UN WFP Programme Policy Officer - Cash Based Transfers & Market Access Jobs in Uganda

UN WFP Programme Policy Officer - Cash Based Transfers & Market Access Jobs in Uganda

About WFP

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.

Brief description of WFP in Uganda

WFP delivers food assistance in emergencies and work with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP provides life-saving food assistance and livelihood opportunities to refugees in Uganda.

In addition, WFP assists the most vulnerable people in Karamoja with food and nutrition assistance. Finally, WFP works with smallholder farmers and links them to markets.

As Uganda strives to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and become a middle-income country by 2040, WFP is also assessing its relevance and repositioning its role in Uganda.

Are You Up to the Challenge?

We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of Programme Policy Officer (Cash Based Transfers & Market Access) to be based in Mbarara. Selected candidates will be employed on Service Contract.

Organizational Context

These jobs are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) or Country Offices (COs) and job holders report to a more senior Programme Policy Officer.

Job Purpose

To provide support to policy and programme activities that effectively meet food assistance needs.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

Work closely with programme, supply chain, and Satellite Office staff to assist them with analysis and understanding of financial inclusion, financial literacy and agricultural market linkages in MAO to meet WFP goals
Work with WFP-contracted Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to
ensure rapid scale up in line with WFP’s expansion plan for cash-based transfers;
ensure efficient and accountable cash distributions at field level;
expand the agent banking model with the objective of promoting financial inclusion for the POCs; and
verify that appropriate entitlements are disbursed.

Assist in reviewing of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), to identify and document impacts on underlying processes, systems, people and the organizational structure;

In coordination with the MAO Head of Programme, provide regular feedback to the CBT Coordinator at Country Office level regarding the progress of the distributions, including achievements and constraints as well as suggested improvement actions

Provide hands-on guidance in the engagement with bank agents, CBT PoCs, smallholder famers and local retailers as part of the on-going expansion of cash transfers.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

Education: Advanced University degree in Business, Finance, Sales, Retail, Supply Chain, Management, Marketing or other related fields.

Experience: At least 7 years of professional postgraduate experience in digital payment solutions in relation to agricultural development programmes. Experience with mobile financial services, such as Agent Banking and/or Mobile Money is required.

Languages: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English. Local languages/dialects is a plus.

Additional Competencies:

1. Solid knowledge of category management, marketing, supply chain, negotiation and sales principles.

2. In-store experience in the visual merchandising, organization of products, pricing, management, sales, procurement, promotion.

3. Analytical mind with a strategic ability, organization, attention to detail, be able to multi-task.

4. Proficient in MS Office

5. Excellent influencing and communication skills, both written and verbal

6. Good training skills, hardworking, calm, mature, logical, culturally sensitive, result oriented and interest in humanitarian development

4Ps Core Organisational Capabilities

Purpose

Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.

Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).

Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.

Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.

Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.

Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.

Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.

Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.

Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.

Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.

Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.

Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.

Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

Functional Capabilities

Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level
Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance Demonstrates ability to identify key variables and contextual factors that affect food assistance problems and programmes throughout the lifecycle to inform quality programme design or re-design.

Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher) Demonstrates ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information from different sources (e.g., market studies) to inform transfer modality selection and programme development.

Broad Knowledge of Specialized areas (i.e. Nutrition, VAM, etc.) Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.

Emergency Programming Displays capacity to provide inputs into the development, implementation and realignment of high quality emergency programmes.

Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes.

Desired Experiences for Entry Into the Role

Has gained experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. nutrition, etc.).

Has implemented programmes and provided input into designing operations.

Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

Deadline for Applications
12th December 2019

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.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

UN WFP Programme Policy Officer - Cash Based Transfers & Market Access Jobs in Uganda