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Job Title:  Programme Policy Officer

Organisation: United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

About US:

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. In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to United help communities rebuild their lives. On average, WFP reaches more than 80 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. The organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to food and contribute to lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas.

Job Summary:  To manage WFP UGCO’s Cash-based transfers and digital financial inclusion programmes with the overall aim of; supporting access to financial services for vulnerable groups, ensuring users of financial services are sufficiently informed and protected, and supporting the development of the private sector and local retail networks and supply chains in the hardest-to reach areas.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Spearhead the formulation and implementation of WFP’s digital financial inclusion strategy in line with the roll-out of Cash-Based Transfers (CBT) across WFP’s assistance portfolio.
• Lead on the design and roll-out of the cash programming strategies for Strategic Outcome 1 of the Uganda Country Strategic Plan, in line with in-country and global cash vision.
• Lead on the implementation of thematic cash programmes, including on digital financial inclusion projects aimed at Women’s Economic Empowerment.
• Develop and lead the execution of a financial inclusion strategy to empower both beneficiaries and communities beyond the end of the project life, while linking the delivery system with reliable existing systems from financial service providers, private sector, community organizations, and the Government of Uganda to boost the sustainability of the project
• Ensure harmonized coordination and supervision of financial literacy trainings to refugees, in collaboration with Cooperating Partners, Area Offices and Field Offices
• Lead the development and execution of functional and multi-functional trainings related to cash-based transfers’ programming to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partner to design and deliver effective food assistance programmes
• Identify and select cooperating partners and financial service providers able to deal efficiently and effectively with the delivery part of the cash-based transfers programmes; review and negotiate in detail Service Providers offers and contracts according to established rules and regulations
• Support the development and execution of activity plans to roll out digital CBT across WFP’s other assistance portfolio
• Lead the CBT operations and project teams, ensuring prompt implementation of tasks, career development, capacity building and performance evaluations
• Ensure cross-learning of CBT implementation through Agent Banking and Mobile Money, enforce documenting lessons learned, and build the capacity of staff across all regions implementing cash programmes

• Propose digital solutions that can be adopted at country level in line with up-to-date global digital innovations and oversee the actualization of the same in the WFP context.
• Lead the development of a behavioral change communication strategy for the adoption a digital payment and digital solutions culture by CBT beneficiaries
• Develop SOPs for a systematic referral system for solving Agent Banking, Mobile Banking, and Mobile Money related problems encountered by beneficiaries.
• In collaboration with other units, oversee and support the development of and adherence to Standard Operational procedures (SOP) aligned with corporate manuals and guidelines
• Enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to digital financial inclusion, CBT and wider programme policy focus areas such as livelihoods, resilience or engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials
• Coordinate support to other Strategic Outcomes in WFP’s Country Strategic Plan: Agricultural Markets Support, Retail Engagement, Clean Energy Initiatives (E-Voucher programme design etc.), FFA/Resilience programmes’ use of CBT, support to Government Social Protection Systems
• Maintain close contact with key partners and advise on opportunities for strategic collaboration; assist counterparts in governments and/or other stakeholders in identifying where CBT interventions can be usefully employed
• Identify and source partnership and collaboration opportunities with industry-leading stakeholders through inbound leads follow-up and outbound engagements.
• Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal candidate must hold a University degree (Master or higher) in International Affairs, Finance, Banking, Business administration, Project Management, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Social Science or other fields of relevance to international development assistance.
• Language: Fluency in oral and written English.
• At least five years of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in the private or public sector demonstrating high performance.
• Proven experience in digital payment solutions in relation to agricultural development programmes and/or mobile financial services, such as Agency Banking and/or Mobile Money.
• Proven capacity to manage innovation in cash-based transfer programme approaches. o Proven experience leading teams. o Proven capacity to manage sensitive strategic partnerships for the design and set-up of a joint projects.
• Proven exposure in projects aiming to position an organization or enterprise as a key partner in social protection programmes is highly desirable, especially the knowledge of policies and practices around long-term financial inclusion opportunities for the poor and vulnerable.
• Excellent understanding of Digital Financial Services (DFS) and proven ability to assess, design, implement and monitor market-based assistance programmes.
• Excellent understanding of cash-based programming especially for minority and underserved populations;
• Excellent background knowledge in financial processes and experience in analytical work.

• Excellent understanding of the role humanitarian agencies such as WFP can play in emergency, recovery and development context.
• Excellent attitude towards partnership.
• Be innovative and visionary at the programme design phase to reach the highest level of effectiveness of a given response.
• Proven effective cognitive abilities, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated learning agility and thirst for constant growth.
• Displayed openness and passion for new experiences and multicultural environments.
• Taken initiatives when implementing programmes.
• Exhibited ability to communicate effectively and build sustainable partnerships.
• Deepened technical knowledge through exposure to technical teams.
• Provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified candidates who wish to join the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are encouraged to apply online at the link below

Click Here

Deadline: 17^th December 2021

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