Job Vacancies at the United Nations World Food Programme (UN WFP)

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 holders are likely to be working under the close support and guidance of a more experienced professional staff member receiving guidance and regular feedback on work performed.
• They are typically involved in programme or policy activities or similar nature and analytical work of limited complexity.

Job Purpose

• Facilitate the work of senior staff to effectively position WFP with public, private and external partners to attract policy support, resources, technical assistance and innovative solutions to advance the work of WFP, while supporting member states in the achievement of the SDGs and Zero Hunger and emphasizing WFP’s contributions in this regard.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

• Implement the work plan for an assigned area to enable WFP to identify, develop and strengthen quality partnerships in support of WFP strategic objectives.
• Proactively contribute to a partnerships portfolio, including partner profiling and outreach activities, with the aim to maximize resources and leverage policy and technical support for WFP’s work; Support partner visibility and ensure partner conditions are met.
• Use data to present managers with well-researched ideas to expand support from existing partners and to scope new partners, guided by programmatic assessment and context-specific analysis with the aim to enhance the impact of WFP’s work and diversify the resource base.
• Solicit inputs, including operational updates, from other WFP entities to inform partner audiences on WFP’s programmatic offering; Draft quality briefs and proactively highlight strategic issues to senior staff to inform best course of action and nurture partnership growth.
• Gather and present internal and external data/information, using key information systems (e.g. Salesforce, WINGS, WFPGo), to support WFP’s effective positioning vis-à-vis national governments, regional and international institutions with the aim to influence the policy agenda.
• In the context of the UN system and multilateral fora, support the development of partnerships and joint events with member states, civil society and intergovernmental organizations to advocate for the SDGs and Zero Hunger on the global agenda and advance WFP priorities and objectives.
• Contribute to partnerships strategies, including the development of Partnership Action Plans; Draw up quality partner proposals and reports by engaging with other WFP entities and external stakeholders.
• Support senior managers in the preparation of strategic agreements, joint strategies and MOUs in order to promote the SDGs and Zero Hunger on the national, regional and global agenda and to reach advantageous outcomes for WFP.
• Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance, and monitor defined risks.
• Other as required.

Desired Experiences For Entry into the Role

• Has a basic understanding of government strategies.
• Has developed effective relationships with partners and explored new areas to scale-up existing activities and researched new opportunities.
• Has developed powerful narratives by using data analysis visualization to enable action-oriented discussions with partners.
• Has prepared briefs to raise resources for operations and collaborated for timely registration, maintenance and update of contributions and forecasts.
• Has provided advanced technical support and identified opportunities for service delivery excellence to strengthen partnerships.
• Has motivated team spirit and contributed to a gender-balanced, inclusive and sound working environment.
• Minimum one or more years of relevant professional work experience in partnership roles.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Advanced University Degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics, International Relations, Law, Marketing, Communications or other relevant field, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
• Years of Experience: Minimum of 3 years relevant experience in the subject area.
• Language: Fluency in written and spoken English language.

Terms and Conditions

• Only Nigerian nationals are eligible to apply for this position.
• Applications are to be submitted and received online and in English language only.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  Canvassing is strictly prohibited. Canvassing of any sort will lead to automatic disqualification of the concerned applicant.
• The selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. WFP offers an attractive compensation package.

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Organizational Context and Job Purpose

• The candidate is expected to be involved in the areas of Budget planning and management, support in funds management, pipeline management, and monitoring the use of donor funds in line with donor conditions.
• Also, as a national officer, the candidate will be expected to reinforce day-to-day synergies with key stakeholders in Programme, Supply Chain, and Partnerships.
• The Incumbent will work under the supervisor of the Head of Budget and Programming.

Key Accountabilities

• Participate in the development and implementation of plans, policies and procedures for budget and programming activities (including PSA, Management Plan, Project budget, extra budgetary, ensuring that objectives are achieved in compliance with corporate, regional and functional strategies.
• Create and review project budget plans and monitor ongoing project performance against budget, ensuring adherence to guidance and policies, and providing financial analysis and advice to optimise resources.
• Monitor and provide advice on actions related to project closure and resource transfer.
• Monitor and provide advice on fund utilisation and advance financing, loan and borrowing, repayment and refinancing arrangements; alerting Country/Regional Directors to approaching deadlines for unassigned funds and potential resource shortfalls/surpluses, and proposing appropriate solutions.
• Monitor and manage the resource pipeline to maximise operational effectiveness, adhering to standards and processes, and providing advice on resource allocations based on severity of pipeline shortfalls using relevant pipeline tools.
• Contribute to the preparation of food-demand plans to support management and usage of corporate Global Commodity Financial Facility, and provide information and advice to guide HQ/RB decision-making when multiple projects compete for the same stock.
• Ensure correct budget and project documentation is created, and ensure relevant resource data is recorded in internal systems for reference, in line with WFP standards and procedures.
• Coordinate and prepare accurate reports, to provide consistent information for stakeholders, and to identify trends/issues and propose solutions that support decision-making by senior management.
• Analyse data and propose well-researched ideas to senior officers for improvement to systems, techniques, tools, processes and procedures to better monitor and manage budgets and funds.
• Build capacity of WFP staff in budgeting, fund management and operational planning, through preparing and delivery training, coaching, guidelines and manuals.
• Represent the unit at internal meetings/committees/working groups as required, in order to contribute to discussion of key issues from a budget and resource programming perspective.
• Manage junior officers/staff to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance.
• Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance and monitoring the management of financial risks.
• Other as required.

Standard Minimum Qualifications
Education:

• Advanced University degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics or another relevant field, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience:

• Minimum of five years of professional work experience in relevant fields with a background in preparing budgets and reports.

Language:

• Fluency (level C) in the English language and the duty station’s language, if different.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Team player with excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Ability to draft clear and concise reports on key issues and decisions within the delegated area of responsibility.
• Data and informational analysis.

Other Specific Job Requirements:

• Actively engage in the preparation of funding proposals, advocating for prioritization of resources by activity and modality as necessary, against operational shortfalls.
• Develop strategies that effectively match pipeline requirements with sourcing options in collaboration with Supply Chain and Program teams, building and maintaining productive partnerships at the operational level to ensure timely shortfall coverage.
• Lead working groups that proactively discuss resource availability and upcoming shortfalls, recommending timely mitigation measures.
• Manage the programming of the received funds promptly, according to prioritized operational needs, submitted funding proposals, donor conditions, and restrictions, and in close collaboration with the Partnerships teams.
• Build capacity of WFP staff in budgeting, fund management and operational planning, through preparing and delivering training, coaching, guidelines, and manuals. Represent the unit at internal meetings/committees/working groups as required, in order to contribute to the discussion of key issues from a budget and resource programming perspective.

Desired Experiences for Entry into the Role:

• Has experience translating operational requirements into financial information.
• Has experience preparing budgets and reports for management.
• Had produced consolidated pipeline information, budgets, supply chain, and operational plans.
• Has experience in reviewing plans and budgets.
• Has experience to work across functions to address identified resource management issues and gaps and make recommendations.