WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.
Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.
Are you a Programme Manager interested in further developing your professional experience while contributing to ending global hunger? Would you like to join the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), a highly reputable organisation bringing positive change to lives of people affected by hardships? Would you like to join a global organisation investing in its people?
If your answer is yes, then this is a great opportunity for you to become an integral member of a diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to beneficiary assistance.
About WFP
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Our mission is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. With more than 18,000 colleagues worldwide, WFP works to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, and people affected by disasters, can access the nutritious food they need.
Why you should join WFP?
- Each year, WFP assists more than 86 million people around 83 countries. Your work will have a positive impact on lives of the world’s most vulnerable people
- The way WFP serves hungry and affected people – including women, minority groups, children and elderly, is truly important for their safety and dignity
- You will join a diverse team of professionals and will have a chance to exchange your experience and expertise with your colleagues
- WFP invests in the training and development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, mentorship and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities
- Our team is growing internationally and the timing to join us cannot be better!
- We offer attractive compensation package (please refer to Terms and Conditions section)
WFP Cameroon
WFP is one of the main humanitarian and development actors in Cameroon. The WFP Country Strategic Plan covers the period 2018-21 and focuses on the following strategic outcomes: Vulnerable populations affected by disasters and in protracted displacement, and chronically food-insecure communities have safe access to adequate and nutritious food, and increase their resilience to shocks, children aged 6-59 months and vulnerable women and men in food-insecure prioritized districts have reduced malnutrition rates, Food-insecure smallholders have sustainably increased incomes to enhance their self-reliance and livelihoods and improve their productivity, supporting national capacities in social protection and disaster preparedness. WFP strives to ensure that gender equality and protection are integral part of all its policies and programme design and implementation strategies.
The Role
WFP Cameroon is looking for a Head of Programmes (HoP)/Programme Policy Officer at P4 level to develop, manage and implement WFP programmes and policies to address some of the critical challenges faced by vulnerable people, including refugees and internally displaced persons, in the country. The HoP will be responsible for a diverse team of about 20 national and international professionals working in various programmatic areas such as emergency response (in-kind and cash), nutrition, livelihoods and resilience building, and school meals. The WFP operation in Cameroon is currently expanding and adapting to respond to growing immediate needs stemming from the COVID-19 crisis.
The post holder will report directly to the Deputy Country Director and will work in close collaboration with other units’ heads (e.g. Supply Chain, Resources Management, Finance, Partnerships and Reporting) to ensure that WFP programmes are coherently integrated into the Peace-Humanitarian-Development nexus.
The HoP will liaise with Regional Bureau and HQ to follow programme guidance and implement the latest lessons learnt related to programmatic activities in Cameroon as well as new potential initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and inspire a team of approximately 20 diverse professionals, set and follow up on priorities, manage performances and offer advice and opportunities for career and professional development
- Formulate WFP programme plans in line with both organisational strategy and the practical realities of operating in the field in Cameroon;
- Provide advice and support to field offices delivering a complex portfolio of programmes to clarify ambiguities and ensure that policy and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies,
- Provide leadership in mobilising technical expertise on a wide range of programmes and policy issues including assessment, analysis, choice of objectives, activities, transfer modalities and appropriate food products. Facilitate deployment and testing of innovative approaches and develop strategies to support government efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition.
- Assist senior government stakeholders and other partners in identifying food assistance priorities and needs of the country and its people. Provide support and technical expertise for planning, development and implementation of programmes to strengthen government and community ownership and effectiveness of food security and nutrition at national and sub-national levels.
- Develop operational and maintain established strategic partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work.
- Enhance WFP’s leadership status in different forums on subjects related to food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience, engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts and other related issues through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
- Contribute to the design and resource mobilization efforts, including the development and drafting of project proposals and their budgets;
- Provide leadership to establish sound monitoring systems and coordinate data gathering, ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained;
- Manage or oversee timely preparation and dissemination of analytical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use;
- Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set objectives within a significant budget.
- Take responsibility for incorporating gender and protection perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men.
- Contribute to Country Office Emergency Preparedness i.e. early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning in order to respond to humanitarian crises and needs.
- Other as required
About You
- You have a passion for improving lives of millions of people living in poverty and hunger;
- You have a solid background in managing teams and programmes in complex humanitarian and development contexts, you keep abreast of the latest policy developments on a range of humanitarian issues, including linking humanitarian and development action;
- You are highly adaptive and able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences who might not share the same technical knowledge;
- You can prioritize and strike a balance between ideal goals and operational requirements, and translate gender and protection objectives into tangible results on the ground
Qualifications & Key Requirements
- Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance.
- At least eight years of professional experience in the field of humanitarian assistance and/or development work, in international governmental or non-governmental organisations.
- Strong knowledge and experience of country strategic planning processes;
- Proven experience in coordination and interagency work in crisis response;
- Proven communication skills and ability to communicate and adjust communication style to different audiences.
Additional/Nice have requirements:
- Previous work experience in a UN agency at field or national level;
- Experience in enabling capacity strengthening of government work
- Familiarity with stakeholder relationship building and ability to engage different stakeholders,
- Knowledgeable and experienced in inter-agency coordination in humanitarian settings
- Previous experience in the West and Central Africa, including knowledge of political dynamics of the region is an asset.
- Experience in different programme approaches including managing emergency response operations using different transfer modalities;
- Has collaborated with government agencies to identify needs and implement food assistance programmes;
- Has led team in strategic discussions.
Language :
- Fluency (level C) in French and English language.
- Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese
CLOSING DATE : 27 August 2020
VA Number: 123483
Terms and Conditions
Mobility is, and continues to be, a core contractual requirement in WFP. The selected candidate will be employed on a Fixed-Term contract with a probationary period of one year.
WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. For more details, please visit icsc.un.org.
Qualified 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.
More Information
- Job City Yaounde, Cameroon
