Head of Capacity Strengthening and Policy Coherence, A.I at the United Nations World Food Programme

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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Capacity Strengthening and Policy Coherence, A.I.

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Type of Contract: TDY/CST (maternity cover)
Unit/Division: Capacity Strengthening and Policy Coherence Unit, Nigeria Country Office
Duration: 4 – 6 months initially (August 2020 – January 2021)

Country Context

• Since 2009, an insurgency led by non-state armed groups and military operations conducted by the Government of Nigeria have had a devastating impact on northeast Nigeria, especially in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY states) which led WFP to respond with a large-scale L3 operation in this part of the country.
• However, food insecurity and malnutrition are not just of concern in the northeast. In fact, Nigeria is experiencing high levels of chronic food insecurity and malnutrition across the country and achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030 would require countrywide efforts. The need for support has only increased as a result of the additional strain that COVID-19 has put on people’s food securty and nutrition situation.

WFP Nigeria Country Strategic Plan (2019 – 2022)
In line with WFP’s broader goal to support the achievement of SDG2 in a manner that contributes to wider peace and development, WFP’s Nigeria Country Strategic Plan (2019 – 2022) focuses on three support modalities:

• Direct support (Strategic Outcomes 1, 2, 3 & 6) to address the food and nutrition needs of vulnerable populations and building their resilience to shocks over time and provide common services to the humanitarian and development community;
• Technical support (Strategic Outcome 4) to strengthen government capacity to implement high-quality food security and nutrition programmes including social protection mechanisms and programmes; and
• Enabling support (Strategic Outcome 5) to contribute to policy coherence in the area of food security and nutrition through effective coordination among relevant stakeholders:
  • In response to COVID-19, WFP Nigeria intensified its support efforts, including in the area of technical and enabling support. One example of this is WFP’s technical support to the government-led National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) whereby WFP worked closely together with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to successfully implement the modified programme to reach vulnerable families with take-home rations in lieu of on-site school meals.
  • Based on this collaboration, the government has now reached out to WFP to provide technical support to further improve the programme for the post-COVID-19 period. Technical support areas may include: targeting and programme design; beneficiary information and management; logistics, procurement, food safety and quality; monitoring and evaluation and; communications and advocacy.
  • Alongside this, WFP is exploring broader areas of engagement in support of the government’s wider social protection mechanism. This includes looking into ways, together with relevant stakeholders, on how to make the existing social protection mechanism more shock-responsive to future shocks. In addition, as part of WFP’s enabling support efforts, COVID-19 and recovery phase will provide challenges as well as opportunities to raise greater awareness on this issue of Zero Hunger.
  • To take forward WFP’s technical support and enabling support activities WFP is looking for a TDY (WFP internal) or international consultant who will manage and lead on these efforts.

Accountabilities/Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the WFP Country Director, provide strategic guidance and ensure day-to-day management of the unit with a focus on:

• Coordinating WFP’s technical support efforts in support of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) and other relevant government entities by:
  • Ensuring overall WFP internal (CO, RB and HQ) and external coordination between WFP and FMHADMSD in the area of technical support to identify needs and opportunities for WFP technical support to the government;
  • Coordinating and providing guidance on the development of a capacity strengthening needs assessment together with relevant units in the CO, RB and HQ and arrange for remote and/or in-country technical support as required;
  • Leading and organizing the technical support provided including by identifying technical support teams, organizing workshops and trainings as well as arrange for field support, as necessary and appropriate;
  • Ensuring monitoring and evaluation of the technical support provided in close collaboration with the VAM/M&E unit to measure results and impact of the technical support efforts undertaken by WFP and identify challenges and opportunities for follow-up support;
  • Exploring opportunities for broader WFP engagement in the area of social protection, in partnership with the government, UN agencies, World Bank and other relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinating WFP’s enabling support efforts in support of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) and other relevant government entities by:
• Exploring and taking forward strategic opportunities for WFP enabling support including through high-level national as well as international engagements with relevant stakeholders such as the Rome-based Agencies (RBAs) and private sector in close collaboration with relevant technical units (e.g. CAM) to ensure that Zero
• Hunger is seen as a development priority of the country including through the organization of Zero Hunger Roundtables and other WFP-led initiatives.

Deliverables
The following deliverables are expected:

• The government benefited from a comprehensive high-quality and measurable technical support package for the further improvement of the NHGSFP;
• Additional opportunities for technical support in the area of social protection have been explored together with relevant internal and external stakeholders and;
• WFP has leveraged strategic opportunities to provide enabling support and explore future opportunities. The achievements on the deliverables and challenges and opportunities are outlined in a report at the end of the contract period.

Qualifications & Experience Required
Education:

• Advanced University Degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition / Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Science or any other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of working experience and/or training/courses.

Desired experience, knowledge and skills:

• Six (6) years of experience in the area of humanitarian and development policy development and/or programme design and implementation;
• Experience in engaging with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders both at the high-level strategy as well as technical level;
• Experience working together with or for governments and/or the private sector;
• Experience working across the WFP programme portfolio including social protection and/or school feeding;
• Ability to operate in a challenging and fast-paced environment and effectively manage workload and competing priorities;
• Strong written and spoken English and the ability to communicate effectively at all levels.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.