Asociado/a de Programas - Economía Circular Urbana
Organizational Context
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's leading humanitarian organization fighting hunger, assisting millions annually across 83 countries. WFP provides food assistance in emergencies and works with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. In Bolivia, WFP is implementing an innovative Urban Circular Economy for Food Security initiative. This project aims to enhance food security, economic inclusion, and urban resilience through food recovery/redistribution and waste cooking oil valorization for income generation and sustainable value chains.
Job Purpose
The World Food Programme (WFP) in Bolivia is launching an innovative Urban Circular Economy for Food Security initiative focused on improving food security, economic inclusion, and urban resilience. The initiative has two main components: food recovery and redistribution, and the collection and valorization of waste oils and fats for income generation and sustainable value chains. This project requires close collaboration with municipalities, the private sector, community organizations, urban recyclers, women's associations, and food banks. The role involves coordinating the preparation and launch phase, transforming a concept note into an operational plan for an urban pilot, identifying and engaging public, private, and community partners, supporting alliance formalization, and analyzing relevant social protection mechanisms for vulnerable urban populations.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Programme Officer, the UN Volunteer will plan and coordinate the program's launch, translating the concept note into a work plan, schedule, budget, and monitoring mechanisms for the pilot phase. Responsibilities include integrated coordination of food recovery/redistribution and waste oil valorization components, ensuring technical and operational coherence. The role involves identifying, mapping, and prioritizing public, private, community, academic, and cooperation partners, assessing their capacities and potential contributions. The volunteer will support relationship building, negotiation, and formalization of partnerships, including due diligence and drafting agreements. They will assist in the operational design of the pilot, including site and participant selection, logistics, and quality control. The position requires coordinating capacity-building efforts in food safety, waste oil quality, health, safety, inclusion, environmental management, and value chain operations. A key task is mapping social protection programs and identifying integration opportunities with urban food security and livelihoods. The volunteer will establish coordination mechanisms, organize meetings, and track decisions. Developing and maintaining the pilot's monitoring framework, including baselines, indicators, and reporting, is essential. Risk identification and mitigation, supporting resource mobilization, and contributing to program sustainability through proposal development are also required.
Work Experience
Minimum of three (3) years of relevant professional experience in project management, social protection, food security, urban development, or economic inclusion. Desirable experience includes circular economy, inclusive recycling, waste management, social protection programs, cash transfers, working with municipal governments and community organizations, and managing partnerships with the private sector and local entities.
Skills
Professionalism, integrity, teamwork, respect for diversity, continuous learning, planning and organization, and strong communication skills (oral and written). Genuine commitment to volunteerism principles, WFP's mission, and UN core values. Specific skills include project management, partnership development, social protection analysis, and understanding of WFP operations. Expertise in Administration, Community Development, Finance, and Accounting is also relevant.