Programme P. Officer (Emergency Preparedness & Response, Food Security Cluster Coord, NOB, Harare (160248) – World Food Programme (WFP)

Job Summary
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
In Zimbabwe, WFP has a strong track record of delivering food assistance and managing supply chains during crises, while building resilience to shocks among vulnerable communities. The July 2022-December 2026 Country Strategic Plan (CSP) provides a road map to promote shock-responsive social protection and sustainable and resilient food systems.

The July 2022-December 2026 articulates collaborative efforts to better anticipate future needs, improve data and forecasting and strengthen livelihoods and local capacities to withstand, respond to and adapt more readily to sudden or chronic stresses. WFP will support informed decision making on food security and nutrition in Zimbabwe, and will integrate nutrition, gender, protection and inclusion, youth engagement, technological innovation and decentralized zero hunger action throughout the plan. WFP will establish new partnerships and leverage existing ones to their full potential, including those with the other Rome-based and other United Nations agencies. WFP Zimbabwe’s July 2022-December 2026 CSP focuses on the below areas;

Social and humanitarian assistance for food-and nutrition-insecure populations in targeted rural and urban areas.
Support to urban food insecure households for resilient livelihoods.
Support to rural communities for climate resilient livelihoods, sustainable management of natural resources and enhanced participation in local markets and value chains.
Collaboration with national actors to enhance capacities to develop, coordinate and implement well-informed, effective and equitable actions for achieving food and nutrition security.
Services to humanitarian and development actors in Zimbabwe so they can implement their programmes and provide support to their beneficiaries in an efficient, effective and reliable way at all times, including during crises.

Duties And Responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE
The Programme Policy Officer will fulfil the dual role of 1) coordinating WFP’s emergency preparedness and response actions in collaboration with colleagues across various functional and programmatic areas and 2) act as the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster/Sector (FSLC/S) coordinator.

In the first role the PPO will lead the preparedness actions of WFP Zimbabwe, revising and updating contingency plans and procedures, ensuring coordination between different units (Programme, Vulnerability Assessment & Mapping, Logistics, ICT and Admin/Finance) and liaising with government and humanitarian partners. The PPO will also work to establish national EPR capacity needs and develop and support initiatives to enhance systems, tools and capacities in this field.

In the latter capacity, the PPO will ensure timely, coherent, and effective food security interventions by mobilizing and supporting stakeholders to deliver a coordinated and strategic sectoral response. The role of the FSLC/S Coordinator is to lead food security coordination along with the Information Management Officer (IMO) both working under the leadership of the lead agencies (FAO and WFP) and with the cooperation and interaction of a wide range of stakeholders. The PPO will work closely with the UN Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator and the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) or their designated official, and with all other humanitarian stakeholders including other cluster/sector coordinators.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Under direct supervision of the Social and Humanitarian Assistance team leader, with backstopping from the Head of Programme and accountability on FSLC/S activities to the Country Director, the PPO will;

1. Contribute towards the development of a wide variety of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.

2. Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.

3. Support and guide the CO to implement corporate guidance and tools to improve Emergency Preparedness & Response (including focus areas such as climate change and disaster risk reduction, in addition to emergency distributions/operations).

4. Assess hazards and emerging risks in the country, provide outlooks, early warnings analysis and recommend preparedness actions to respective units and senior management.

5. Develop and coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.

6. Research and analyse a range of policy and operational issues to inform the development of policies, programmes and activities.

7. Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

8. Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.

9. Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.

10. Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through providing inputs into training materials. Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.

Additional Accountabilities
Establish and maintain the Food Security and Livelihoods Sector: actively ensure membership and engagement of key partners at national and sub-national level, organize regular partners meetings, and ensure overall coordination of food security response.
Ensure timely, inclusive, and regular information sharing and discussion with the cluster partners through various modalities including FSS meetings, email dissemination of FSS products (dashboards, maps, assessments, etc.) and establishment of relevant technical working groups as required.
When required, contribute to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and other ad-hoc response plans by managing the process for the FSS supported by the IMO, with inputs from, and in close consultation with, the FSS partners.
Facilitate a timely, coherent effective and coordinated food security response by mobilizing stakeholders in a strategic manner. Support advocacy for food security needs. Facilitate inclusion of People Centric Issues in food security programming
Enhance coordination through the reinforcement of linkages and synergies between relevant food security actors, as well as between humanitarian and development partners
Ensure the regular updating of WFP Emergency Preparedness Plan, liaising with the different units to ensure that procedures are pro-actively revised and fine-tuned. Support service delivery of concerned Partners for both planned activities and response to rapid onset emergencies

Qualifications And Experience
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, International Relations, Development Studies, Logistics / Supply Chain Management, or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Work Experience: Five years professional (managerial) experience in humanitarian/development sector at a mid or senior level. Experience in food security related topics is mandatory and experience with inter-agency coordination is desirable.

Strong understanding of humanitarian principles, emergency, and security management in high-risk environments.
Ability to build partnerships, coordinate and build consensus with a variety of internal and external stakeholders across functions.
Ability to analyze and synthesize complex information and develop succinct reports / proposals for partners and donors.
Ability to work and plan at both operational and strategic level.
Understanding of the international humanitarian response architecture, including humanitarian principles, coordination mechanisms
Ability to work under pressure and adapt to an evolving and complex humanitarian context.
Excellent communication skills both written and oral with an ability to express and summarize ideas orally and in writing in a diplomatic and inclusive manner.
Ability to interact with different stakeholders and represent the FSC in strategic meetings and discussions.
Ability to lead workshops, meetings and to present outcomes on behalf of a group of stakeholders.
DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE
Experience in designing and implementing capacity strengthening programmes
Experience in developing contingency plans is desirable.
Good understanding of FS Assessments, surveys, and Monitoring & Evaluation.
Experience supporting emergency food assistance (in-kind and/or cash/voucher) programming and distribution is an advantage.
Good understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG2 (zero hunger) and SDG17 (Partnerships).
Strong awareness and understanding of gender and disability inclusion perspectives