Beirut - Programme Policy Officer for Social Protection (ESSN- Operations) SC8

Organizational background

Assisting more than 90 million people in 83 countries each year, the World Food Program (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.

As the international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030, one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.

In Lebanon, WFP Lebanon provides humanitarian assistance to 1.4 million vulnerable people a month, in the form of unrestricted assistance in-kind and cash-based transfers. WFP supports as well Lebanese schools with school meals and also supports vulnerable households in protecting and improving their livelihoods through trainings and rehabilitation of local infrastructures. WFP also supports Lebanon’s National Poverty Targeting Programme, and Lebanon’s Emergency Crisis and COVID-19 Response Social Safety Net Project (ESSN)

To know more about WFP’s mission, please check the below video:

https://www.facebook.com/WorldFoodProgramme/videos/10154930622760178/

Organizational Context:

The incumbent will report to Programme Policy Officer in the Social Protection Unit (SPU) in the WFP Lebanon Country Office, in charge of the ESSN, under the overall guidance of the Head of SPU.  

Job Purpose

We are seeking to fill the position of Programme Policy Officer for Social Protection to support the emergency social safety nets (ESSN) implementation. The position will be based in Beirut, Lebanon.

Key Responsibilities (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

Within delegated authority and under the direct supervision of the Programme Policy Officer for Social Protection, the Programme Policy Officer will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Provide project management support in the overall implementation of ESSN, specifically in areas related to targeting and selection of beneficiaries, provision of cash assistance and Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM).
• Support the establishment of functional operational systems that strengthen the implementation of the ESSN, including through the development of project’s operational guidelines with proper control mechanisms to ensure that project outcomes are met, implementation quality standards are maintained, and ensure compliance with WFP corporate standards and procedures.
• Contribute to preparing and elaborating ESSN operational work plans, budget and resource management related duties.
• Liaise with relevant Field Offices to provide ESSN Field Officers with necessary operational guidance and ensure programmatic advancement in timely and qualitative manners at field level.
• Support, and lead where needed, the capacity building of national government partners in the implementation of related social protection programs and their use of newly established systems and protocols. This also involves support in developing capacity building guidelines and trainings to staff and partners on core aspects of program delivery.
• Liaise with relevant units within WFP to ensure effective collaboration and implementation of ongoing activities related to the ESSN.   
• Supervise and provide guidance to support staff on operational issues.
• Perform other duties as may be required.

Standard Minimum Qualifications:    

Education: Completion of secondary school education. Advanced University degree in Economics, Agriculture, International Affairs, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Development Studies or other related fields or First University degree with additional years of relevant work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience: At least five (5) years of relevant work experience in the fields of programme implementation and performance assessment.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English and Arabic. Knowledge of French is an advantage.

Desired Experiences and Competencies: 

• Experience in implementation or design of a social assistance program(s) is required.
• Experience in supporting large-scale emergency cash-based transfer (CBT) operations during Emergencies for International Organizations (IO), Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) or governments is required.
• Demonstrated experience in directly working or collaborating with Government ministries and/or donors, bilateral and multilateral, is required.
• Understanding of the theory and application of food security, social assistance programs and their operational systems.
• Good writing skills.