General Information :

• Issuing date: 4 August 2019
• Closing date: 22 August 2019
• Post title: Programme Policy Officer – Country Capacity Strengthening

 Consultant (Capacity Needs Mapping – CNM) :

• Contract Type:  Service Contract
• Duty Station: WFP Liberia, Monrovia, with possible travel to the field
• Unit: Programme
• Grade: SC 9
• Duration (in months): Initial duration of 6 Months
• Entry of Duty:   Immediate
• Reporting to:   Senior Programme Policiy Officer/Head of Programme

Context and background :

Through the adoption in 2015 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) nations are increasingly taking the lead in sustainably improving the wellbeing of their populations and building their own capacities to design and deliver effective anti-hunger solutions. To fulfil its mission to end global hunger, and to support national governments in doing this, WFP provides nations with direct capacity to respond to hunger—when such capacity is missing or inadequate—or increasingly, facilitates national capacity to end hunger and improve food security by supporting national food security and nutrition systems and services.

 

Country Capacity Strengthening (CCS) according to WFP :

WFP recognises strong and sustained national capacities are critical to addressing the multiple causes of hunger and responding to the food security and nutrition needs of vulnerable populations over the long-term. Indeed, the achievement of international and national development targets hinges on capacities of individuals, organizations and societies to transform in order to reach development objectives.

The WFP framework for capacity strengthening recognises that without supportive laws, policies, strategies and procedures (enabling environment), well-functioning organizations (organizational domain), and educated, skilled people (individual domain) state and non-state duty bearers cannot effectively plan, implement and review their efforts to deliver intended products and services to their target groups. Effective CCS support must therefore address all three domains, recognising the interdependencies between them. Single interventions (e.g., trainings) are not likely to make a significant difference unless they represent a key leverage point that can shift an entire system’s behaviour.

Applying this holistic and systems-strengthening approach to its interventions, WFP supports stakeholder capacities along five critical pathways: (i) Policies and legislation; (ii) Institutional accountability; (iii) Strategic planning and financing; (iv) Stakeholder programme design and delivery; and (v) Engagement and participation of civil society and private sector.

The Capacity Needs Mapping (CNM) is an integral but distinct part of a country engagement strategy and serves as a critical input to programme or respectively project design and implementation. It offers a practical framework through which assets, gaps, needs and opportunities relating to national zero hunger capacity can be systematically identified. It is built around the corporate framework for Country Capacity Strengthening and involves a demand-driven, participatory process that revolves around stakeholder self-assessment and positioning of current capacities along a continuum of less developed to self-sufficient capacity descriptions, thus identifying existing strengths and areas in need of support.

Country context and national response :

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. WFP gets food and supports to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters.  Assisting 91.4 million people in around 83 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.

Under his Country Strategic Plan (CSP), in Liberia, the United Nationas World Food Programme, is providing:

1. an integrated, inclusive and gender-transformative school feeding package to food‑insecure and nutritionally vulnerable schoolchildren, including take-home rations for adolescent girls, in a way that relies on and stimulates local production (home-grown school feeding).
2. an integrated emergency food and nutrition assistance package to vulnerable households affected by disasters or other disruptions
3. capacity strengthening support to the Government and its partners to strengthen national coordination mechanisms and information management and monitoring systems for food security and nutrition and disaster risk management

Purpose and scope of these Terms of Reference :

The Country Office is seeking an experienced consultant to coordinate the completion and validation of one or Capacity Needs Mapping (CNM) exercises in the, but limited to, specify areas and key institutions/stakeholders.

1. [Ministry/Dept of Education] to effectively [reduce hunger and malnutrition among schoolchildren in high-food insecure counties] through strengthened capacity to [effectively coordinate, oversee and deliver nutritious, locally-procured and prepared school meals in public and community primary schools].
2. [local SHFarmers and SHF associations] to effectively [contribute to community-level prevention of malnutrition] through strengthened capacity to [reliably produce and supply local institutional feeding programmes with nutritious, quality foods].
3. [Ministry/Dept of Agriculture] to effectively [ensure reliable availability of food across national territory] through strengthened capacity to [integrate community-based grain reserves into national strategic grain reserves network].
4. [NDMA] to effectively [inform national response to seasonal shocks and crisis affecting food security and nutrition]
5. [National Food Security Committee] to effectively [contribute to reducing disparities among men’s and women’s nutritional statuses] through strengthened capacity to [oversee and coordinate effective design and implementation of gender-transformative nutrition policies and programmes]
6. [Ministry of Health] to effectively [spearhead an evidence-based FSN policy and programme design and implementation] through strengthened capacity to [oversee and coordinate digitalisation and institutionalisation of multi-sectoral food security and nutrition analysis].

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive within the delegated authority) :

The incumbent will operate under the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Policy Officer/Head of Programme and in close collaboration with all CSP Activity Managers as required to ensure proper formulation of capacity outcome statements (COS) and adjustment of the CNM template as needed. If and when required, the Consultant will also liaise with the Regional Bureau Capacity Strengthening Advisor and the OSZI Capacity Strengthening Team in HQ. Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for carrying out the following tasks and responsibilities:

• Familiarize with the WFP corporate framework and approach for country capacity strengthening and consult with RB/HQ for on-boarding in CCS and CNM overview; [practical materials and guidance sheets will be shared by HQ to support the consultancy]
• Guide and support CO Activity Managers in formulating required Capacity Outcome Statements (COS), supporting and coordinating WFP Activity Managers in liaising with WFP’s key stakeholders to coordinate, facilitate and validate the COS as required;
• In collaboration with relevant subject matter experts in the CO, spearhead and complete the adjustment of the CNM template to the COS domain;
• Coordinate and facilitate internal dialogue around preliminary completion of the CNM assessment, building on in-house knowledge and experience where sufficient, coordinating and facilitating bilateral dialogue with key informants where necessary and/or organizing stakeholder events (workshops, meetings, etc.) as needed to obtain required information for CNM completion;
• Complete the CNM Final Narrative using the CNM Final Narrative template (available from HQ);
• Coordinate and facilitate validation of CNM assessment findings with interested stakeholders, ensuring the CO receives official communication of stakeholder approval/validation of findings for documentation purposes;
• Distribute the stakeholder validated CNM (final narrative and/or matrix, as required) to relevant CO Activity Managers to inform programme design;
• Where the DACCS software is available to the Country Office, ensure process is well documented in the system to facilitate corporate reporting exercises and analysis; and
• Perform other related duties as required.

Deliverables :

• Country Office staffs and stakeholders familiarized with corporate framework and approach for country capacity strengthening
• Capacity Outcome Statements (COS) formulated and validated
• CNM templates completed
• CNM completed and validated
• Validated CNM disseminated
• The process is well documented in the corporate system (DACCS – Database for Country Capacity Strengthening)

Qualifications, Experience and Skills :

Education :

Master’s degree in International Development, International Relations, Anthropology, Sociology, Social Research Methods, or related fields.

Experience :

• 7-8 or more years of relevant professional experience e.g., related to national development programmes, policies, strategies or plans and institutional structures, preferably in relation to food security and/or nutrition and revolving around national capacity building and/or programme and knowledge management;
• Experience working in an international environment heavily dependent on virtual networking and engaging individuals from a diverse range of nations and functional areas;
• Experience carrying out methodical thematic research and analytical work;
• Experience in establishing contacts and liaising with partner organisations/companies.
• Previous experience working in an International Organisation and/or UN organisation desirable.

Technical Skills & Knowledge :

• Solid understanding of Agenda 2030 and in particular, understanding of SDG2 and SDG17 and respective targets and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them
• Knowledge of current thinking and development in country capacity development and effective knowledge transfer models, concepts and principles relevant to humanitarian/emergency contexts
• Familiarity with WFP’s mandate, Country Strategic Planning process, intervention modalities, programme and project lifecycle tools, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation desirable.
• Demonstrated data collection and analytical writing skills, including ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information to understand national capacities across a wide range of policy and programme areas and identify gap and needs, as well as WFP’s entry points.
• Good operational, analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written outputs and ability to present them in English
• Moderate to proficient computer literacy

Soft skills :

• Excellent ability to develop and maintain networks with a variety of stakeholders
• Strong facilitation skills for strategic/analytical workshops and group discussions
• Strong analytical, problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to convey an informed and professional demeanour toward internal and external partners and stakeholders
• Flexibility to adapt individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from colleagues and internal/external changes
• Ability to participate in open dialogue and value diverse opinions, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment
• Willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work;
• Ability to work independently in a timely and organised manner
• Ability to work in a team and multi-task as needed.

Languages :

Fluency in English is essential :

• Fluency or ability to work in any of the other official languages (Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese and Russian) or working languages (Portuguese) of WFP considered an asset.

Competencies and Values :

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• 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.

Females are encouraged to apply.