Programme Policy Officer

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

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ABOUT WFP

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.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website:  and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

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, Resilience and Strategic Planning

TYPE OF CONTRACT:

CST I

UNIT/DIVISION:

RBC Iraq – Programme

DUTY STATION (City, Country):

Iraq – Baghdad

About WFP

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. To learn more about WFP, visit our website:  and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

WFP Iraq currently implements its Country Strategic Plan (CSP).  Aligning to Strategic Outcome 2, Targeted communities, including farmers, have enhanced livelihoods and increased resilience to shock, innovative programmes that have been designed in a participatory and inclusive manner to support beneficiaries. Within this strategic outcome, financial inclusion and supporting entrepreneurship have been identified as key programmatic areas within the livelihoods and economic empowerment agenda.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Consultant will provide strategic and technical leadership across four interlinked workstreams:

Integrated livelihoods under resilience programming

Microinsurance and financial inclusion

Country Strategic Plan (CSP) focal point

The role combines high-level strategy development with hands-on programme delivery, ensuring cross-unit alignment, quality implementation, and effective government and partner engagement.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Operational Oversight: Integrated Livelihoods

• Provide supervisory and technical guidance to livelihood activities within SO2 Resilience programme supporting the design, planning and implementation phase of integrated livelihood activities, providing technical backstopping to country Office, Field Offices and Cooperating Partners 
• Support development and implementation of integrated resilience strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, durable solutions frameworks, and humanitarian–development–peace approaches.
• Lead coordination on integrated livelihoods of the multi-year funded projects, including field-level supervision, partner engagement, reporting, and troubleshooting.
• Ensure timely project delivery through regular coordination meetings, joint field visits, and follow-up with cooperating partners and internal units.
• In collaboration of relevant units, promote the inclusion of cross-cutting themes such as gender, conflict sensitivity, and social cohesion in programme design and implementation.
• Coordinate the Iraq's first-ever climate risk microinsurance scheme, managing the activity portfolio including product refinement, index validation, payout execution, and farmer-facing implementation.
• Manage relationships with technical partners (insurance companies, technical service providers, line ministries). Track deliverables, resolve operational issues, and ensure compliance with agreed implementation timelines.
• Engage with regulatory bodies to ensure product approval, policy alignment, and national endorsement. Support development of a national microinsurance framework and facilitate WFP's contribution to upcoming regulatory reform efforts.
• Lead the documentation and analysis of implementation results, including development of results dashboards, case studies, donor briefs, and payout summaries. Provide evidence for product refinement and support WFP Iraq's external visibility and advocacy efforts.
• Formulate scale-up planning, sustainability analysis, and advocacy, including identification of new operational areas, risk layering options, policy gaps, and integration of digital solutions.
• Provide support to Programme activities on integrated livelihoods and financial inclusion

Strategic Planning: Country Strategic Plan (CSP)

• Lead the design and development of WFP Iraq's second-generation Country Strategic Plan (2026–2029), in close coordination with the Country Office leadership, Regional Bureau, and Headquarters Programme Cycle teams, in line with WFP's Policy on Country Strategic Plans.
• Guide and coordinate technical inputs from across the Country Office to inform the strategic orientation of the CSP, including lessons learned from past operations, evaluation findings, stakeholder consultations, and national frameworks.
• Serve as the CSP penholder, responsible for drafting the narrative and coordinating development of the full CSP package in consultation with relevant units.
• Support strategic positioning of WFP within the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), ensuring alignment with the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and national development priorities.
• Lead coordination of CSP package review and approval processes, including technical missions from the Regional Bureau and HQ, supporting submission and revision on sPRP ePRP stages, support the CO on the formal submission to the Executive Board.
• Serve as the focal point for managing comments and revisions following the sPRP, ePRP and EB review stages, and support the finalization and resubmission process as needed.
• Ensure effective information and knowledge management throughout the CSP process, including use of corporate platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams), documentation of consultations and decisions, and preparation of summary briefs and internal updates.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Deep understanding of livelihoods and resilience frameworks (e.g., 3PA, asset creation, food systems).
• Knowledge of parametric microinsurance and inclusive finance models.
• Excellent strategic thinking, facilitation, and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Strong analytical writing, reporting, and presentation abilities.
• Familiarity with durable solutions, HDP nexus, and national development planning.
• Proven knowledge of WFP's programme cycle and Country Strategic Plan (CSP) development process, including strategic planning, results-based management, theory of change design, and alignment with national development priorities and the UNSDCF.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education

• Advanced university degree in Public Policy, International Development, Agriculture, Climate Adaptation, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in humanitarian or development programming, including field-level implementation and strategic planning.
• Proven experience leading integrated resilience or food systems programmes in fragile or transitioning contexts.
• Strong experience with insurance, financial inclusion, or value chain development.
• Prior experience developing CSPs, national strategies, or donor-funded programme frameworks.

Languages:

Fluency (level C) in English language.  Arabic. Knowledge of Arabic, Kurdish or a second official UN language is desirable.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

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Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: 

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

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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.