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Job Title:   Programme Policy Officer (Social Protection Systems) (UN Jobs)

Organisation: United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Reports to: Head of Social Protection & Resilience

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 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:  WFP Uganda has been increasingly engaged in the social protection agenda, establishing collaborations with central and local governments around programmes that provide direct income support. In this field, WFP Uganda aims at facilitating the leadership of the Government of Uganda (GOU) to strengthen existing social protection systems and programmes, in a way that helps the country achieve its food and nutrition security objectives. In 2019, WFP Uganda launched the multi-year “Child-Sensitive Social Protection Programme in Refugee-Hosting districts of West Nile” (CSSP). WFP is the fund manager for the programme and implements the CSSP in partnership with UNICEF.

The programme focuses on districts that host large number of refugees and will explore areas of synergy and complementarity between the response to refugees and national social protection programmes. The programme is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the Office of the Prime Minister, to strengthen the capacity of district local governments in selected districts of West Nile. The assignment will require strong technical competence and capacity to coordinate with the existing technical teams within these institutions, and WFP’s social protection team based in the area and field offices.

As one of the largest players in the humanitarian and crisis response, WFP is also exploring opportunities to strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to shocks through existing systems and mechanisms. The incumbent will provide senior technical advice to the programme unit to sustain engagement with relevant parts of government and development partners. The position will be based in the Programme Unit of the Country Office in Kampala and will report to the Head of Social Protection and Resilience. It will require regular travel to West Nile and Karamoja regions

Key Duties and Responsibilities:          

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Social Protection & Resilience, the Programme Policy Officer will perform the following responsibilities:

• In close collaboration with the Arua Area Office, Koboko and Gulu field offices, and WFP’s other thematic programme units, provide specialised technical advice and quality assurance for the different elements of CSSP’s two components: system strengthening and nutrition-sensitive cash transfers. Ensure consideration of the most robust international evidence and its application to the Ugandan context, and lead on providing technical advice to GOU and Area/Field Office
• In close collaboration with the Karamoja Area Office, support the enhancement and scaling up of existing national and regional registration systems, including the National ID system and the Karamoja Social Registry, and the adoption of digital social protection systems to strengthen shock-responsive social protection.
• Provide specialised technical advice with focus on institutionalisation of the CSSP, through support to, among others:
• Design and implementation of government-owned direct income support programmes (social transfers and labour-intensive public works), including targeting mechanisms, vulnerability analysis, adequacy of coverage and quality of social protection, operational efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Beneficiary information and assistance management systems (BIAMS): assessment of data completeness, identification of system requirements for effective decentralization and integration with the National Single/Social Registry.
• Payment systems: identify areas to improve government-to-people (G2P) and government-to-government (G2G) payment systems and address technical gaps at national and sub-national level.
• Uganda public finance management (PFM), particularly on social development and related budgets
• Complaints and Grievance Systems: adequacy of existing mechanisms and potential for harmonization.
• Social Protection Monitoring & Evaluation Systems: provide guidance to the M&E Coordinator and liaise with RAM as necessary
• Quality assure operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to social protection and support transforming these into appropriate advocacy interventions.
• Identify opportunities for lessons-sharing and support the design of learning initiatives for the relevant government entities for WFP support to social protection system strengthening overall, and adaptive and shock-responsive social protection in Karamoja and other locations.
• Guide the Head of Unit and provide technical inputs to engage with UNICEF and other relevant actors, including the World Bank, focusing on the areas of joint programming and synergies including operational research.
• Supervise, mentor and coach a team of full-time national staff. Manage external consultants and short-term expertise.
• Support processes related to defining the requirements, selecting, and managing the performance of the contracted services (service providers, partners).
• Oversee and ensure that there a robust monitoring, evaluation and learning framework is implemented to support project performance management and the respective products are of high quality.

• Promote effective coordination and collaboration across different functional units and field office teams, in particular the ones based in Karamoja and the West Nile, namely by exchanging and consulting regularly with the field counterparts.
• Support the Partnerships and Donor Relations Unit with technical inputs to mobilise resources for WFP’s social protection portfolio, when relevant.
• Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve social protection programmes for refugees-hosting communities and the ability of national systems to respond to shocks.
• Ensure WFP strategic engagement with other partners working on social protection and enhance WFP’s leadership status in forums relating to social protection through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials. Build strong partnerships with relevant local, national and international stakeholders.
• Advise and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partners to design and deliver effective social protection programmes.
• Provide guidance for effective programme funds management including timely budget planning, procurement planning, fund disbursement and tracking of funds utilization, in line with corporate guidelines and procedures.
• Ensure that the Head of Unit is regularly updated, and that issues of strategic importance are timely escalated and provide advisory and other support as requested.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Programme Policy Officer (Social Protection Systems) job must hold an advanced university degree (masters or higher) in social protection, public policy, international development, social economics, social sciences, or other field relevant to international development assistance
• Eight years of experience in managing complex programmes, including in programmes related to social protection and safety nets.
• Familiar with WFP programme approaches.
• Demonstrated experience to engage across the policy cycle and collaborating with government agencies, and other relevant local, national, and international stakeholders.
• Understanding and familiarity with the Ugandan context, including of social protection government structures, actors, and policies desirable.
• Proven professional experience in the field with ability to work under pressure and independently on technical matters with minimum supervision
• . Extensive knowledge of social protection delivery systems including social registries will be an asset.
• Training and/or experience utilizing computers including word processing, spreadsheet and other standard software packages and systems.
• General knowledge of UN systems and policies, rules, regulations, and procedures governing administration.
• Demonstrated ability to capture knowledge and communicate main messages in information and knowledge products and presentations for high-level audiences. Demonstrated excellence in liaising with donors and establishing and managing innovative partnerships.
• Excellent writing and communications skills in English, and ability to produce quality documents, and reports and policy and advocacy documents.
• Experience in organising workshops with government agencies and partners at national and subnational levels.

NB: Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.  WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

How to Apply:

All candidates who wish to join the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in the aforementioned capacity should apply online at the online portal link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 30th August 2023

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