Israel/Palestine: Consultant: Programme Officer - Head of Resilience, Food Systems and Climate, Palestine, Jerusalem (832419)

Apr 14, 2024 | World Food Programme
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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 its 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 situation in Palestine, particularly the recent humanitarian crisis in Gaza, underscores the urgency and importance of WFP’s work in address hunger in both the short term, as well as on the road of recovery and for ongoing development-leaning programming. The region faces unique challenges that exacerbate food insecurity and hinder development, including political instability, economic constraints, and environmental factors. In Gaza, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated significantly, leading to a heightened need for appropriate planning for recovery of resilient food systems and comprehensive climate action – alongside the  triple nexus. Moreover, in the West Bank strong efforts are required to build longer term resilience of both assisted populations, in addition to the food system as an entry point for livelihoods. WFP’s strategy aims to address these challenges by strengthening partnerships, fostering innovation, and supporting the implementation of programmes that contribute to sustainable development and resilience building.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.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead the strategy for resilience, food systems, and climate action in Palestine. This pivotal role involves managing the operationalization of these strategies amidst significant scale-up efforts and leading a dedicated team. The ideal candidate will coordinate resilience, Food system and climate programming, ensure compliance with corporate and donor requirements, and oversee the strategic scale-up of national fortification and nutritious food value chains. Additionally, the role requires providing technical and program guidance, promoting social protection linkages, and supporting the development of Country Strategic Plans, in line with the current CSP (2023-2028).

The Role

This position offers the opportunity to make a significant impact through fostering new innovative partnerships, joining UN wide efforts for early recovery in Gaza and the West Bank, , supporting resource mobilization, and designing innovative program strategies for livelihood and resilience building. The successful candidate will liaise with various stakeholders, including regional bureaus, headquarters units, NGOs, and the private sector, to enhance WFP's mission in Palestine. WFP is looking for a leader who can navigate the complexities of urban and peri-urban areas, conflict-sensitive programming and is committed to fostering learning and capacity development at the national level. Join WFP in its mission to fight hunger and build resilience among the communities it serves.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

  • Manage the World Food Programme's (WFP) strategy for resilience, food systems, and climate action in Palestine, including its operationalization amid significant scale-up efforts, while leading a team.
  • Support the coordination of appropriate resilience, food systems and climate programming in Palestine by identifying, reviewing, and mapping key experiences, lessons, comparative advantages, and opportunities at the field level.
  • Implement WFPs corporate approach to resilience building, contextualized to Palestine, with a view to implement integrated, risk informed resilience programming
  • Provide technical and program guidance to staff and NGO Cooperating Partners (CPs) on operationalizing resilience building programme and bring it to scale at implementation level, with a special focus on climate resilient agriculture, Vocational Training (FFT), Smallholder Market Support (SAMS), and other types of livelihood recovery and enhancement, including in urban settings. Clarify and interpret available policies, guidance, and tools.
  • Manage and oversee the strategic scale-up of national fortification and nutritious food value chains, engaging with the private sector. This position may also provide coverage and support for a food-systems approach in other linked programmatic areas if required.
  • Promote linkages between livelihoods and future national social protection where appropriate, supporting the conceptualization, development, and institutionalization of productive safety net approaches.
  • Encourage the integration of principles related to social protection, nutrition, gender, and conflict-sensitive programming throughout the design, planning, and implementation stages.
  • Undertake technical assistance missions to support field-level initiatives and the implementation of WFP tools and guidance.
  • Manage the country-level implementation of the relevant assessments.
  • Support learning and the cross-fertilization of experiences across the country and in the region, building on achievements and results. This includes documenting good practices, lessons learned, success stories, and developing relevant guidance materials.
  • Contribute to and support strategic reflection at the country level and the development of Country Strategic Plans, along with associated programs and activities.
  • Aid in the design and implementation of capacity development initiatives at the national level to enhance WFP staff, partners' and governments ability to develop strategies and programs supporting livelihoods and resilience building.
  • Strengthen regional interagency collaboration and partnerships with NGOs, the private sector, and other relevant actors in the policy and program spheres to advance innovative program strategies for livelihood and resilience building in Palestine.
  • Support resource mobilization efforts for livelihoods, resilience building, climate action, food and nutrition security, including formulating targeted concept notes for innovative program ideas.
  • Liaise with relevant regional bureau and headquarters units regarding the development and adaptation of guidance materials and tools, for example, in relation to urban and conflict-sensitive aspects, ensuring that experiences, visions, and concerns are adequately reflected.
  • Any other assigned duty.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, 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.

Experience: 

  • Minimum 6 years of professional experience required.
  • Exposure to humanitarian and/or development fields.
  • Relevant field experience in implementing technical programs related to resilience, food systems, livelihoods, climate action etc. how they relate to hunger and food security, and sustainable development.
  • Relevant policy and strategy experience in providing input into policy discussion and decisions.

Language:  Fluency (level C) in English language. Arabic is an added value  


 

4Ps Core Organizational 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 its team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
  • Make its 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

See original job posting for details.

Other Specific Job Requirements

See original job posting for details. 

Desired Experience for Entry into Role

  • Has deepened technical knowledge through exposure to technical teams.
  • Has taken leadership of implementing programmes.
  • Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

Deadline for Applications: 19 April 2024 

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.