Programme Policy Officer – Climate Smart Agriculture at World Food Programme (WFP): (Deadline 2 August 2023)

Programme Policy Officer – Climate Smart Agriculture at World Food Programme (WFP): (Deadline 2 August 2023)

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.

POSITION DETAILS 

Job Title: Programme Policy Officer – Climate Smart Agriculture; SC-8

Type of Contract: Service Contract SC8

Unit/Division: Programme Unit/SO2

Duty Station: Kigali/Rwanda

Duration: 12 months, renewable

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNEMENT 

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. WFP Rwanda works in partnership with the Government and other stakeholders through the direct implementation of integrated programmes targeting the most vulnerable people and will progressively shift towards building national capacity to formulate, manage and implement programmes for achieving zero hunger. In implementing its activities, WFP will bridge the humanitarian–development nexus and leverage its extensive experience and the contributions it has made in Rwanda over many decades in order to achieve four strategic outcomes outlined in the WFP Country Strategic Plan.

Under Strategic Outcome 2 (SO2), WFP implements a growing portfolio of technical assistance and operations related to social protection and resilience, all geared towards contributing to nutrition-sensitive and shock-responsive social protection and climate resilience in Rwanda. This Outcome encompasses capacity strengthening and direct programme implementation in the areas of social protection, disaster preparedness and response, food security and vulnerability analysis, school feeding and climate-resilient livelihoods programming. This includes coordinating the Country Office’s work on climate action, with a strong focus on integrating climate smart agriculture (CSA) across the portfolio.

At the same time, under Strategic Outcome 4 (SO4), WFP brings together all smallholder farmer (SHF)-facing projects focusing on market access, post-harvest management and access to finance. This includes ‘Strengthening food systems to promote increased value chain employment opportunities for youth.’ Project in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation. To enhance smallholder farmers’ market access, youth-led Farmer Service Centers (FSCs) will be established as decentralized and comprehensive providers for different productive agricultural needs; from input access and post-harvest management to aggregation and digitalization of processes. FSCs are expected to be youth-led micro enterprises to operate at scale economies and grow to be eligible for different financial instruments

In August 2022, WFP launched a pilot project in conservation agriculture (CA) that is now reaching WFP-supported farmers under SO2 and SO4 in three districts. By engaging facilitators from the national extension system, Twigire Muhinzi, the pilot is building local capacity and strengthening Government-owned systems. Realizing the need for stakeholder coordination, WFP is convening a regenerative and conservation agriculture coalition composed of key actors involved in this space. The coalition will engage in joint efforts on research, advocacy and extension in partnership with Government.

Through its ongoing technical assistance to the social protection system, WFP will support integration of climate smart agriculture including conservation agriculture in national public works programming to support the climate adaptation of the most vulnerable households. In addition, conservation agriculture will be integrated in the MasterCard Foundation project with FSCs providing extension and associated services to farmers.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Under the supervision of the Strategic Outcome 2 Manager, the incumbent will be responsible for the following key duties:

• Lead the further development of climate action and a CSA strategy for the country office.
• Act as the technical reference for WFP operational staff for resolution of a range of operational queries and problems related to technical elements of climate action and CSA, especially CA, across programmes.
• Develop work plans, budgets and plans for WFP’s climate related activities, with a focus on CA programming project, ensuring alignment with

programme policies and guidance.

• Coordinate with operational partners to ensure efficient implementation of activities. Support drafting of partnership agreements, review reports and the processing of payments in close collaboration with support units.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reports on climate action and CSA activities. Prepare reports and data analysis (e.g., resource utilization, programme status, performance) and highlight trends/issues ensuring deliverables adhere to corporate standards and quality control.
• Liaise with support units, such as supply chain management, M&E and finance, and field-based teams and operational partners to support effective

collaboration and timely implementation, monitoring and reporting of activities.

• Support technical assistance to the Government on climate-sensitive public works through the integration of CSA, including CA, into the VUP social protection programme.
• Support national climate and CA stakeholder coordination efforts through effective representation of WFP in line with the Country Strategic Plan. This

support will include chairing meetings, convening workshops and organizing advocacy events with external partners. 

• Foster partnerships between WFP, governments, private sector partners and other relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure effective day-to-day internal operational information sharing, coordination and collaboration with Kigali-based units and field offices in the

implementation of activities.

• Ensure evidence generation of the process that would inform replication and scale up beyond the initial pilot.
• Contribute to the development of funding proposals and concept notes as required.
• Perform other related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 

Education    Advanced University degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Climate Change, Business Administration, Public Administration, Project Management, International Development, or other relevant fields, or, a First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Languages     Fluency (level C) in English language and Kinyarwanda

Experience    

• At least three years of professional experience humanitarian or development programmes, preferably in climate smart agriculture.
• Experience in leading or supporting programme and project management.

Knowledge & Skills

• Has implemented technical humanitarian or development programmes or projects in close collaboration with Government entities.
• Expertise in climate smart agriculture, especially conservation agriculture.
• A proactive attitude, an ability to plan work and prioritise competing activities to ensure their completion.
• Ability to work independently and in an organised manner, with good attention to detail.
• Good communication and writing skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to deal patiently and tactfully with people of different national and cultural backgrounds and to manage external partnerships.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This position is open for Rwandan Nationals Only

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

2^th August 2023

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.

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