Programme Associate (Field Coordinator)

Programme Associate (Field Coordinator) HGSF Project) (166702)

Requisition ID 166702 – Posted 07/06/2022 – Short Term-SC WFP – Asia, Southern – Nepal – Chautara – Working Job Language (1) – PROGRAMME & POLICY

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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.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

WFP has been supporting the GON to implement the school meals programme through food transfers since 1974 to improve education and nutritional outcomes in Nepal. In 2008 the GON have scaled up the programme into 19 districts using its own resources through a cash transfer approach, and due to strong prioritization of school meals by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology this programme has been sharply increased from 2020. Currently, the school meals programme is among the largest social safety net programs in Nepal, reaching almost 3.9 million school children enrolled in basic education, representing approximately 100% of net enrolment in community schools from ECD to grade 8. Despite the impressive expansion of the programme, it is yet to produce the results that were envisioned. For the cash-based school meals programme, national funds are channelled directly to municipalities, shifting responsibility to local authorities and the schools themselves. In response to the government’s request of technical assistance to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of the school meals in Sindupalchok, WFP has designed a capacity building activity to increase the efficacy of the cash-based school meals programme, under a home-grown school feeding approach. The HGSF Field Coordinator will assist farmers and farmer cooperatives, schools, and local governments of Sindupalchok on better management and increased accountability of the midday meals programme, for healthier eating habits and nutrition of students and their families, and increased participation of local small holder farmers as regular suppliers of food to school meals.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Functional Area: School Meals Programme (Home Grown School Feeding)
Position Title: Programme Associate (Field Coordinator/HGSF Project)
Type of Contract: Service Contract (SC-6/Equivalent to GS-6)
Duty Station: Sindhupalchwok, Nepal, 2 posts
Duration: 12 months

JOB PURPOSE

WFP is seeking a committed, innovative, and dynamic HGSF Field Coordinator to join the WFP Nepal on Sindupalchok District for 6 months, with possible extension. The HGSF field coordinator will assist the School Meals Programme Unit of WFP Country Office, to coordinate the implementation of planned activities at field level, in coordination with District Coordination Committee (DCC), Rural/Urban Municipalities (R/UM) and other government and non-government agencies involved on this activity. The HGSF Field Coordinator will be responsible for assisting the WFP CO for an effective and coordinated implementation of planned activities for rolling out the HGSF model in Sindupalchock, ensuring timely and quality delivery of expected outputs and outcomes.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Coordination and capacity strengthening support for supplying school meals according to planned HGSF menu. The field coordinator will be mainly responsible for

1. Timely and quality implementation of activities established on workplan, including but not being limited to trainings and other capacity building activities for government, school members and community, menu planning and contracting cooperatives or farmers as food suppliers, behaviour change and communication activities, and supporting the monitoring and accountability system for the school meals programme in Sindupalchok.
2. Holding regular coordination meetings with local government, and school staff and committees, farmers’ cooperatives, and other stakeholders, and informing the Head of SMP and HGSF Project Manager on results and progresses, according to workplan developed.
3. Operationalizing the supply chain cycle for supplying school meals, closely working with LGs, cooperatives, and schools in line with planned school menus and forward contract.
4. Provide technical assistance to cooperatives and farmers to promote timely production of both nutrition dense crops and diverse food production to supply school meals.
5. Organize periodic meetings with cooperatives and schools to ensure timely supply of food commodities to schools.
6. Carrying out orientations and trainings to selected cooperatives and farmers groups of the 12 municipalities of Sindupalchok to increase their capacity to properly supply HGSF menus.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

Additionally, the HGSF field coordinator will:

• Participate on coordination meetings with the HGSF Project Manager and Head of SMP to inform on results and progresses of planned activities.
• Support the identification of potential collaboration and partnerships for social safety nets at the municipal/ward/community level, reinforcing the capacity of government.
• Assist in integrating aspects such as social protection, school health and nutrition, local purchase from small farmer holders and agriculture cooperatives, and other development activities into the annual/periodic planning and budgeting process of local government (municipality).
• Assist on collecting and consolidate required information for project/local level planning and implementation processes.
• Provide full support and assistance to relevant Rural/Urban Municipalities and DCC, in planning and budgeting of annual and quarterly activities.
• Assist the related federal, provincial, and local-level government officials and stakeholders in ensuring timely monitoring of the field activities and reporting as well as undertake regular field visits to track progress of implementation at the field level.
• Track and analysing data to provide input into reporting activities and contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on activities. Ensure a proper database is maintained on project progress, lesson learned and best practices.
• Undertake other responsibilities relevant for implementing the activities as assigned by the supervisor.

Functional Capabilities

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

At least 5 to 6 years of experience in the relevant field of work. Experience related to HGSF is desirable.

• Has gained experience in implementing technical programs at field level (i.e., agriculture, nutrition, etc.).
• Has implemented WFP programmes and provided input into designing operations.
• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A post-secondary certificate in the related functional area with focus on a relevant discipline: agriculture, nutrition, gender studies, development studies, information management, social sciences, law, human rights, international development, or related field. First level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in relevant field is desirable.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in the UN language in use at the duty station and in the duty station’s language, if different.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 21 June 2022

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.