Programme Policy Officer - Community Infrastructure SC8
Organizational Context
These roles are within Global Headquarters (GHQ) and/or Country Offices (COs), reporting to a senior Programme Policy Officer. Job holders will receive guidance and feedback, engaging in programme or policy activities and analytical work of limited complexity. They will support community-based asset creation programmes, contributing to WFP Sri Lanka’s Country Strategic Plan outcomes on resilience, institutional capacity, and partnerships.
Job Purpose
The Programme Policy Officer will support policy and programme activities to effectively meet food assistance needs, specifically through Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) creation and rehabilitation. This role is crucial in addressing Sri Lanka's vulnerability to increasing climate-related disasters. The incumbent will contribute to a program combining cash transfers for irrigation system rehabilitation, anticipatory cash support, and strengthened disaster preparedness. Key responsibilities include leading or supporting the design and implementation of small irrigation structures and soil/water conservation measures, ensuring alignment with climate-risk assessments and nature-based solutions. The role also involves programme management, partnership coordination, capacity building, and field monitoring, utilizing digital tools to enhance project delivery and resilience-building initiatives.
Responsibilities
The role involves comprehensive technical leadership and support in natural resource management, focusing on the design and implementation of small-scale irrigation structures, soil and water conservation measures, and watershed-level planning. This includes providing technical guidance on agroforestry systems, rangeland restoration, and selecting multi-purpose species, while ensuring all activities align with climate-risk assessments and nature-based solutions. Programme management responsibilities include contributing to project development, providing support for projects of varying sizes, and ensuring compliance with organizational standards. Rigorous data gathering, monitoring, and analysis of policy and operational issues are essential for informed decision-making and timely reporting. The position also requires strong partnership and coordination skills, liaising with internal and external counterparts, including government agencies, technical experts, and community leaders, to ensure effective project delivery. Capacity building is a key component, involving training WFP staff, partners, and national governments to enhance their preparedness and response capabilities for food assistance needs. This includes facilitating community engagement, participatory planning, and ensuring the quality and sustainability of created community assets through climate-resilient interventions. Field monitoring, stakeholder coordination, and integrating safeguards like gender equality and protection principles are crucial. The role also emphasizes climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and resilience-building approaches, alongside capacity strengthening through training and developing knowledge products. Documenting lessons learned and contributing to evaluations are vital for continuous improvement and evidence generation.
Work Experience
Requires a minimum of 5 years of experience in irrigation scheme rehabilitation, ecosystem restoration, watershed management, agroforestry, land degradation control, and civil/environmental engineering. Demonstrated experience with community participation in minor irrigation schemes, water harvesting, or community infrastructure is essential. Experience implementing land and water management in dry zones is highly desired. Proficiency in participatory approaches and community mobilization is also crucial.
Skills
Community Engagement, Participatory Planning, Asset Creation, Quality Assurance, Field Monitoring, Stakeholder Coordination, Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction, Capacity Building, Technical Infrastructure Management, Natural Resource Management, Irrigation System Rehabilitation, Watershed Management, Agroforestry, Land Degradation Control, GIS, Digital Data Collection, Project Management, Reporting, Partnership Development, Gender Equality Integration, Protection Principles, Accountability to Affected Populations