WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and disability.
JOB DETAILS
Job Title: Programme Policy Officer (Social Protection Officer)
Grade: NOB
Type of contract: Fixed Term
Duration: 12 Months – extendable
Duty Station: Kabul Country Office
Vacancy Number: 289535
Date of Publication: 30 Jan 2023
Deadline of Application:12 Feb 2023
This vacancy announcement is for Afghan nationals only and Female applicants and qualified applicants are especially encouraged to apply to this position.
JOB PURPOSE
Social protection is an increasingly popular strategy for governments to reduce extreme poverty, hunger, and inequalities and promote the access to essential needs for the most vulnerable. Virtually every country in the world has at least one social protection scheme in place, and 3.5 billion people are already covered by some type of social protection benefits.
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. In 2020, WFP partnered with governments in 78 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 were put at risk across the globe, undermining decades of progress towards the SDGs. In response to these socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, many governments are currently adapting and/or putting in place new social protection schemes.
Through its triple role as a technical advisor, service provider and complementary actor, WFP is supporting these national efforts, as it works with governments and communities to extend the coverage, comprehensiveness, adequacy and quality of national social protection systems, with the aim to ensure that all people have access, throughout their lives, to strong national social protection systems that safeguard and foster their ability to meet their food security, nutrition and associated essential needs, and to reduce and address the risks and shocks they face
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
The WFP Afghanistan Country Office (CO) is seeking a highly motivated candidate to support the development of a strategy for WFP’s intervention to contribute to social protection and safety nets in Afghanistan as well as to help the CO to design and implement interventions to support, jointly with other international social protection actors, shock-responsive approaches, in complementarity to, or through national social protection systems as appropriate and as the situation evolves. The incumbent will work under the supervision of the Head of Social Protection and under the overall supervision of the Head of Programme. The incumbent will be responsible for carrying out the following tasks and responsibilities:
Strategic direction and guidance
1. Strategy, policy, guidance and coordination
- Assist the Head of Social Protection in developing WFP’s Social Protection strategy, with linkages to WFP’s interventions in the field.
- Support the Head of Social Protection to coordinate, as needed, WFP social protection and safety net initiatives within the country and identify opportunities for exchange of knowledge and learning with other social protection actors.
2. Programme Management and Coordination:
- Support the Head of Social Protection to liaise with other WFP units including Budget and Programming, Supply Chain and M&E to provide information, as may be required for formulation of Social Protection proposals, monitoring reports, donors reports and other reporting.
- Coordinate with other UN and NGO partners as may be necessary for information sharing and reporting.
- Support the Head of Social protection to ensure project updates and other programmatic information requests from donors are responded to in a timely manner.
3. Information, evidence building, knowledge and learning
- Support the Head of Social Protection to the generation, documentation, and dissemination of evidence and knowledge relevant to supporting national hunger safety net solutions.
- Support the capacity development of staff and partners in social protection.
- Support the design of learning initiatives that enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partners to engage in social protection-relevant policy dialogues, programme design and delivery.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Advanced University degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, International Development, International Relations, Sociology, or other fields relevant to social protection, or, a First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Knowledge& Skills: Three or more years of professional experience relevant to social protection, preferably contributing to food security and/or nutrition objectives:
Understanding of Agenda 2030 and respective targets – particularly SDG1, SDG2 and SDG17 – and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them;
- Understanding of the 2021 WFP Social Protection Strategy.
- Knowledge of current thinking and developments in the field of social protection and public policy.
- Knowledge of current thinking and developments in-country capacity strengthening and effective knowledge transfer models, concepts, and principles.
- Previous experience and knowledge of Afghanistan and/or the sub-region an asset, including knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues.
- Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written outputs and ability to present in English as the working language
- Ability to work independently and in stressful circumstances in a timely and organised manner.
- Ability to work as part of a team, participating in open dialogues and valuing diverse opinions of others, regardless of gender, culture, background, experience
- Has gained experience across one or more programme types relevant to social protection (e.g. cash-transfer programmes, school feeding, food assistance for assets, insurance programmes);
- Has experience managing substantial components of a complex programme in volatile and conflict-affected settings.
- Proficient computer literacy
Languages: Fluency (level C) in English language, knowledge of Dari is an advantage
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Today Afghanistan faces mounting challenges against the background of an already alarming food security and nutrition situation, widespread poverty and insecurity, recurrent waves of displacement, and long-standing structural economic instability. The negative effects on the lives and livelihoods of people caused by drought (the second one hitting the country over the past three years) and other natural hazards, as well as Covid-19, have been further aggravated by the deep political uncertainty triggered by the takeover of the country by the Taliban, which culminated in the capture of Kabul on 15th August 2021.
This complex context requires a dual approach to meet immediate humanitarian needs, while stabilizing people’s livelihoods, supporting the local economy, and protecting development gains. To that end, programmatic objectives for WFP alongside the emergency response focus on:
1. Building resilient livelihoods and enhancing productive inclusion;
2. Scaling flexible mechanisms to target food security and malnutrition, and;
3. Ensuring access to basic services that have been interrupted due to closure of clinics and non-payment of salaries and reducing the risk of further displacement (both rural / urban and also cross-border).
The analysis and modalities used by WFP to deploy emergency and other forms of assistance can also contribute toward the basis of any future adaptive or shock-responsive social protection system.
Despite profound changes in the operational environment since the Taliban takeover in mid-August, WFP has retained its operational presence and capacity to deliver and maintain the provision of basic services in all 34 provinces of the country. WFP continues to maintain collaboration with a network Cooperating Partners including local and international NGOs, as well as collaborative relationships with a range of UN agencies. This network provides WFP with a robust platform for continuing and expanding activities in several areas of intervention to address short- medium- and long-term needs.
ABOUT WFP
The 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 lifetime. 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.
HOW TO APPLY
To be considered, interested candidates are invited to apply via (https://www.wfp.org/careers/job-openings).
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
We want to ensure the recruitment process is fully accessible. Please contact us at afg.hrrecruitment@wfp.org to advise us of any accessibility needs you may have.
We do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization’s page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.