WFP’s mission is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 as per the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2. It works to ensure that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

The Myanmar Country Strategic Plan 2018-2022 was approved by the WFP Executive Board in November 2017 and it aims to contribute directly to WFP’s Strategic Result 1-Everyone has access to food (SDG Target 2.1) and Strategic Result 2-No-one suffers from malnutrition (SDG Target 2.2). WFP’s assistance for the Government in achieving food and nutrition security will be based on three strategic outcomes:

Strategic outcome 1: Crisis-affected people in food insecure areas meet their food and nutrition needs all year round. Life-saving food and/or cash will be provided to women, men, girls and boys affected by natural disasters, armed conflict, and inter-communal violence.

Strategic outcome 2: Vulnerable people in states and regions with high food insecurity and/or malnutrition have access to food all year round. WFP will provide food/cash assistance to vulnerable populations, while providing technical assistance to support the government in strengthening its social protection programmes, food systems and emergency preparedness capacity.

Strategic outcome 3: Children under 5 in Myanmar have improved nutrition in line with national targets by 2022. WFP will contribute to increasing the availability and access to safe and nutritious food for vulnerable and affected populations in crisis and non-crisis situations to enhance their nutrition and resilience. WFP will also support the government in implementing national nutrition actions, including SBCC, preventive nutrition specific and sensitive interventions, and scale-up of management of acute malnutrition.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This job is located in WFP Myanmar office in Nay Pyi Taw.

Job holders are likely to manage a moderate portfolio of activities that may include contribution to and/or direct management of programmes in COs of moderate complexity, or contribution to policy formulation and provision of technical advice at Country Office for a defined area of expertise. Job holders operate with considerable independence in their specialities and may manage a substantial team of junior professional and support staff

JOB PURPOSE

Under SO1, the focus is on emergency preparedness and response, seeking to ensure that the food and nutrition needs of those affected by natural disasters and other crises are met. SO1 Manager designs and manages programmes that effectively meet food assistance to crisis-affected population in close coordination with government counterparts and partners. SO1 Manager is expected to contribute to policy formulation and/or provide technical advice or oversight on programme strategy and implementation. SO1 Manager is also responsible for ensuring that the outputs of CSP Activity contribute in achieving Strategic Outcome 1.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision of Deputy Country Director and the overall supervision of Country Director, the Programme Policy Officer (EPR) will be responsible for the following duties:-

Coordination

• Ensure coherent country wide planning aligned with National goals, WFP & UN strategic direction by collaborating and advocating the government at the National/Union level, other partners and donors;
• Contribute in the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) formulation and its review by ensuring these are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals – SDG, especially during the implementation process;
• Coordinate closely with the government and other actors in the relevant sectoral coordination group meetings, especially on Disaster Management
• Establish operational agreement with the government for implementation of CSP
• Coordinate closely with various functional units and/or service partners such as Cash Based Transfer(CBT), Partnership, Communication and Reporting (PCR), Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM), Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Gender and Supply Chain Management for technical advices and supports
• Coordinate with other SO managers and field offices.
• Co-chair the Food Security Sector with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) through engagement with the Humanitarian Country Team;
• Support the Government of Myanmar, WFP Headquarters and Regional Bureau’s effort on emergency preparedness and response, contingency planning and operational planning as needed. Liaise with partners (internal and external) to share experience, lessons learned and best practice.

Operational Management

• Design and implement the activity such that CSP Strategic Outcome 1 achieve the expected results, including planning outputs, beneficiary management, needs assessment, choice of resources transfer (food or cash).
• Ensure programme quality and compliance with WFP policies, criteria and procedures
• Manage & hold accountability on related activities to ensure activity deliverables in the Country Office are made within their agreed terms (e.g. achieving the planned strategic outcomes, realizing expected/actual benefits, cost, etc.).
• Manage Field Level Agreement with Cooperating Partners (CP) and identify the best available alternatives to implement the planned activities in absence of qualified CP in the targeted area.
• Ensure the stability and effectiveness of the programme activities.

Resource Management

• Manage and mobilize the project resources including financial and human resources required under Strategic Outcome 1;
• Ensure risk management and mitigation measures are in place with a regular review;
• Programme risks such as pipeline break, financial risk and protection risks are identified and mitigated;
• Ensure the concept of value for money and cost-efficiency in the whole implementation stages;

Staffing and Capacity development

• Foster staff capacity internally and externally and ensure team building for quality outcomes;
• Manage and provide accountability and leadership;
• Effective leadership to Activity Managers to ensure effective coordination of interdependencies, and all planned activities are implemented through a cohesive approach;
• Act in an assigned emergency response capacity if required

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives : Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.
• Be a force for positive change : Proactively identifies and develops new methods or improvements for self and immediate team to address work challenges within own work area.
• Make the mission inspiring to our team : Identifies opportunities to further align individual contributions with WFP’s mission of making an impact on local communities.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions : Helps colleagues to see the link between their individual tasks and the contributions of their unit’s goals to the broader context of WFP’s mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills : Is able to identify, support and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP.
• Create an inclusive culture : Recognizes the contributions of teammates, and encourages contributions from culturally different team mates to recognise the value of diversity above and beyond just including it in programming for beneficiaries.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback : Provides and solicits ongoing constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities to help develop individual skills, whilst also helping others identify areas for improvement.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit : Sets clear targets for self and others to focus team efforts in ambiguous situations (e.g., unprecedented issues and/or scenarios)

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions : Thinks beyond team’s conventional approaches to formulate creative methods for delivering food aid and assistance to beneficiaries.
• Focus on getting results : Maintains focus on achieving individual results in the face of obstacles such as volatile or fragile environments and/or organizational roadblocks.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments : Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders.
• Be Decisive : Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes in light of evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units : Demonstrates an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, or planning
• Build strong external partnerships : Networks regularly with key external partners using formal and informal opportunities to understand each partner’s unique value proposition, and to build and strengthen relationships 
• Be politically agile & adaptable : Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships : Demonstrates ability to articulate to internal and external audiences the value that individual contributions and immediate teams bring to partnerships.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance: Displays ability to identify the main hunger problem at the national or subnational level to design and implement context-specific programmes that integrate complex analysis and the full range of food assistance tools.

Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher): Demonstrates the ability to design, implement, monitor and provide oversight over effective and efficient programmes deploying different transfer modalities.

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 ability to translate understanding of programme principles in emergencies and protracted conflict situations into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches

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..

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in Development, International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Myanmar.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Preferable to have ten years of progressively responsible experience in managing large-scale development, humanitarian and emergency response operations, including coordination with internal and external stakeholders, with minimum five years of experience in relevant field;
• Experience in leading large work-force/human resources from multiple disciplines;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in developing and managing relationships and national capacity building initiatives with UN agencies, NGOs, private sector and/or government organizations;
• Experience in monitoring operational successes and suggesting areas of improvements;
• Strong analytical skills and ability to produce high quality reports and presentations, often under time pressure
• Ability to work under pressure in challenging physical and security environments

Source:https://career5.successfactors.eu/career?career_ns=job_listing&company=C0000168410P&navBarLevel=JOB_SEARCH&rcm_site_locale=en_GB&career_job_req_id=77642