Job Title: Programme Policy Officer
Organization: United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
Host entity: WFP
Assignment country: Cameroon
Expected start date: 01/11/2023
Sustainable Development Goal: 2. Zero hunger
Volunteer category: International UN Volunteer Specialist
Type: Onsite
Duration: 24 months (with possibility of extension)
Number of assignments: 1
Duty stations: Meiganga
Details
Mission and objectives
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. Created in 1961 as an experiment to
provide food aid through the UN system, WFP is enshrined in 1965 as a
fully-fledged UN Programme. Powered by the passion, dedication and
professionalism of our 20,000 staff worldwide, the World Food Programme (WFP)
works in over 80 countries to bring life-saving food to people displaced by
conflict and made destitute by disasters, and help individuals and communities
find life-changing solutions to the multiple challenges they face in building
better futures. Social protection is an increasingly prominent strategy for
governments to reduce extreme poverty, hunger, and inequalities and promote
access to essential needs. As a global leader in fighting hunger and
malnutrition worldwide, often in very difficult contexts, the World Food
Programme (WFP) is increasingly called upon by governments to support national
social protection systems. WFP is partnering with governments across over 75
countries to strengthen their national social protection systems, making
support in social protection an integral part of its activities in most of the
countries where it operates. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, lives and
livelihoods of the most vulnerable are put at risk across the globe,
undermining decades of progress towards the SDGs. In response to this, many
governments are currently adapting and/or putting in place new social
protection policies, systems and schemes.
Context
Cameroon is a lower-middle-income country with a population
of 23.3 million people of diverse ethnic and two linguistic groups. Ranked
153rd of 188 countries in the 2016 Human Development Index, the average life
expectancy is 58 years; 24% live on less than USD 2 per day and poverty is
concentrated in the Northern and Eastern regions, where 90 percent of people
requiring humanitarian support reside. At least 75 percent of the people over
15 years of age are illiterate, with wide disparity between men and boys (78
percent) and women and girls (65 percent). Cameroon is confronted with three
major complex crises: the crisis in the Lake Chad basin impacting the Far North
region; the consequences of the influx Central African refugees in the east and
the crisis in the Northwest and Southwest (SW/NW). More than one million people
are displaced, and 4.5 million people have humanitarian needs. These challenges
are reinforced by structural factors and chronic vulnerabilities that aggravate
the impact of crises and affect people's resilience capacity. The World Food
Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger
worldwide. WFP’s current Country Strategy Programme (2018-2021) contributes to
all four United Nations Development Assistance Framework pillars: (i) increase
employment opportunities and measures to protect women, young people, children
and socially vulnerable people in target areas; (ii) improve the health of
target populations and prevent child malnutrition in all its forms; (iii)
improve access to education and quality vocational training; and (iv)
strengthen the resilience of target populations addressing food insecurity and
environmental, social and economic shocks. WFP Cameroon is currently seeking
for International UN Volunteers to provide support and technical expertise to
the Field Offices with the design and management of programmes of moderate size
or complexity that effectively meet food assistance needs or contribute to
policy formulation and / or provide technical advice or oversight on programme
strategy and implementation.
Task description
Under the general supervision of the Head of Field Office,
and the technical supervision of the CO Head of Policy, the incumbent UN
Volunteer will perform the following tasks: 1. Contribute to formulation of
WFP-wide programme policies in line with both organisational strategy and the practical
realities of operating in the field; or translate programme policy into
Regional/Country level practices. Developing programme guidance and
implementation modalities and operations, to ensure a clear and strong
connection between HQ and field operations. 2. Provide advice and support to
COs on moderately complex issues to clarify ambiguities and ensure that policy
and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies, Executive Board
decisions, and other relevant guidance. 3. Provide technical advice or mobilise
technical expertise on programme and policy issues including assessment and
analysis, the choice of objectives, activities, transfer modalities and
appropriate food products, the deployment and testing of innovative approaches
and the development of strategies to support government efforts to reduce
hunger and malnutrition. 4. Assist counterparts in governments and other
partners in identifying where food assistance can be usefully employed and
provide support and technical expertise for the planning, formulation, and
implementation of moderately complex food assistance programmes to strengthen
government and community ownership and effectiveness of food security and
nutrition programmes at national and sub-national levels. 5. Establish and
maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative
approaches and initiatives that improve assistance packages and support
advocacy work. 6. Enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to area of
specialism, for example food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience or
engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts through direct
participation, briefings, information products and other materials. 7. Manage
operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to food
assistance. 8. Manage the preparation and dissemination of timely analytical
and critical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or
proposals for internal or external use. 9. Contribute to resources mobilisations
efforts for WFP projects, including clearly articulating the need for food
assistance and related programme opportunities, and follow up on the resource
situation of projects including commodity and cash availability, seeking advice
from senior colleagues where necessary. 10. 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 food assistance programmes.
11. Lead, motivate and develop a team of staff to enable high performance. 12.
Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set
objectives within a moderate budget. 13. Contribute to Country Office Emergency
Preparedness i.e. early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning in
order to respond to humanitarian crises and needs. 14. Other as required.
Eligibility criteria
Age
27 - 80
Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the
country of assignment.
Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in • Has experience working across the
program portfolio including VAM/Nutrition. • Has led a sub-office or small
country/ area of office programme team or a component of a country office
programme portfolio. • Has engaged in policy discussions and provided input
into policy decisions. • Proficiency in Windows MS Office (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Outlook). • Strong analytical skills to conduct independent
research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of
various research sources and statistics. • Advanced skills using database,
statistical analysis, and data visualization software, such as SPSS, Stata, R,
Tableau, etc. Experience with data collection using ODK/ONA a plus. •
Behavioral competencies such as Action Management, Client Orientation,
Cognitive Capacity, Innovation, Partnering and Teamwork. • Experience in
humanitarian context as well as relevant experience within the UN system is
desirable. • Ability to quickly establish and maintain effective working
relations with people of different cultural backgrounds and languages,
willingness to strengthen capacities of partners and colleagues, share best
practices and lessons learned.
Area(s) of expertise
Economics and finance, Development programmes, Agriculture
Driving license
-
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required French, Level: Fluent,
Required
Required education level
Master degree or equivalent 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.
Competencies and values
• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations
relevant to WFP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable
to WFP procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and
tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise
and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior
positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and
ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide
responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures;
ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially;
responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical
standards of the UN and WFP in daily activities and behaviours while acting
without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in
decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest
even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or
unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority. • Teamwork and respect
for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries;
excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective
partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for
diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion,
nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by
ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all
aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance
or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and
willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of
expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and
organizing effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to
manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to
establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to
work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple
concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills;
good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare
clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options
and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to
communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military
personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very
diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide
range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to
live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving
physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere
environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of
operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations
as necessary. • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary
engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and
self-reliance, and commitment towards WFP’s mission and vision, as well as to
the UN Core Values.
Other information
Living conditions and remarks
These positions are located within the WFP field Offices of
Bertoua Batouri and Ngaoundere. Bertoua: is the capital city of the East region
of Cameroon, located in the Lom-et-Djérem division and erected as an urban
council in 2008. Located 350 km from Cameroon capital, Yaoundé, Bertoua has a
population of around 300,000 people. Together with neighboring communities,
Bertoua hosts a considerable number of refugees fleeing conflicts in Central
African Reublic. It is mainly accessible by a road drive of around four hours
and offers all acceptable commodities for a city, including a young state
university created in 2022 (University of Bertoua). WFP has a Field Office in
Bertoua overseeing two antenna offices in Batouri and Garoua Boulai and
implementing emergency and development programmes using General Food for
Assistance, Cash Based Transfers and resilience-focused activities Food for
Assets in favour of refugees from Central African Republic and host
communities. Batouri: is a main town of to the Kadey department in the East
region of Cameroon. From a two-hour drive from Bertoua, and a seven-hour drive
from Yaounde, Batouri is host to around 50,000 people, living mainly from
agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, petty trade and widespread artisanal
mining of precious minerals. WFP has an antenna office in Batouri supporting
with the implementation of emergency and development programmes using General
Food Assistance, Cash Based Transfers and resilience-focused activities Food
For Asset in favour of refugees from Central African Republic and host
communities. Ngaoundere: is the capital city to the Adamawa region of Cameroon.
It enjoys mild temperatures most of the year and is host to one of the largest
universities in Cameroon, University of Ngaoundere, with over 25,000 students.
With an estimated population of 230,000 people in 2020, Ngaoundere is located
in the north of the Adamawa plateau and offers interesting attractions such as
the Benue Natural Park. It offers a variety of hotels of good standard as well as
medical facilities. Ngaoundere is accessible by road (12 hours’ drive from
Yaounde), by train (14 hours’ trip from Yaounde) or via weekly local flights of
around 50 min. WFP has a Field Office in Ngaoundéré which oversees two antenna
offices in Touboro and Meiganga, implementing emergency and development
programmes using General Food for Assistance (GFA), Cash Based Transfers(CBT)
and resilience-focused activities Food For Assets (FFA) in favour of refugees
from Central African Republic and host communities. Cameroon is a unique
country with a mix of Development-Humanitarian unique operation. It provides
for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level
of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to
make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability
and willingness to live, work and travel in harsh and potentially hazardous
conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme
that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to
achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part
of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to
combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights
and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender
identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability,
pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be
subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2
(Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
