Programme Policy Officer - Social Protection
Position Summary Expectations - Duties, Responsibilities
Grade: NO-B
Type of contract: fixed term appointment
Duration: one year (with possibility of extension)
Duty Station: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Terms and Conditions:
WFP offers a competitive benefits package including salary, pension, leave plus a medical insurance.
Job Purpose: As part of Strategic Outcomes 1 and 2, WFP Cambodia will work with the Royal Government of Cambodia and development partners to enhance the shock responsive social protection system in Cambodia. The Programme Policy Officer will coordinate these efforts together with the Social Protection team. This position falls under the overall supervision of the Head of Programme, and directly supervised by the Social Protection team leader.
- Key Accountabilities
- Contribute to the development of a wide variety of projects, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
- Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of considerable size/complexity, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.
- Develop and coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
- Research and analyse a range of policy and operational issues to inform 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.
- Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
- Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to improved food assistance packages.
- Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to food assistance needs, e.g. through providing inputs into training materials.
- Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
- Other as required.
- SPECIFIC POST REQUIREMENTS
- Partnerships and coordination:
- Identify, establish and maintain partnerships with the National Social Protection Council (NSPC), Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY), National Social Assistance Fund (NSAF), National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), and other relevant government entities, United Nations agencies, development partners, research partners and academic institutions etc. to support the Government in strengthening its social protection system, including enhancing the implementation of shock responsive social protection framework and integrating food security and nutrition considerations.
- Participate and support the WFP Country Office’s contribution to broader national level discussions and policy/strategy development for social protection and bridging the humanitarian-development divide in technical working groups/forums by providing inputs to technical discussions, sharing experiences and knowledge, and identifying collaboration opportunities.
- Support capacity strengthening of WFP staff, government institutions and staff at both national and subnational levels and relevant partners in technical skills in social protection related topics, in particular how to consider the impact of shocks.
- Policy, research and analysis:
- Collaborate with government and development partners to identify a research agenda for generating evidence for social protection.
- Undertake/coordinate research, and compile and analyze information to support the research agenda.
- Distill lessons learned and good practices from other countries with social protection programming, identify implementation challenges and results.
- Provide written inputs into research/policy papers, reports and strategy documents on social protection in Cambodia, and in particular the expansion of social protection programming to protect vulnerable populations from shocks and the inclusion of food security and nutrition considerations.
- Knowledge and information sharing:
- Coordinate and liaise with functional and Strategic Outcome teams, regional bureau and headquarters to ensure effective collaboration and share learning related to social protection, in particular shock-responsive social protection.
- Maintain a knowledge and information sharing platform to update and communicate with relevant stakeholders on the social protection area in Cambodia.
- Assist in organizing and facilitating workshops and seminars.
- Operational support/project management:
- Coordinate and liaise with relevant government organizations, United Nations partners and NGOs on standard operating procedures and delivery models, including for cash assistance during shocks.
- Draft relevant sections of project documents, fundraising proposals and progress reports.
- Coordinate and liaise with functional and Strategic Outcome teams and external stakeholders to explore the utilization of risk and impact analytics to inform national social protection programme design.
- Support WFP Country Office in organizing project planning missions, meetings and briefings in relevant areas of expertise and engagement.
- Coordinate the various workstreams around social protection, link them with government agreements, and support in the management of the broader programme under the Social Protection Team Lead.
- Other Duties:
- Undertake other related duties, as may be assigned by the line manager and/or the Strategic Outcome Manager.
- Ensure gender is considered throughout all areas of work under the post, as relevant.
- Standard Minimum Qualifications
- Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Public Health, Nutrition, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international humanitarian and development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
- Desired Experiences For Entry Into The Role:
- At least four (4) year of postgraduate professional experience with bachelor’s degree or two (2) year with master’s degree in technical assistance, policy analysis and guidance, and/or operational experience in the field of (shock-responsive) social protection, humanitarian assistance, and/or disaster preparedness and response;
- Experience working with United Nations, donor organizations, non-governmental organizations and/or government;
- Sound understanding of policy-making processes and the ability to distil operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for government institutions and other partners;
- Proven experience in managing cross-agency collaboration work along social protection;
- Ability to manage and prioritize complex workloads;
- Excellent communication skills in both written and spoken English;
- Experience working on cash-based transfer schemes is desirable;
- Experience working in disaster management or emergency preparedness work is desirable.
- Language: Fluency (level C) in English language and Khmer language.
