Programme Associate

Job Requisition ID: JR110672

About WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves. To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

Why Join WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

Organisational Context

At this level, job holders are expected to demonstrate responsibility and initiative to respond independently to various queries with only general guidance. There is a requirement to use judgment in dealing with unforeseen operational problems on a daily basis. Job holders are expected to manage resources and coach and coordinate support staff.

Purpose of the Assignment

This position will report directly to the Head of Nutrition, HIV and School-Based Programmes and under the overall supervision of the Head of Programme, both at the Country Office. This position is expected to provide effective specialised support and technical analyses to policy and programme activities especially on school health and nutrition including school feeding.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Provide technical support and assist in the development and implementation of various activities and processes including on nutrition, school-based programmes, food systems supporting alignment with wider programme policies and guidelines.
• Oversee the WFP Mtwara Office, liaising with partners including government, development, private sector to ensure well-coordinated implementation of programmes/projects/activities.
• Provide specialised project management support to various programmes including school health and nutrition, school feeding, food systems etc. to ensure that the various activities are performed within the established targets following WFP’s policies and procedures.
• Support to coordinate preparatory activities, implementation, monitoring of new programmes, projects, and activities including consultations, assessments, identifying stakeholders and establishing partnerships.
• Ensure close follow up on activities under various agreements with Government institutions, NGOs, private sector etc. for high quality and timely implementation and reporting, identify bottlenecks and highlight potential risks to project delivery and address them timely with project focal points.
• Prepare a range of reports and data analysis (e.g. programme /project/activities status or progress, resource utilisation, performance) and highlight trends/issues ensuring deliverables adhere to corporate standards and quality control.
• Ensure and/or perform accurate, timely recording of data within the specific technical area of work including school health and nutrition programmes and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Contribute to or draft briefs, talking points, policy papers, and other relevant strategic materials for different audiences.
• Promote, identify and facilitate Government and community ownership of programmes and strengthened integration of nutrition, HIV and school feeding interventions in Government’s programmes and across the Country Strategic Plan.
• Liaise with internal counterparts to support effective collaboration, implementation and monitoring of ongoing project activities.
• Coordinate and communicate with local partners, agencies, NGOs and government institutions to perform accurate situational analyses and to ensure efficient delivery of programmes.
• Support the identification of potential public and private sector strategic and operational partners and partnership negotiations and strengthen existing partnerships including on nutrition, HIV, school-based programmes, and food systems.
• Actively participate and/or represent WFP and contribute to national or United Nations system cross-sectoral groups in Mtwara and Lindi regions.
• Support advocacy efforts and actively contribute to resource mobilisation including identifying funding opportunities, drafting concept notes, funding proposals, corporate and donor reports.
• Support the capacity building of WFP staff, cooperating partners and national government on school health and nutrition, food systems and other relevant areas.
• Act as a point of contact for resolution of a range of operational queries and problems on school health and nutrition, food systems and other relevant areas.
• Oversee and/or review the work of other support staff, providing practical advice and guidance, to contribute to delivering objectives to agreed standards and deadlines.
• Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to ensure WFP is able to quickly respond and deploy needed resources to affected areas at the onset of the crisis.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Education

Completion of certificate of Secondary education. A first University (Bachelor’s) degree in nutrition, public health, project management, rural development, or other related fields.

Experience

• Minimum of 4 years of relevant project management and coordination and/or operational experience.
• Experience working and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders including government, NGOs, private sector, civil society, community members on food systems related areas.
• Experience working on school feeding and with school stakeholders is a plus.
• Has worked with technical teams (e.g., nutrition, school feeding, social behaviour change, food fortification, agriculture, food security analysis, etc.).

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of the programme cycle.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Excellent writing and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical skills, problem solving skills innovative and creative thinking.
• Versatile and flexible team player.
• Ability to work within a team.
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.

Language

Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Swahili languages.

Duty Station

Mtwara