SSA Consultant (Additional Team Leader)

World Food Programme•Great Scott Township, MN

About The Position

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves. 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. WFP encourages female candidates and people with disabilities to apply WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity and disability. The SSA Consultant (Additional Team Leader) under the direct guidance of the Programme Policy Officer (Team Lead) based at UPSRLM, Lucknow and the Programme Policy Officer (Nutrition) based at the Country Office, while working in close collaboration with the Programme Policy Officer (Food technology) at WFP CO and the Programme Policy Officer (Nutrition) based at Lucknow and the overall guidance of the Senior Programme Policy Officer (Head of Unit), Nutrition and School Meals will be responsible for the following: Aligned to this overarching vision around improved nutrition, WFP has been supporting the State Rural Livelihood Mission and the Department of Women & Child Development in their mission to ensure the availability and demand of nutritious, quality assured and safe take home rations (THR) through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme through local production by women’s self groups (WSHG). Under this project, a total of 204 THR production units run by WSHGs are in process of being set up across the State to cater to ICDS requirements in 43 districts. Each unit will produce a variety of different food products for different ICDS beneficiary groups such as children between 6 months to 6 years of age, adolescent girls and pregnant/ lactating women. To support the roll out of this overall model for production of supplementary nutrition, WFP in close collaboration with UPSRLM will set up a Project Management Unit in UPSRLM to efficiently support the implementation of the project. Under the PMU, staff with different skill sets will be positioned at various levels, including the placement of a Programme Policy Officer (Additional Team Leader) at the State level within UPSRLM. The overall responsibility of this position to support the development of an alternate business model for sale of products produced by the WSHGs in the open local markets.

Requirements

Advance university degree in Management, Marketing, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Social Sciences or other field relevant to rural development or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses
A minimum of one years of progressively responsible professional experience, preferably within the development sector, working in collaboration with government entities, UN agencies, or international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). Out of this total experience, the medium of written communication must have been Hindi for at least 1 year.’
Ability to frame, draft and type official letters, notes and guidelines related to the program in Hindi as and when required.
Has implemented programmes and provided input into designing operations.
Has worked with women’s self-help groups and market interventions
Excellent interpersonal skills required, including strong professionally communication ability.
Advocacy and networking skills with a broad range of stakeholders including government, private sector, civil society, academia, NGO and international cooperation.
Knowledge of research methods with familiarity in quantitative and qualitative methods.
Advanced computer skills with proficiency in Windows, Microsoft office.
Knowledge of UN system would be an asset.
Knowledge of WFP programmes is an advantage
Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse team of nutrition and food security experts across fourteen countries.
Tact and diplomacy
Ability to engage effectively with a wide range of actors from government, private sector and civil society.
Very strong communications skills, both in writing and speaking
Solid planning and problem-solving skills and action oriented
Ability to work under tight deadlines and simultaneously manage multiple tasks in an autonomous manner.
Maturity, initiative, courtesy, tact and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds
Ability to handle any other additional tasks as requested by the supervisor.
Ability to undertake travel within the country.
Fluency in spoken and written English and Hindi is a key requirement.

Responsibilities

Provide project management support in the overall implementation of the THR project in UP.
Undertake regular visits to the THR production units across the State to monitor the implementation of the project, identify gaps in implementation at the Unit level and suggest mid-course correction to the unit staff as well as to the UPSRLM district staff. The incumbent is expected to travel about 3-4 days per month.
Contribute towards the overall management of the Project Management Unit set up for the THR project.
Research, analyse and undertake surveys at the zonal and district level in the State to understand market and community willingness to purchase different edible products produced by the WSHGs at the THR production units.
Liaise and identify business and marketing opportunities for alternate products produced by the WSHGs.
Establish linkages between the WSHGs and the market for sale of products produced by the WSHGs.
Contribute in the development of standard operating procedures, systems and processes for the THR production units managed by WSHGs to engage in open market selling of alternate products.
Develop branding for the products produced by the WSHGs and assist in generating visibility around the same in the open markets.
Leverage the market-based approach for increasing the overall profitability and viability of the THR production units
Conduct capacity building of the WSHG members on different aspects of market linkages.
Document success stories of the THR units engaging in the market based approach.
Perform other related duties as required.