Closing date: Monday, 10 April 2023
Career Opportunities: Programme Policy Officer (Social Protection) | NOA | Yerevan, Armenia | One Year
???? Vacancy Announcement n°: 702691
???? Job Title: Programme Policy Officer (Social Protection)
????Type of Contract: Fixed-Term Contract
➡️ Unit / Division: Social Protection Unit / WFP Armenia
???? Duty Station: Yerevan
➡️ Duration: 12 months (renewable)
⏰ Closing date: Monday, 10 April, 2023.
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, Twitter.
Why work with us?
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.
Despite the economic growth of the last decade, the level of food insecurity has been increasing over the past three years in Armenia due to a number of shocks. Although the situation is improving for a large share of the population, those worst off are being left behind, demonstrating significant disparities and uneven territorial development in Armenia.
The emergency food assistance and support to food insecure displaced and Armenian populations is coordinated closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Territorial Administration & Infrastructure, the United Social Services, and the municipalities. The many food security assessments and the WFP beneficiary feedback mechanism showed that due to COVID-19, conflict and global food price crisis, people have become increasingly food insecure and are using negative coping mechanisms. To mitigate from deterioration of people’s food and nutrition security situations, shock-responsive social safety nets can be put in place, but the resilience portfolio and creating new job opportunities including for the youth will be one of the future focus areas.. Additional activities related to the integration of social behavior change principles into programming and designs so that communities are co-creating solutions and investing in community development as well.
The programme team has progressively grown in size with the CSP 2019-2025, and new capacities have been recruited to adjust to the needs and importance of delivering impact to participants and create the right partnerships and connectors with other agencies.
The Social Protection Unit was established in October 2021, and has designed a comprehensive project portfolio with interventions at the national and grassroots levels to embed food security and nutrition in social protection, support the enhanced shock-responsiveness of the SP, introduce and operationalize national social assistance tools and mechanisms and enhance national capacity to implement early action and rapid response.
The Programme Policy Officer will be responsible to lead the activities of the Unit and liaise at the national level with the Government as well as with other international partners and donor community on joint efforts in the social protection sector in Armenia. This is an opportunity for an exciting and challenging Programme role in a multi-cultural, 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 Armenia, watch this video to know more about us!!
How can you make a difference?
In this position, you will have to:
- In close cooperation with HQ, Regional Bureau and under the strategic guidance of the Country Director, leads the implementation of the WFP Country office Social protection Unit strategy and projects;
- Liaise with the Government at the technical level to provide technical and strategic support to the implementation of the National 5-year Strategy of Labour and Social Protection, in particular in strengthening national SP policies and instruments that embed food security and nutrition, aim at enhancing shock-responsiveness and support targeted social assistance mechanisms;
- Oversee the implementation of the Shock responsive Social protection; protocols including liaise with the ministries involved in drafting the Standard operating procedures; ;
- Through internal consultations design new projects in WFP SP portfolio, in close collaboration with WFP functional units;
- As assigned, represent WFP work in social protection programme and policy events and activities,
- Through internal consultations within Country office, Regional Bureau and Head Quarters implement activities for capacity support to the Government;
- Provide policy and technical guidance to WFP management for discussions with Government and stakeholders;
- Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through project management support of learning initiatives, relating to Social Protection and Shock responsive protocols;
- Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in the development of policies, programmes and activities;
- Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders;
- Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages;
- Perform other related duties if required.
To join us in saving lives, changing lives, you will need to have…
Education: Advanced University degree in 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.
Experience: At least two (2) years of postgraduate professional experience in development and programme work, experience in implementing programmes with increased level of responsibility, experience in providing input to policy discussions; previous experience in building capacity and partnerships with government authorities is desired.
Knowledge & Skills: Demonstrate specialist knowledge on Social Protection and social safetynet models, capacity strengthening to Government, formulation and implementation of strategies; Exposure to UN coordination mechanisms. 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. Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.
Languages: Fluency (level C) in English and Armenian languages. Working knowledge (level B) of Russian language is desired.
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 Armenia. Qualified female applicants and individuals with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. CV and cover letter must be submitted in the English language.
Applications must be submitted online through WFP e-Recruitment System.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
The successful candidate will have to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 to be able to perform his/her duties. The UN strongly recommends UN personnel, and their dependents receive a COVID-19 vaccine that has been approved by WHO.
Note: the position is open to Armenian nationals and individuals eligible to live and work in Armenia.
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.
