Programme Policy Officer - Strategic Coordination and Emergency,

Organizational Context

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build peace and prosperity. The Regional Director's Office for Eastern and Southern Africa (ESARO), based in Nairobi, provides strategic guidance and support to 21 Country Offices across the region, addressing complex humanitarian challenges.

Job Purpose

The Programme Policy Officer - Strategic Coordination and Emergency will provide critical support to the Regional Director's Office (ESARO) in Nairobi, Kenya. This role is essential for enhancing strategic coordination and ensuring effective emergency preparedness and response across the Eastern and Southern Africa region. The incumbent will synthesize operational data and contextual analysis to inform decision-making, support cross-functional coordination, and contribute to strategic insights for senior management. A key responsibility will be to provide dedicated backstopping for priority emergency preparedness and response (EPR) issues, ensuring continuity and seamless coordination with global headquarters. This includes supporting regional and country-level emergency coordination, tracking issues, preparing for meetings, and facilitating communication. The role also involves maintaining situational awareness of emergencies, identifying key risks, and supporting the flow of information between field teams and headquarters, ultimately contributing to more coherent and action-oriented support for WFP operations in a dynamic humanitarian landscape.

Responsibilities

The Programme Policy Officer - Strategic Coordination and Emergency role involves providing crucial support to the Regional Director's Office (RDO) for Eastern and Southern Africa. Key responsibilities include conducting strategic analysis, synthesizing operational data, and providing evidence-based recommendations to senior management and Country Offices (COs). The role also entails supporting cross-functional coordination, translating emerging information into strategic insights, and engaging with regional and global stakeholders. A significant part of the job is dedicated to emergency preparedness and response (EPR), offering backstopping support to ensure continuity and seamless coordination with global headquarters. This includes tracking emergency issues, preparing for coordination meetings, facilitating communication between various WFP entities, and maintaining situational awareness of emergencies across the region. The officer will help interlink priority emergency issues, escalate key operational risks, and support COs with remote or mission-based assistance on emergency planning and coordination. Additionally, the role involves supporting innovative partnerships and contributing to management accountability processes. Deliverables include timely analytical products, effective tracking of emergency files, improved information flow, and coordination support for strategic initiatives.

Work Experience

Requires a minimum of 6 years of progressive professional experience in a relevant field. This must include at least 2 years of field experience in an emergency operation. Additionally, knowledge of the international humanitarian response architecture, including inter-agency coordination mechanisms and United Nations systems, is necessary.

Skills

Strategic Analysis, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Cross-Functional Coordination, Data Synthesis, Policy Development, Programme Management, Partnership Building, Communication, Research, Planning, Organizational Skills, Inter-agency Coordination, Humanitarian Aid, Food Security, International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, Social Science, English Fluency

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