Programme Policy Officer

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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: Programme Policy Officer (Smallholder Agricultural Market Support)

TYPE OF CONTRACT: Short-term

UNIT/DIVISION: Climate and Resilience Service (PPGR)

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Rome, Italy

DURATION: 11 months (November 2025- October 2026)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The Smallholder Agricultural and Market Support (SAMS) team provides strategic and technical support and guidance to Country Offices and Regional Bureaux to design and implement programmes that facilitate smallholder farmers' access to markets, contributing to the development of agricultural value chains. After the 2024 reorganization, the SAMS team was incorporated into the Climate & Resilience (C&R) Service, that integrates policy, programme and technical services on climate action, livelihoods, and resilience.

Under the direct supervision of the SAMS team lead, the Programme and Policy Officer will provide strategic and operational support to COs implementing SAMS activities, throughout the formulation and implementation of Country Strategic Plans. Under the supervision of the C&R Evidence & Learning team lead, the incumbent will also perform monitoring and performance management activities for the Service, including, but not limited to, for SAMS programmes.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. In collaboation with the Analysis, Planning and Performance (APP) Division, lead the development, improvement and field adoption of corporate monitoring tools for C&R programmes in the framework of the Corporate Results Framewrok (CRF , through development of indicators' guidance and data collection tools and delivery of webinars/training sessions.

2. Contribute to the positioning of C&R programmes in the new CRF : contributing to the development of Line of Sight, C&R corporate indicators and business rules.

3. Provide guidance and advice to COs and HQ C&R Programme teams to properly reflect C&R results in their CSP packages and ACRs. Build the capacity of Regional Offices' staff to review CSP logframes and ensure inclusion of relevant CRF elements (tags, indicators, markers etc.). Ensure timely and quality inclusion of corporate indicators' target and actual values in COMET, by supporting C&R programme teams and field staff.

4. Contribute to the improvement and development of project-related monitoring frameworks and tools for SAMS, post-harvest management and local and regional food procurement (LRFP).

5. Contribute to the update and dissemination of the LRFP guidance, in particular the Theory of Change and performance monitoring contents.

6. Provide programmatic support to the field for the design and implementation of SAMS programmes. This will include dissemination of tools and guidance material, trainings of HQ and field staff; support the field on ad hoc requests related to programme design and implemtation etc.

7. Act as the Knowledge Management (KM) focal point for the SAMS programme area. This will include restructuring the SAMS-related guidance in the Programme Guidance Manual (PGM), and managing the SAMS KM platforms and tools (including WFPgo topic page, VivaEngage Community, GoDocs etc.).

8. Support the inclusion and formulation of SAMS activities within the Country Strategic Plans (CSP) by reviewing CSP packages (Line of Sights, CSPs, logframes), providing strategic and technical inputs to ROs and COs engaging in the formulation process and developing guidance material to support the process.

9. Represent the Service in corporate Knowledge Management and Reporting exercises such as the Annual Country Reports (ACR) and the Annual Performance Report (APR). This implies coordinating the provision of inputs from the service, and analysing SAMS corporate performance data to inform the Food Systems and Smallholder section of the APR and communication products.

10. Support, as required, the production of documents, reports, briefs, presentations and talking points.

11. Any other duties as required.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

1. Development of CRF PPGR indicators' methodologies and data collection tools

2. Delivery of webinars/training sessions for the new CRF indicators and data collection tools

3. Revision of CSP logframes to ensure inclusion of PPGR relevant indicators

4. Accurate reflection and communication of PPGR's performance results in COMET and corporate reports (2025 ACRs and APR)

5. Update and dissemination of LRFPP guidance (programme-related chapters)

6. Update and dissemination of the SAMS Programme Guidance Manual (PGM)

7. Maintenance of SAMS Knowledge Management platforms (WFPgo topic page, VivaEngage Community, GoDocs etc.)

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Master's degree in one or more of the following disciplines: international relations, development studies, agricultural economics, social sciences, or other related fields.

Experience: At least 5 years of relevant experience in the field of smallholder value chain development, food systems, agriculture market access. Experience in programme design, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation in the mentioned fields. Experience with WFP and/or other UN agencies is desirable

Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of smallholder support and value chain programming;

• Knowledge and understanding of United Nations role in humanitarian and development cooperation;

• Excellent analysis and computer skills, particularly in MS Office (Excel and Pivot tables); capacity to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative data;

• Good command and knowledge of WFP corporate information, management, monitoring and reporting systems (COMET, WINGS, SPRING, SPA Plus etc..) as well as internal platforms (Manuals, Communities, WFPGo etc.);

• Good knowledge of WFP Country Strategic Planning cycle and Corporate monitoring framework and requirements;

• Excellent drafting, communication and presentation skills in English. Editing experience in English desirable

• Strong analytical skills and ability to plan and organize work;

• Ability to work independently in a timely and organized manner;

• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relationships with people from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds;

• Ability to work well under pressure and adhere to tight deadlines

Languages: Fluency in English.

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Please contact us at in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.