Programme officer P4

Reference number: 14-0014884

About organization:

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. We are currently seeking to fill the position of Programme Officer P4 in our country office in Ndjamena, Chad.

Chad is a country in transition. Despite countless years of emergency, and despite extremely high levels of vulnerability, Chad has the opportunity to move towards greater resilience. WFP is looking for a Programme Officer that can help implement longer-term programmes to build greater resilience, while still being prepared to respond to shocks and crisis as they arise.

We are looking for a unique blend of skills that emphasize partnership building, programme implementation, donor relations and capacity building. The Programme Officer will work under the supervision of the Head of Programme, but with a fair degree of independence in the management of the portfolio under her/his responsibility.

Programme Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Partnership building: The Programme Officer will lead the Chad Country office efforts to make progress on a number of partnership issues through cooperation with other UN agencies, Government counterparts and NGOs;
• Donor Relations: Engage Chad-based donors in strategy development and policy dialogue in support to the Government of Chad and to help identify programme opportunities and early signs of emergencies;
• Program Implementation: Ensure effective programme implementation through close coordination with other functional units and sub-offices;
• Ensure that programme operations are consistent with WFP policies and guidance, providing advice and support to clarify ambiguities;
• Provide technical leadership on resilience issues, including through the development and testing of innovative approaches;
• Supervise other programme staff and provide training and technical guidance in their work;
• Oversee preparation and dissemination of timely operational and analytical reports, including proposals for improvements in operation and the scope of programmes, and relevant information for internal and external use;
• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications & Experience Required

Education:
University degree in one or more of the following disciplines: economics, agriculture, international affairs, business administration, social sciences, development studies or a field relevant to international development assistance.

Experience:
At least eight years (3 of which international) of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in international development in a bilateral, multilateral or non-governmental food assistance organization or other international humanitarian or development programmes. Proven experience in building synergies among units, projects and regions.
Demonstrated effectiveness in developing country and regional programmes and bringing global strategies into the regional/country context.

Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Good operational, analytical and problem solving skills;
• Good understanding of the full spectrum of food assistance tools, programmes and transfer modalities;
• Ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts and long term strategic alliances;
• Good understanding of resilience programmes principles and practices;
• Ability to provide technical advice, or mobilise technical expertise, on a broad range of operational areas;
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those under his/her supervision;
• Resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgement, tact, negotiating skills;
• Ability to work in a team, and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Ability to cope with situations which may threaten health or safety;
• Flexibility in accepting work assignments outside normal desk description;
• Willingness to travel for extended periods of time;
• Tact, persuasiveness and ability to work harmoniously with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Training and/or experience utilising computers, including word processing, spreadsheet.

Competencies:

• WFP’s core competencies for professionals include action management, communication skills and high standards of ethics and values.

Language:

• Working knowledge (proficiency/level C) of English and French is essential.
• Intermediate knowledge (level B) in another UN official language, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish or one of WFP’s working languages, Portuguese is an asset.