Program Policy Officer Livelihoods FT / NOB At World Food Program

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Program is the world’s largest humanitarian agency that fights hunger in the world. WFP’s mission is to end world hunger. WFP works around the world every day to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, especially women and children, can access the nutritious food they need. In fact, WFP provides assistance to more than 87 million people in approximately 83 countries each year. To find out more about WFP, visit our website and follow us on social media to keep you informed of our latest news: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

BACKGROUND

Over the past decade, the Government of Burundi has made significant progress in strengthening its social net system and setting up basic service delivery systems through the nets project national social Merankabandi. The Merankabandi National Social Net Project aims to improve the well-being and increase the resilience of specific groups in order to reduce poverty and vulnerability in Burundi. As the Merankabandi project sought to build the fundamentals of traditional safety net systems, the government is now committed to going beyond cash transfers to adopt an integrated social protection system ( SP ) in order to strengthen the social and productive inclusion of the poor and vulnerable.Although the current achievements of the Merankabandi are impressive, there is room for the further development of SP systems in order to meet this commitment.

The project has been successfully implemented in 4 provinces of Burundi, benefiting more than 56,000 households with cash transfers and support measures on the development of human capital. The project created the basis for the development of an appropriate social protection system by developing basic delivery systems such as a targeting system, a payment system, a monitoring and evaluation system, a complaints mechanism and a management information system to support project activities and report.

The Government has asked the World Bank to support progress in three areas: i ) strengthening institutional capacities and special service delivery systems, in particular the establishment of a single register in the country, as well as continuing to improve the efficiency of other delivery mechanisms; ( ii ) invest in the intensification of existing social nets sensitive to nutrition, as well as testing personalized productive inclusion models in addition to regular cash transfers to improve human capital and the self-sufficiency of poor and vulnerable households ;and iii ) improve the responsiveness of the social protection system to shocks by expanding its coverage and strengthening funding mechanisms to improve household resilience and provide rapid support for cope with recurrent droughts induced by the climate. Subsequently, the Government and the World Bank began phase II of the Merankabandi project.

WFP SUPPORTS SOCIAL PROTECTION IN BURUNDI

In February 2021, WFP published its Social Protection Strategy in Burundi, defining its position within the SP ; and as part of its Interim Country Strategic Plan ( ICSP ) 2022-2024, WFP is committed to working with the Government of Burundi and the World Bank to provide operational and technical support for the implementation of the fourth component of the Merankabandi II project, which involves the integration of refugees into the national social protection system. In accordance with WFP’s current footprint in meeting the needs of refugees in camps in Burundi, this partnership aims to provide preventive, protective mechanisms, promotional and transformers to support the most vulnerable refugees in their basic needs and promote their social, economic and financial empowerment.WFP is supporting the expansion of the national social nets project to refugees living in camps while providing targeted households with cash transfers via mobile phones, support measures for the development of human capital and productive inclusion activities. In addition, WFP will transfer capacity to government departments to enable them to lead the project expansion.WFP will transfer capacity to government departments to enable them to lead the project expansion.WFP will transfer capacity to government departments to enable them to lead the project expansion.

The integration of refugees into national social protection systems will make it possible to establish the link between humanitarian aid and development, building on existing emergency systems to establish a broader social protection system; and WFP is keen to assist the Government in developing holistic approaches in the camps, promoting social cohesion between host communities and refugees while adhering to the principles of doing nothing.

Program Officer ( Livelihoods ) will focus on providing technical support for the design and implementation of appropriate and diverse subsistence activities. as part of the Merankabandi II project implemented by WFP.

PRINICPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Resilience and in collaboration with the Social Protection Unit, the Livelihoods Program Officer – performs the following functions :
1. Contribute to the development of a wide variety of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with broader program policies and directions.
2. Provide project management support for specific and defined programs and projects of considerable size and complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with broader programs that conforms to WFP standards and procedures.
3. Develop and coordinate data collection and monitoring systems, ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
4. Research and analyze a range of political and operational issues to inform the development of policies, programs and activities.
5. Contribute to the preparation of precise and timely reports on programs and activities that allow informed decision-making and consistency of the information presented to stakeholders.
6. Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor current projects and highlight risks for project implementation.
7. Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships for collaborative work leading to improved food aid programs.
8. Direct the development of technical guidelines for subsistence activities within the framework of the Merankabandi II project.
9. Support the development of livelihood activities, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with broader nutrition-sensitive directions for livelihood and resilience approaches under the project.
10. Contribute to the livelihood assessment and market analysis for the project and analyze the results to ensure that the subsistence activities are in line with the specific needs of the project benefiting households.
11. Provide support for the management of the livelihood project to local offices and staff of the Cooperating Partner and ensure continuous monitoring to enable high performance, with regular field trips to support the implementation and monitoring of the program.
12. Work with the CBT and social protection team to design financial inclusion packages for project beneficiaries.
13. Contribute to the development of a learning file on livelihoods and resilience, ensuring that lessons are learned, that successes are highlighted and that results and impacts are documented.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Training:

Higher university degree in agricultural economics, environmental sciences, social sciences and master’s degree in agriculture or in a related discipline

Experience:

• Holder of a higher university degree: At least 3 years of relevant post-graduate professional experience responsible for the implementation of integrated livelihood activities / resilience in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Holder of a first university degree ( License ): At least 5 years of professional experience linked to the implementation of integrated subsistence / resilience activities in humanitarian or development contexts.

Skills:

• Training and / or experience in project management, livelihoods, rural development and peacebuilding activities.
• Ability to prioritize and plan, coordinate and monitor your own work plan and those under supervision.
• Have experience in developing technical tools, guidelines and protocols for livelihoods.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with counterparts and office staff, host government, donors, other United Nations agencies and NGOs.

Languages:

• Excellent mastery of French.
• Intermediate knowledge in English.

DATE LIMIT OF CANDIDATURE

THE DATE LIMIT OF CANDIDATURE IS FIXED AT 08.10.2023