Programme Policy Officer (Protection, Gender and Accountability to Affected Populations) at World Food Programme (WFP)

Career Opportunities: Programme Policy Officer (Protection, Gender and Accountability to Affected Populations) SC-9,  Kyiv, Ukraine| One year

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🚩 Vacancy Announcement n°: 290247

📢 Job Title: Programme Policy Officer (Protection, Gender and Accountability to Affected Populations)

📌Type of Contract: Service Contract

➡️ Unit / Division: Programme Unit / WFP Ukraine

📍   Duty Station: Kyiv

➡️ Duration: 12 months (renewable)

⏰ Closing date: Thursday 02 February, midnight (Ukraine Time)

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme 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.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

What will you do in this position?

The onset of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022 created an unprecedented humanitarian situation, with mass displacement at a level and speed not witnessed in Europe since World War II. An estimated 11.1 million people have been identified as food insecure. The impact of the conflict on agricultural production is devastating with up to 30 percent of crops in Ukraine anticipated to remain unharvested in 2022. The repercussions on food security are thus expected to worsen and indeed will have major impacts on the global availability and affordability of staple foods.

The volatile situation has required WFP to be agile in adapting its programmatic approach in Ukraine, which is reflected in this transitional interim country strategic plan (2023 – 2024) and envisions the following three outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Crisis-affected populations in Ukraine, including internally displaced persons, are able to meet their food and nutrition needs during and in the aftermath of a crisis;
• Outcome 2: Government of Ukraine and partners have enhanced food systems and shock-responsive capacities to support vulnerable populations by 2024; and
• Outcome 3: Humanitarian and development partners in Ukraine have access to reliable common services and expertise to reach vulnerable people and respond to needs, throughout the year.

To achieve the outcomes while ensuring quality and principled response, WFP Ukraine Office is hiring a Programme Policy Officer (Protection, Gender, AAP) who under the supervision of Head of Unit will support WFP’s operation in Ukraine to integrate Protection, Gender, and Accountability to Affected Populations (PGAAP) in order to maximize safety, dignity and equality, and minimize social tensions and unintended discrimination or exclusion. Based in the Country Office, the incumbent will be required to travel regularly to support field offices and WFP’s operations in Ukraine.

Why work with us?

The war in Ukraine has left an estimated one in three families without enough food, rising to one in two in some areas of the East and South. More than 6 million Ukrainians have been internally displaced and more than 6 million have left the country. Many of those who remain have lost their livelihoods, especially in areas close to the front lines. Millions who fled their homes to the country’s West are preparing for long-term internal displacement. Many who have returned to liberated areas around the capital, Kyiv, are struggling to rebuild their lives, having run out of money or found their homes reduced to rubble.

WFP is quickly scaling up to support 4.7 million people per month inside Ukraine, using a flexible mix of food and cash assistance. We support people wherever they are, including in areas close to the front line.

This is an opportunity for an exciting and challenging role in a multicultural, hardworking, fun and interdisciplinary team. In addition, we offer:

➡️ Meaningful and impactful careers:

Our day-to-day work makes a difference in the lives of the people we serve

➡️ Continuous learning and training:

We provide learning tools for our staff to continually develop their careers

➡️ Multicultural and stimulating work environment:

We encourage gender and cultural diversity to make our teams stronger

Join us to make a difference in Ukraine, watch this video to know more about us!!

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of Head of Unit and within delegated authority, the Programme Policy Officer shall:

1. Contribute to translation of WFP programme policies in Protection, Gender, and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) into country-level practices in Ukraine,
developing necessary programme guidance and implementation modalities and operations.
2. Support Ukraine Country Office to ensure that policy and programme operations in Protection, Gender, and AAP are consistent with WFP policies, Executive Board decisions, and other relevant guidance.
3. Identify opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of protection, gender and AAP principles in WFP programming in Ukraine and propose effective strategies and
modalities to address these opportunities.
4. Contribute to planning and supporting implementation of Protection, Gender, and AAP mainstreaming through cross-cutting activities within the programmatic circle of WFP in Ukraine;
5. Identify capacity strengthening needs in Protection, Gender, AAP, and facilitate capacity building for WFP and CP staff and contractors;
6. Develop and conduct functional trainings in topics relevant to Protection, Gender, and AAP areas to enhance the capacity of WFP staff, cooperating partners, and contractors to deliver safe and dignified food assistance programmes.
7. Establish and maintain operational partnerships to identify opportunities for strengthening protection, inclusion, gender equality, and accountability to affected
populations in WFP food assistance programmes in Ukraine. Contribute to design and management of operational research, assessment, and
evidence-building on issues relevant to protection, inclusion, gender equality, and accountability to affected populations in humanitarian food assistance in Ukraine.
8. Elaborate and provide recommendations based on available up-to-date evidence, protection and risk analyses to ensure WFP’s operations are done through age, gender and diversity lenses;
9. Ensure integration of up-to-date protection referral pathways into WFP operations in Ukraine, and monitor their functionality;
10. Develop in coordination with affected communities, relevant program units, sub-offices, regional bureau, and HQ strategies and/or action plans on cross-cutting issues (including community engagement and PSEA strengthening) and support their implementation.
11. Collaborate with stakeholders to build and maintain a functional localised community engagement approach, based on community-identified engagement preferences, relevant information management to support community participation in WFP decision-making;
12. Support information management system with the inclusion of protection related information, with a particular focus on community engagement;
13. Collaborate with Community Feedback Mechanism team to identify and respond to protection related risks;
14. Ensure protection issues are captured through the Community Feedback Mechanism and responded to appropriately;
15. Represent WFP in country-level inter-agency bodies and coordinate Protection, Gender, and AAP related activities, where it is required;
16. Given the emergency context, support with other protection and AAP related tasks as required.

To join us in saving lives, changing lives, you will have for…

Education:

Advanced university degree in one of the following disciplines: law, international development, gender studies, human rights, political or social sciences, or another related field.

Experience:

At least 3 years of postgraduate relevant professional experience in the humanitarian and/or development sectors, of which at least 2 years have been spent working in a development context with UN agencies and NGOs.

Experience of undertaking capacity building of colleagues or partner organisations and/or delivering training.

Experience in humanitarian and/or development project management and engagement with multiple stakeholders.

Knowledge & Skills:

1. In-depth and operational understanding of integrating humanitarian protection, gender equality, women’s empowerment, accountability to affected populations, disability, sexual and gender-based violence, conflict-sensitive programming and humanitarian principles into humanitarian assistance.

2. Strong management, analytical, writing, and communication skills. Sound knowledge and skills in training and facilitation, including adapting materials for the audience. Client orientation with excellent interpersonal and team skills, including mentoring skills. Cross-cultural sensitivity. Knowledge of UN system policies and functions of protection-mandated agencies.

Languages:

Fluency in English, Ukrainian, and Russian (oral and written).

Before you apply…

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 an inclusive work environment in which diversity is valued and where no form of discrimination is tolerated. We aim to achieve parity in our teams in Ukraine. Qualified female applicants are especially encouraged to apply. CV and cover letter must be submitted in English language.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

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.