International Consultant, Country Strategic Planning at World Food Programme (WFP): (Deadline 1 February 2023)

Career Opportunities: International Consultant, Country Strategic Planning

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

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.

JOB PURPOSE

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 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.

2021 marked a milestone for WFP: all Country Offices now have an Executive Board-approved Country Strategic Plan (CSP) or Interim Country strategic Plan (ICSP) in place. Concluding the first generation of CSPs comes at acritical time as the United Nations system moves towards the next generation of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) – now renamed UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).

The UNSDCF is becoming the central governing and management document for all UN development activities including related elements in CSPs, while the Humanitarian Response Plan continues to guide humanitarian operations. The increased authority of the UNSDCF has implications on WFP’s country strategic planning approach – going forward, all CSPs must be aligned with the UNSDCF both in terms of content and cycle.

Country Offices need to be ready to proactively engage in UNSDCF discussions in order to strategically position WFP and align with the UN’s broader development contribution. Starting with the Common Country Analysis (CCA), this is a unique opportunity to foster WFP’s role at country level and carve out the necessary space for food security and nutrition programmes.

In Rwanda, WFP works in partnership with the Government and other stakeholders to support national priorities for achieving food and nutrition security. This is done through direct implementation of integrated programmes targeting the most vulnerable people and strengthening national capacity to design, implement and manage programmes for achieving zero hunger. Under its current CSP (2019-2024), WFP’s support revolves around four strategic outcomes (SOs) as follows:

• SO1 is designed to ensure that refugees and returnees in Rwanda have access to adequate and nutritious food at all times.
• SO2 aims to ensure that vulnerable populations in food insecure communities and areas have improved access to adequate and nutritious foods all year.
• SO3 focuses on ensuring that children under 5 years, adolescents and pregnant and lactating women in Rwanda have improved access to nutritious foods and services to meet their nutritional needs all year.
• SO4 targets smallholder farmers especially women and aims to provide opportunities for increased marketable surplus and access to an agricultural market through efficient supply chains by 2030.
• SO5 is designed to support government through existing disaster management structures, providing supply chain services and expertise to respond to emergency crises.

In 2023, WFP Rwanda will design a second generation CSP to support to Government and will recruit a consultant to support this exercise to show continuity.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme, the CSP Consultant will perform part or all the following tasks:

1. In close coordination with Regional Bureau and Headquarters’ Programme Cycle teams, assist and guide the Country Office in the design and development of the CSP strategic orientation, in accordance with WFP’s Policy on Country Strategic Plans and informed by the CCA and UNSDCF priorities.

• Lead the consolidation of inputs that will inform the country strategic planning design, including evaluation findings, national frameworks and priorities, partners and stakeholders’ mapping, lessons learned, etc.
• Support the coordination of remote and in-country technical missions from the Regional Bureau and Headquarters, help consolidate inputs and develop operational and programmatic aspects of the CSP strategic orientation.
• Support the Country Office to host a “CSP formulation workshop” to define the CSP strategic orientation (through developing a Theory of Change and results framework).
• Support the Country Office to conduct a consultation process to inform and receive feedback from stakeholders on the design and strategic orientation of the CSP.

2. In close coordination with Regional Bureau and Headquarters’ Programme Cycle teams, support the Country Office to prepare and submit the full CSP package for review and approval.

• Advise and support Country Office senior management on coordination and delivery of the technical elements of the CSP package, including project management, information and knowledge management using corporate tools such as Microsoft Teams.
• Lead drafting the CSP narrative and additional documents informing the CSP package as needed.
• Support the CSP review and approval process in close coordination with the Regional Bureau and Headquarters and update the CSP package as needed.
• If needed, support the Country Office in aligning the current strategic planning cycle with the UNSDCF through a Budget Revision.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:  
Advanced University Degree and/or equivalent experience with emphasis in one or more of the following disciplines: political sciences, economics, agriculture, international affairs, social sciences, development studies or a field relevant to international development or humanitarian assistance, and/or First University degree in related fields with additional years of relevant experience and training/courses.

Experience:    
At least 6 years postgraduate, progressively professional international and national experience in the fields of goal oriented/strategic planning, organizational change management, inter-agency coordination, programme re-orientation, policy development, etc.

Specific experience in strategy formulation, programme management and project planning in a large multicultural institution, and previous experience with WFP or the UN System would be an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:  
•    Ability to translate understanding of programme principles into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches.
•    Ability to explain WFP projects and operations to counterparts and to communicate with Government and partners clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
•    Good understanding of project lifecycle, humanitarian principles and tools, programmes and transfer modalities.
•    General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures; General knowledge of the UN Development System Reform.
•    Good analytical and research skills.
•    Good interpersonal skills, teamwork spirit and ability to work in multicultural settings.
•    Good communication and writing skills required to give and receive information and work with a variety of individuals.

Languages:    

Fluency in English, both oral and written. Intermediate knowledge of other UN language would be an advantage.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

The deadline for submitting applications is 1st February, 2023 at 5pm CAT.

WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.