AdresABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the winner of the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. In Lao PDR, WFP supports the government in providing school lunches for primary students, counters malnutrition with targeted food support to the most vulnerable, and helps communities build resilient lives with sustainable livelihood options.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Having established a presence in Lao PDR in 1975, the World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting the Lao Government’s vision of “a prosperous country, with a healthy population, free from food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty”. In its approach, WFP is gradually shifting from the delivery of services to building the capacity of both institutions, communities, and individuals to address the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms. As populations are scattered over vast areas where access can be difficult, strengthening the self-reliance of communities for solving their own nutrition and food security problems is central to WFP’s strategy.
Since January 2022, WFP has been implementing a Country Strategic Plan 2022-2026 which is formulated around the achievement of four strategic outcomes, all of which include WFP’s commitments on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE), Protection, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), and Disability Inclusion (DI). The Country Office (CO) values the importance of having dedicated expertise in these areas to help achieve CO’s Strategic Outcomes with consideration to context of Lao PDR.
The WFP Country Office has embarked on a nationalization of the Country Office path, expanding the gender unit with a national officer, with a focus on strengthening of internal and national gender, accountability, and protection capacities. Therefore, the country office has identified a need to employ a consultant to support the office with the following responsibilities.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
• Manage the CO’s gender, protection and AAP unit.
• Support the national Gender officer with their assignment, functioning as mentor/coach, providing on the job training and technical advice.
• Review, update and support the implementation of the CO’s cross-functional Action Plan covering the Gender Transformation Programme, the Gender Action Plan, the Protection and Accountability to Affected Populations Plan, Disability Inclusion Action Plan and Data Protection Action Plan.
• Coordinate the office’s Gender and Protection Results Network, to ensure collaboration on gender across grades, units, and between County & Field Offices.
• Support management in advocating, encouraging and promoting GEWE, Protection, AAP, DI, and Data Protection issues and considerations both internally and externally, by producing talking points and/or briefs and including these areas in internal and external communications.
• Contribute towards the development of projects, plans and processes in support of WFP’s commitments to GEWE, Protection, AAP, DI, and Data Protection by ensuring alignment with wider programme policies and guidance.
• Generate evidence for prior and ongoing project activities on GEWE, Protection, AAP and DI.
• Provide support to all Strategic Outcome activities, ensuring a coordinated twin-track approach that complies with WFP standards and procedures on GEWE, Protection, AAP, DI and Data Protection on mainstreaming and further includes targeted actions.
• Coordinate the inclusion of GEWE, Protection, DI, and Data Protection considerations in data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Research and analyse policy and operational issues to inform the development of policies, programmes and activities in relation to Protection, Inclusion and Safeguards.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on GEWE, Protection, AAP, and DI components in programmes and activities, including Gender Budgeting and Expenditure Tracking, that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
STANDARD MINIMUM EDUCATION
Advanced University Degree with experience in one or more of the following disciplines: Social Science, Environmental Sciences, International Development, Rural Development, Communications, Gender Studies, or relevant field.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE
Experience:
- At least 3 years of professional experience in social sciences, gender, protection, or disability inclusion, at the national and international level;
- Experience mentoring/coaching staff
- Understanding of food security and vulnerability
- Ability to link analysis to Programme design;
- Previous experience working with UN or NGO partners focusing on gender, protection, or disability inclusion is an asset
- Understanding of WFP policies on Gender, Protection and AAP, Disability Inclusion, Data Protection is an asset
Knowledge and Skills
• Strong analytical skills, report writing skills and communication capacity (both written and oral)
• Flexibility and ability to adapt management approach to local context
• Familiarity with programme design, implementation and reporting
• Respectful and inclusive leadership style
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Duty Station: Vientiane, Laos
Contract type & Level: International Consultant (Regular), Level 1 (Gender Protection)
Contract duration: 11 months (renewal)
Reporting: Deputy Country Director, Laos Country Office
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
Posting date: 29 February 2024
Closing date: 13 March 2024
