Programme Policy Officer - Compliance at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: Programme Policy Officer - Compliance NOB

Requisition #: 82706
Location: Abuja

Organizational Context

• This job is found in WFP Nigeria CO and job holders report to the Compliance Officer.
• Job holders operate with a high degree of independence, manage more junior staff to ensure that programme and policy objectives are achieved in full.
• They are usually involved in a wide variety of programme and policy activities and analytical work, some of which may be of a considerable complexity. At this level job holders are expected to contribute to performance improvement.

Job Purpose

• The Compliance function assists management to oversee internal control systems and their effective implementation, identify weaknesses, inconsistencies, potential fraud and corruption, and recommend improvements and enhancements to ensure efficiency of operations and optimization of all WFP resources.
• Compliance Officers in the Country Office cover operations in a single country.
• Compliance Officers liaise systematically with all oversight bodies to ensure that all compliance issues are understood, implemented, followed-up and escalated as appropriate.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)
Within delegated authority, the National Programme Officer-Compliance will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provide field offices/CO-Units oversight support regarding the correct application of UN/WFP policies, rules,  regulations, and procedures in support of operational efficiency;
• Support implementation of the CO- Performance and Risk Champion process
• Carry out periodic reviews independently, or together with relevant managers to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the internal controls in place to eliminate and/or mitigate operational and strategic risks in the planning and implementation of projects at field level.
• Provide technical advice and guidance both to field offices management; and to staff on risk identification measures in order to maintain a credible control environment;
• Reference WFP Corporate documents (Policies, PRRO, programme, logistics, EMOP, relevant directives, Operations Manual, MoUs, FLA, LoAs, etc.), in order to support substantive and objective/evidence –based Compliance Reviews, comments and recommendations from the compliance reviews during field missions
• Revise, update and/or develop Compliance review tools/checklists based on policy documents for field offices, and CO-Units in order to ensure a dynamic and forward-looking compliance Unit and review processes.
• Coordinate with relevant field offices and CO-Units regarding the Compliance Tools/checklist prepared, obtain inputs from relevant units and endorsement of such tools from Heads of Unit/FO before adopting these in compliance work.
• Carry out regular visits to Area & Sub-Offices (AO/SOs) in a bid to create greater awareness and understanding of compliance work, clarify and give guidance on the correct application of programming, M & E and other policy guidelines and procedures in order to maintain compliance standards;
• Regularly update the risk management database and perform periodic analysis of the database to ensure efficient case management, follow up and closure.
• Perform at minimum quarterly analysis of the risk event database and update management, and when required also donors and CPs, on trends arising and actions recommended
• Ensure operational efficiency & prepare comprehensive reports on findings with improvement Action Plans:
  • Conduct regular compliance reviews and risk identification including compliance testing to assess the efficacy of systems and processes (AOs/SOs and Country Office units and CP systems)
  • Operation
  • Programme-(CBT/CV-TN, SCOPE, EMOP, PRRO)
  • Logistics, Relevant Units in the CO
  • Gender & Protection
  • M & E
• CP compliance review:
  • Review of CP project documents, FLAs and agreements, project activities and project documents. Staffing table and costing structure relative to volume, size etc.
  • Develop compliance review tools/checklist for CP compliance review,
  • Review CP Performance Evaluation Tools (Matrix, Criteria, Evaluation Reports and provide compliance related comments.

4Ps Core Organisational Capabilities
Purpose:

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
• Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
• Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
• Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People:

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
• Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
• Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
• Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
• Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
• Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
• Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership:

• Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
• Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
• Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

Functional Capabiliyty
Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance:

• Displays ability to identify the main hunger problem at the national or subnational level to design and implement context-specific programmes that integrate complex analysis and the full range of food assistance tools.

Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher):    

• Demonstrates ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information from different sources (e.g., market studies) to inform transfer modality selection and programme development.

Broad Knowledge of Specialized areas (i.e. Nutrition, VAM, etc.):

• Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.

Emergency Programming:   

• Displays ability to translate understanding of programme principles in emergencies and protracted conflict situations into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches.

Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government:

• Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

• Education: A University Degree in any of the following fields: Economics, Engineering, Business Administration, Accounting & Finance, Project Management, and Development Studies and Law.
• Language: Fluency (level C) in English language.
• Experience: Three years of professional work experience in Operations, Programme/Project Management, Accounting & Finance or Management and in the Legal profession

The Specific Job Requirements:

• Facilitate assessment of risk identification through compliance reviews in collaboration with relevant field offices/CO-Units and advise a coordinated approach in responding to identified risks affecting operational objectives;
• Articulate recommendations for actions to be taken by the AOs/SOs and CO-Units on areas of compliance vulnerability; and provide advice to management on areas that may need procedural or regulatory amendment, improvements or changes;
• In consultation with the Head of Compliance, support relevant units in the CO to prepare guidance materials to facilitate the implementation of compliance actions (SOPS, PAC process etc.) where necessary
• Prepare regular and/or ad-hoc reports related to compliance issues, risk management and in mitigating operational constraints
• Follow up outstanding Compliance Review issues with AOs/SOs and with CO-Units.
• Review CPs’ project documents lined up for CO-Cooperating Partner Committee presentation, identify non-compliance issues and related risks in the design and formulation of CP proposals and recommend remedial measures to mitigate operational and implementation risks in consultation with the Head of Compliance Unit.
• Brief AOs/SOs, CO-Units and CPs at the end of every compliance mission regarding compliance findings, and proposed measures to address identified risks
• Participate in Compliance related meetings during the absence of HoU and oversee/manage the day to day affairs of the Unit when acting as OIC.
• Provide inputs to CU briefing for management, new staff, or when required.
• Provide inputs to the CU Annual Work Plan/Mission Plans
• Any other business/assignments deemed necessary by Head of Unit or CO Management.
• Ensure that adequate verifications, and evidence collection is done to substantiate reported cases of misconduct as directed by the Country Director and to present appropriate recommendations for further action by management.

Desired Experiences for Entry into the Role:

• Has deepened technical knowledge through exposure to technical teams.
• Has taken leadership of implementing programmes.
• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

Terms and Conditions

• Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. WFP offers an attractive compensation package.

Application Closing Date
31st May, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online