Programme Policy Consultant - CST II, Lomé

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian organization addressing the challenges of global hunger and nutrition. WFP works with its partners to achieve the vision of zero- hunger. Its Strategic Plan aligns WFP’s work with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and covers the period 2017–2021. While WFP’s mandate clearly articulates both humanitarian and development responsibilities, the organization’s comparative advantage and long experience call for prioritization of emergency, lifesaving and development-enabling work that benefits the poorest and most marginalized people. The Sustainable Development Goals require moving beyond saving lives to changing lives, focusing first on the people in greatest need, not just in least-developed countries but universally throughout the world. WFP recognizes that it is impossible to achieve zero hunger without addressing the structural drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition, and that gender inequality is one of the most important causal problems. Moreover, WFP is cognizant that to enhance efficiency, impact and fairness, it must work to properly engender its entire programme portfolio. In Togo, WFP supports the Government and partners in addressing acute food insecurity, malnutrition and the underlying drivers of vulnerability, with a particular focus on crisis affected populations, food insecure households and school age children. WFP’s portfolio combines emergency assistance with resilience building and systems strengthening interventions, including support to national social protection and school feeding programmes, while promoting gender equality and accountability to affected populations.

WFP Togo is implementing a second-generation country strategic plan (CSP) which was approved by the Executive Board in June 2022 to cover the period from July 2022–December 2026. It enables WFP to reposition itself as a key player of SDG2 – Zero hunger – and to transition from exclusive direct assistance to increased advisory and enabling support to the Government, especially the design and piloting of the home-grown school feeding programme and its linkage to local food production and nutrition, logistics and climate adaptation. WFP country office in Togo is also operating the logistics corridor into central Sahel and hosts a global commodity management framework for WFP’s west and central Africa region (RBD).

Over the past year, the north of the country has been facing a critical security crisis that has particularly stressed the chronic and acute humanitarian needs of the vulnerable populations, especially in the Savanes region bordering with Burkina Faso. The spill-over effects of the crisis in the Sahel countries have led to the influx of thousands of Burkinabe refugees adding up another layer of social distress and humanitarian needs to the already-vulnerable host populations in the Savanes region. The Government with the support of UNHCR has started the registration of refugees, and so far about 6,500 people have been registered. However, in a recent letter from the Togo Minister of Security and Civil Protection sent to UNHCR, the number of refugees estimated by the government is 20,000 the number of IDPs is 32,000 (as of 03 March 2023). The Savanes region is undeniably the most food insecure part of the country, with 35% of the nationwide number of people living in IPC 3+, corresponding to 238 843 out of 423 165 people in dire need of food and nutrition assistance (Cadre Harmonise March 2024).

Under the overall supervision of the Country Director and the direct supervision of Deputy Country Director, the Consultant will work to ensure that WFP programmes are coherently and aligned with the government roadmap 2025 and the United Nations sustainable development framework. He/She will liaise with the Regional Bureau of Dakar and the Head Quarters in Rome to follow programme guidance and implement the latest lessons learnt related to programmatic activities in Togo as well as explore new potential initiatives.

• Lead and inspire a team of diverse professionals, set, and follow up on priorities, manage performances and offer advice and opportunities for career and professional development
• Formulate WFP programme plans in line with both organisational strategy and the practical realities of operating in the field in Togo.
• Provide advice and support to field offices delivering a complex portfolio of programmes to clarify ambiguities and ensure that policy and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies,
• Provide leadership in mobilising technical expertise on a wide range of programmes and policy issues including assessment, analysis, choice of objectives, activities, transfer modalities and appropriate food products.
• Facilitate deployment and testing of innovative approaches and develop strategies to support government efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition.
• Assist senior government stakeholders and other partners in identifying food assistance priorities and needs of the country and its people. Provide support and technical expertise for planning, development, and implementation of programmes to strengthen government and community ownership and effectiveness of food security and nutrition at national and sub-national levels.
• Develop operational and maintain established strategic partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work.
• Enhance WFP’s leadership status in different forums on subjects related to food security, nutrition, livelihoods, resilience, engagement in humanitarian, transition and development contexts and other related issues through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials.
• Contribute to the design and resource mobilization efforts, including the development and drafting of project proposals and their budgets.
• Ensure constructive collaboration with other UN Agencies and participate to the different coordination meetings/inter Agency coordination and joint programming.
• Collaborate with the WFP Research, Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) unit to establish sound monitoring systems and coordinate data gathering, ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Manage or oversee timely preparation and dissemination of analytical reports, publications, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use.
• Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set objectives within a significant budget.
• Take responsibility for incorporating gender and protection perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men.
• Contribute to Country Office Emergency Preparedness i.e. early warning, risk analysis, and contingency planning in order to respond to humanitarian crises and needs.
• Other as required

• Programme operations within the CO and Field Office are integrated and coordinated to ensure the timely delivery of food assistance to World Food Programme (WFP) beneficiaries in the service area.
• Staff in the Country Office’s Program Unit receive an appropriate level of supervision, which results in improved overall performance.
• Timely analyses and summary reports are prepared and presented to Country Office management, including clear recommendations on actions to be taken.
• Staff contribute effectively to the preparation of high-quality, timely reports for management, donors, the government, and other stakeholders.
• WFP staff and partners receive adequate training and are informed of policy recommendations and Standard Operating Procedures, integrating these elements into their daily work.
• Working relationships with WFP partners in the field, including the Government and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), are  strengthened

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.

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive relevant professional experience with gradually increasing responsibilities in designing, implementing, and monitoring humanitarian and/or development programmes with international governmental or non-governmental organisations.
• Successful track record in supervising multinational and multifunctional teams in complex operational environments.
• Expertise in planning, prioritizing, and managing resources (assets, budgets, etc) efficiently.
• Ability to communicate with communities and negotiate with government/ partners in support of Country Office requirements.

• Experience in education, particularly strong competencies in School Feeding Programme implementation and nutrition (especially nutrition sensitive value chains) and /or work with smallholder farmers.
• Knowledgeable and experienced of inter-agency coordination and joint programming.
• Experience in different programme approaches including different transfer modalities.
• Collaboration with government agencies to identify needs and implement food assistance programmes.
• Team leadership in strategic discussions.
• Have a passion for improving lives of millions of people living in poverty and hunger and solid experience in School Feeding Programmes.
• Have a solid background in managing teams and programmes in complex humanitarian and development contexts, you keep abreast of the latest policy developments on a range of humanitarian issues, including linking humanitarian and development action.
• Be highly adaptable and able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences who may not share the same technical knowledge.
• Prioritize and strike a balance between ideal goals and operational requirements and translate gender and protection objectives into tangible results on the ground.

Fluency in both English and French