to SP in the region strengthened (in particular with governments, UN agencies, IFIs, and Academia).

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK: EXPECTED BEHAVIOURS

1. Lead by example with integrity.
   1. Demonstrate and encourage others to uphold WFP values, principles, and standards.
   2. Value diversity using respectful and inclusive language, and encourage others to do the same.
   3. Stay focused and calm when under pressure, encourage others to do the same, and offer guidance and support to manage difficult situations.
   4. Demonstrate humility and a willingness to learn and share knowledge, frequently seeking and acting on feedback, and pursuing opportunities to develop.
2. Drive results and deliver on commitments.
   1. Identify and align objectives to the required outcomes, holding self and/or others accountable for the delivery of results for maximum impact.
   2. Delegate responsibly and provide appropriate support, empowering others to deliver results.
   3. Respond readily to change in different contexts and adapt accordingly.
3. Be inclusive and collaborative
   1. Promote inclusive teamwork and psychological safety by encouraging colleagues to collaborate by sharing ideas and openly raising issues.
   2. Support development for others by giving timely and constructive feedback.
   3. Seek out, trust and listen attentively to diverse views to capture, learn, build, and share new perspectives.
4. Apply strategic thinking.
   1. Communicate and fulfil WFP’s vision and operational outcomes to deliver meaningful solutions.
   2. Demonstrate curiosity, design and implement new ways of doing things when relevant.
   3. Gather data and different perspectives, share knowledge, and use evidence to inform decision making.
   4. Implement decisions, considering the risks and implications of actions for teams, projects, and other initiatives.
5. Build and maintain sustainable partnerships.
   1. Initiate and build partnerships by identifying and promoting opportunities for mutual areas of interest and benefit.
   2. Collaborate with partners to deliver common objectives by sharing information and working together on agreed solutions.

EDUCATION

Post-graduate qualification in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Social Sciences or other field relevant to social protection and public policy.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

At least eight years of professional experience relevant to public policy, preferably on social protection programmes, projects and strategies, research, planning, design, and implementation.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Understanding of Agenda 2030 and respective targets – particularly SDG1, SDG2, and SDG17 – and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them.
• Ability to understand WFP’s mandate, Country Strategic Planning process, intervention modalities, programme and project lifecycle tools, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation desirable.
• Solid knowledge and understanding of social protection systems, climate change, targeting mechanisms, registry design, including their implementation.
• Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative information to understand current and future policy need and identify solutions on social protection.
• Ability to analyze social and economic policies and their impacts on food security, nutrition, poverty reduction, inequality, and exclusion.
• Knowledge of current thinking and developments in the field of capacity development and effective knowledge transfer models, concepts, and principles.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders (including but not limited to Academia, International Funding Institutions, and donors), conveying an informed and professional demeanour toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to deliver convincing and authoritative positions through oral presentations and written products, and to position the regional bureau as technical reference.
• Strong knowledge of the Latin American and Caribbean regional context and issues.
• Strong knowledge of risk informed social protection.
• Familiarity with monitoring systems.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate and drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to translate research into programming solutions.
• Ability to work as part of a team, participating in open dialogues and valuing diverse opinions of others.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

Fluency (level C) in English and Spanish. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of French is desirable.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Based in: Panama City, Panama

Type of Contract: International Consultancy Contract

Level: L-II

Duration: 11 months

Successful candidates will be placed in a roster for two (2) years.

Consultants are recognized authorities or specialists in a specific field and whose services are utilized in an advisory, consultative, or demonstrative capacity.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Application deadline is May 14, 2023.

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WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

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.