Nutrition-sensitive Social Protection Consultant

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WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

JOB TITLE Nutrition-sensitive Social Protection Officer
TYPE OF CONTRACT: International consultancy, CST Level II
UNIT/DIVISION: School Meals and Social Protection Service (PPGS)
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Rome, Italy
DURATION: 11 months
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
National social protection systems are essential to scale-up solutions to fight the vicious cycle between poverty, hunger and malnutrition. WFP has clearly identified this unique opportunity in its corporate Social Protection Strategy (2021) and is supporting governments and countries to strengthen national systems for zero hunger and malnutrition in 98 countries (2023). WFP’s work is focused on two complementary priorities: support social protection system strengthening for better preparedness and responds to shocks and crises, and to achieve better food security and nutrition for vulnerable groups across the life cycle.

Applying a nutrition-sensitive lens to social protection system strengthening requires the capacity to work across multiple sectors and systems, particularly social protection, food and health systems. It requires a clear, evidence-based understanding of the changing landscape on food security and malnutrition trends globally and regionally, and their implications for social protection policy and programmes to effectively inform action at country level. It also requires fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships and cross-functional work, both within WFP and externally. Finally, it requires a systematic effort on both evidence-based advocacy and capacity strengthening in the area. For this reason, a specialized professional role is required to move this agenda forward. This position will be part of the Social Protection Unit, within the School Meals and Social Protection Service, and work in close collaboration with the Nutrition Service within the Programme and Policy Guidance Division.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Positioning and evidence: coordinate the development and dissemination of key evidence relevant to inform the nutrition-sensitive social protection agenda, in collaboration with Knowledge and Learning Management and partnerships colleagues within the Social Protection Unit, other services and divisions, Regional Bureaux and Country Offices. Represent WFP in key positioning events and platforms relevant to nutrition-sensitive social protection, as needed. Support the organization of key positioning events on this topic, as required.
2. Workforce capacity together with the Programme Policy Officer – Nutrition Sensitive Social Protection, coordinate the development, adaptation and rollout of capacity strengthening initiatives on nutrition-sensitive social protection for WFP staff and external partners to different regions, in collaboration with Regional Bureaux and Country Offices, as well as external partners.

3. Region and Country Support
Provide technical and strategic advice to Regional Bureaux and Country Offices on nutrition-sensitive social protection, including programme design, M&E, knowledge management and coordination aspects.
4. Partnerships In close collaboration with the head of partnerships within the Social Protection Unit and the Head of Unit, the Nutrition Service and the partnership division, establish, maintain and strengthen strategic partnerships on nutrition-sensitive social protection. Engage and represent WFP in key coordination platforms for nutrition-sensitive social protection.
5. Joint fundraising and proposal writing In collaboration with the Nutrition Service and partnerships, identify opportunities and develop joint fundraising proposals on nutrition-sensitive social protection, including with other UN agencies and other partners.
Specific tasks will include:
•Coordinate the finalization, uptake and dissemination of ongoing evidence on nutrition-sensitive social protection, in collaboration with external partners and with the KLM team within the SP Unit.
In particular, with the Institute of Development Studies:
-Pending country case studies
-Business case on nutrition-sensitive social protection
-Adaptation of the SP Pathways to Nutrition study to East and West Africa
-Global module on Food Security and Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection
•Represent WFP in key coordinating platforms for nutrition-sensitive social protection and key events and conferences at global and regional level, as required. Help identify and define a calendar of strategic engagement events to position the agenda on nutrition-sensitive social protection.
•In coordination with Timor Leste Country Office, Regional Bureau Bangkok and the Government of Timor Leste, help define the way forward for the Global Task Force on Social Protection for Nutrition, Human Capital and Local Economic Development, and the development and rollout of an action plan.
•Coordinate the development, adaptation and roll-out of regional trainings on nutrition-sensitive social protection for WFP staff and external partners, as required.
•Support knowledge management efforts within the team, development of fact sheets, ppt, and other communication material, engaging with Communication Unit, socialprotection.org and other relevant platforms to support dissemination and uptake of corporate and regional material on Social Protection and Nutrition.
•Support the team in the organization of meetings/workshops/webinars/events as needed, as related to nutrition-sensitive social protection.

Develop concept notes and funding proposals, in coordination with partnerships, nutrition service and others, as required.
•Provide technical assistance to RBs and COs on nutrition-sensitive social protection through remote and face-to-face support.
•Coordinate with SP evidence and innovation team and APP on M&E for nutrition-sensitive social protection, and provide support to RBs and COs on it, as part of the broader support.
•Engage with key strategic partners (bilaterals, IFI, UN, academia, etc), in collaboration with the team and other relevant services
•Perform other related duties as required.
KEY DELIVERABLES:
•Proposed action plan for 2025-26 on the nutrition-sensitive social protection agenda, in collaboration with the Nutrition Service.
•This needs to include a proposed evidence generation and uptake agenda, workforce development plan for Regions and Countries, key strategic partnerships and coordination platforms and a prioritized set of high-level strategic engagement events to position the topic.
•Revised concept note and action plan on the Global Task Force on Social Protection for Nutrition, Human Capital and Local Economic Development for 2025-2026.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:
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
Experience:
At least 6 years of experience.
Knowledge & Skills:
Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance, Emergency Programming, Transfer Modalities, Effective Communication, ability to work in a multicultural team
Languages:
Fluency (level C) in English and at least another UN language.

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our recruitment process is inclusively crafted to welcome candidates of all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and ensuring a respectful environment for all. We aim for an accessible and fair recruitment journey. Should you need any reasonable accommodations or have accessibility concerns, please reach out to us confidentially at global.inclusion@wfp.org. Our DEI team is here to ensure your full participation in our recruitment process.

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