Localization Specialist
Organizational Context
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace, stability, and prosperity. WFP is committed to a localization policy, emphasizing the central role of local and national actors in humanitarian response and efforts to combat food insecurity and malnutrition. This involves shifting how WFP's work is designed, delivered, and funded to better support locally led initiatives.
Job Purpose
The Localization Specialist will provide technical leadership, steering, and coordination for the implementation of WFP's Localization Policy, with a primary focus on strengthening engagement with community-based organizations (CBOs) as technical partners in food security and nutrition. This role involves adapting corporate frameworks, partnership modalities, and risk management processes to better enable formal partnerships and meaningful engagement with CBOs, including women-led and disability-led groups. The specialist will consolidate lessons learned from pilot activities, develop corporate guidance, and provide technical assistance to country offices. Additionally, the role will support strengthening the influence of local actors in shaping policies and operations, advocating for harmonized approaches with other UN agencies, and contributing to communications and funding proposals. The objective is to enhance programme quality, efficiency, and elevate local actors as frontline leaders in humanitarian response.
Responsibilities
The World Food Programme (WFP) is seeking a Localization Specialist to operationalize its Localization Policy, which prioritizes local and national actors in humanitarian responses. This role involves shifting WFP's work design, delivery, and funding to better support locally led efforts addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. The specialist will focus on strengthening engagement with community-based organizations (CBOs) as technical partners, increasing the role of local entrepreneurs in supply chains, and enhancing the influence of local actors in policy and coordination. Key responsibilities include leading the implementation of Objective 2 of the Localization Policy, providing technical advice on adapting corporate frameworks for CBO partnerships, and consolidating lessons learned from pilot activities. The role also involves supporting Objective 4 by developing guidance for CBOs to influence policies and advocating for harmonized UN approaches to CBO engagement. The specialist will contribute to communications, funding proposals, and donor engagement, ensuring gender, protection, and inclusion perspectives are integrated. The assignment aims to foster collaborative partnerships, enhance program quality and efficiency, and elevate local actors as frontline leaders in a more devolved humanitarian system.
Work Experience
Requires a minimum of 5 years of postgraduate professional experience in international development or humanitarian work, with at least 3 years internationally. Demonstrated experience in partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs), including specific groups like women-led or disability-focused organizations, is essential. Experience working within an international organization, particularly in partner or grant management, is also required.
Skills
Community-based organization engagement, Partnership management, Grant management, Project coordination, Stakeholder engagement, Policy analysis, Capacity strengthening, Risk management, Gender and inclusion, Protection issues