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. In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their lives. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. The organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to food and contribute to lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas.

Brief description of WFP in Uganda :

WFP delivers food assistance in emergencies and work with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP provides life-saving food assistance and livelihood opportunities to refugees in Uganda. In addition, WFP assists the most vulnerable people in Karamoja with food and nutrition assistance. Finally, WFP works with smallholder farmers and links them to markets.

As Uganda strives to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and become a middle-income country by 2040, WFP is also assessing its relevance and repositioning its role in Uganda.

Organizational context :

WFP Uganda has been increasingly engaged in the Social Protection agenda, establishing collaborations with central and local governments around programmes that provide direct income support. In this field, WFP Uganda aims at facilitating the leadership of the Government of Uganda (GOU), to strengthen existing Social Protection systems and programmes, in a way that help the country achieve its food and nutrition security objectives. In 2019, WFP Uganda has launched the multi-year “Child-Sensitive Social Protection Programme in Refugees- Hosting districts of West Nile” (Social Protection in West Nile). The programme is implemented in partnership with UNICEF, and it represents a great opportunity to scale-up WFP offer on Social Protection systems strengthening.

The programme focuses on districts that host large number of refugees, and it will explore areas of synergy and complementarity between the response to refugees and national Social Protection programmes.

The programme will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MOGLSD) and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), to strengthen the capacity of district local governments (DLGs) in selected districts of West Nile. The assignment will require strong coordination with the existing technical teams within these institutions, and WFP Social Protection team based in the area and field offices.

Job purpose :

The Programme Policy Officer (Social Protection Systems) Consultant, will lead the technical dialogue with relevant parts of government and development partners to identify opportunities for programmatic offer. The position will be based in the Programme Unit of the Country Office in Kampala and will report to the Head of Resilience and Social Protection. It will require regular travel to West Nile and Karamoja

Key accountabilities/responsibilities. 1/2 (continued..) :

1. Lead the Social Protection in West Nile programme, providing overall technical and programme management direction, including: strategic approach to capacity system strengthening; articulation of programme learning agenda; oversight of resource management; coordination of different workstreams; engagement with GOU technical teams; technical support to the Area Office team ;
2. Support the articulation of WFP offer on Shock Response in close collaboration with the Karamoja Area Office ;
3. Manage operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to Social Protection, and support the dissemination of learning within WFP. Identify opportunity for lessons-sharing between WFP support to Social Protection in Refugees-Hosting Districts and shock-response in Karamoja ;
4. Lead on technical engagement with UNICEF, focusing on the areas of joint programming and synergies of operational research ;
5. Lead on the preparation of the key governance arrangements of the programme, with support from the Social Protection officer in the team ;
6. Translate WFP corporate programme policy on Social Protection into Country level practices, with support from the regional bureau in Nairobi, to ensure a clear and strong connection between HQ and the country office, and identify opportunities to share lessons from Uganda with the broader WFP community of practice on Social Protection ;
7. Provides technical advice or mobilise technical expertise on the following aspects of Social Protection, among others: design and implementation of government-owned direct income support programmes ;
8. Directly manage a sub-team of two and provides technical oversight to the team in the area and field offices. Manage external consultants and short-term expertise ;
9. Advocate for resources for WFP Social Protection portfolio, including shock-response, and clearly articulate WFP offer as facilitator and enabler, when relevant ;
10. Manage or oversee preparation and dissemination of timely analytical and critical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use ;
11. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve Social Protection programmes for refugees-hosting communities and the ability of national systems to respond to shocks also in other parts of the country ;
12. Ensure WFP strategic engagement with other partners working on social protection and enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to Social Protection through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials ;
13. Advice and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partner to design and deliver effective Social Protection programmes ;
14. Provide guidance for effective project funds management including timely budget planning, procurement planning, fund disbursement and tracking of fund utilization in line with corporate guidelines and procedures ;
15. Mentor selected members of the team.

Expected deliverables :

• Programme management deliverables: workplan, budget and HR plans, expenditure reports ;
• WFP Learning Agenda for Social Protection ;
• Organise 1 deep dive with UNICEF to identify lessons learnt relevant for Social Protection Portfolio ;
• Organise relevant workshops with government stakeholders to finalise planning phase of Social Protection programme in West Nile ;
• Develop ToR for operational research, including scoping studies relevant for shock response in Karamoja.

Qualifications & experience required :

Education : Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, 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 :

• At least 10 years of experience in handling complex programmes, including several years on programmes related to Social Protection and Safety Nets, preferably government-owned ;
• Good knowledge of WFP programme approaches ;
• Experience of working in collaboration with government agencies and gained policy experience ;
• Experience in leading teams in strategic discussions ;
• Experience in managing research partners or evaluation companies.

Knowledge & Skills :

• Knowledge and experience of the Uganda context and its Social Protection programmes is a plus ;
• Proven professional experience in the field with ability to work under pressure and independently on technical matters with minimum supervision ;
• Training and/or experience utilizing computers including word processing, spreadsheet and other WFP standard software packages and systems. General Knowledge of UN systems and policies, rules, Regulations and procedures governing administration ;
• Demonstrated excellence in liaising with Donors and establishing innovative partnerships ;
• Excellent writing and communications skills in English, and ability to produce quality document and reports and policy documents ;
• Experience in organising workshops with Government agencies and partners at national and subnational levels.

Language : Fluency (level C) in English language.

4ps core organisational capabilities 1/2 (continued..) :

Purpose :

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work ;
• Be a force for positive change: Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area ;
• Make the mission inspiring to our team: Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities ;
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People :

• Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP ;
• Create an inclusive culture: Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries ;
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement ;
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations.

4ps core organisational capabilities 2/2 :

Performance :

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions : Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries ;
• Focus on getting results : Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks ;
• Make commitments and make good on commitments : Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders ;
• Be Decisive : Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership :

• Connect and share across WFP units: Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning
• Build strong external partnerships: Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships  ;
• Be politically agile & adaptable: Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations ;
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

Deadline for submission is 03 Janaury 2020.

Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.