Programme Policy Officer – Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR), NOC at World Food Programme (WFP)

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Lead for Emergency Preparedness and Response, the Programme Policy Officer – EPR is responsible for the following duties:

Preparedness

• Conduct regular monitoring of regional risk analyses and early warning indicators to inform emergency preparedness efforts in WFP Country Offices, including contingency planning, integrating lessons learned from previous emergencies to strengthen future response strategies.
• Support Country Offices in maintaining minimum emergency readiness through maintaining and updating the Emergency Preparedness Checklist (EPC).
• Support Country Offices in strengthening the emergency preparedness and response (EPR) capacities of government counterparts, private partners and other relevant stakeholders through Country Capacity Strengthening (CCS) initiatives.
• Monitor, review and refine hazard analyses to support WFP’s Corporate Alert System (CAS) and early warning reporting, identifying risks with potential impacts on food and nutrition security among vulnerable populations in the region.

Response

• Support Country Offices to plan and design emergency response programmes (typically related to CSP Strategic Outcome 1), with a likely emphasis on General Food Assistance programmes (in-kind, cash-based transfers, vouchers, hot meals, etc). Provide technical advice for the planning, formulation, and implementation of food assistance strategies by WFP, Cooperating Partners and host governments. This includes contextual risk analyses, Concepts of Operations, Operational Plans and lessons learned exercises/After Action Reviews.
• During an emergency, provide strategic guidance and operational support to WFP Country Offices, including supporting access to internal mechanisms to enable efficient response such as internal surge, funding, and assets.
• Provide guidance to Country Offices to ensure that emergency programmes are well integrated and linked with longer-term early recovery and resilience outcomes as designed in CSPs.
• Provide coordination and support to regional forced displacements or refugee coordination and track overall resourcing and pipelines for forced displacement programmes.
• Support Country Offices in the formulation and design of programme frameworks to support National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMAs), relevant line ministries and regional entities both at the policy level and the implementation level.

Capacity Strengthening

• Organize and facilitate trainings, workshops, and lessons learned exercises to enhance the capacity and skills of WFP Country Office staff at regional, and national level related to emergency preparedness and response.
• Support other capacity strengthening initiatives including for partners such as NDMAs, such as through Simulation Exercises.

Policy and Reporting

• Contribute to the formulation of corporate emergency preparedness and response policies and guidance, and translate programme policy into regional and country level practice.
• Collaborate with Country Offices and the Budget and Programming Unit to develop quarterly refugee reports to UNHCR, emphasizing ration levels and pipeline.
• Lead or contribute to other reports and analysis relating to EPR in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region; including Situation Reports, fundraising documents, and talking points/briefs for senior management.
• Facilitate dissemination of EPR lessons learned and best practices regionally. Generate knowledge management and learning products from the region for internal and external consumption and support targeted advocacy efforts.
• Provide analysis on emerging country, regional or global issues relevant for WFP and for the humanitarian, food security and nutrition landscape in the region. Develop informed recommendations for WFP senior management based on emerging trends.

Other

• Deploy directly, sometimes for extended periods, to Country Offices as required to support implementation of WFP humanitarian operations (for preparedness or response).
• As required, represent the EPR Unit in both internal and external fora relating to emergencies and humanitarian coordination.
• Support / manage the flow of information between WFP’s global HQ and field teams.
• Other tasks as assigned by supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

• Advanced University degree (master’s degree) in Disaster Management, Economics, International Affairs, Agriculture, Social Sciences or a related field, or a First University Degree with two additional years of related work experience.

Experience:

• Typically, five years or more of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience with humanitarian organizations or government institutions with proven experience in emergency preparedness and response.
• Experience required in the management and coordination of emergency response operations and food distributions to crisis affected populations.
• Experience in engaging with Government(s) at a senior level, preferably in the field of disaster risk management or humanitarian action.
• Experience working with internally displaced people and refugee populations is highly desirable, with a good understanding of related protection issues.