The World Food Programme is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.

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Policy and Programme Officer - School Meals Team Lead and CLTF Coordinator CST II

Job Type

Full Time

Qualification

MBA/MSc/MA

Experience

10 years

Location

Nairobi

Job Field

Project Management

Under the direct supervision of the Head, Strategic Outcome 3, and in coordination with the Head of Programme and other functions, the Policy and Programme Officer will perform the following tasks:

Lead School Meals Programme implementation

Provide strategic coordination for Kenya’s transition to School Feeding 2.0 and provide technical support to high‑level engagement with Government, donors, UN agencies, private sector and National School Meals Coalition (NSMC) partners.

Oversee the full School Meals Programme (SMP) portfolio, ensuring strategic alignment, quality implementation, compliance, and effective grant and budget management.

Lead and supervise the SMP team, drive innovation, and integrate climate resilience, gender, protection and digitalization across programme design and delivery.

Oversee the implementation of Climate‑Resilient Home‑Grown School Meals projects and ensure coherent field‑level implementation and provide ad hoc coordination to grants, as needed.

Steer evidence generation, reporting, and knowledge‑sharing across country, regional and global school meals networks.

Lead the CLTF Coordination in Kenya

Lead overall coordination and oversight of CLTF implementation in Kenya, ensuring coherent delivery across units and field offices, and effective grant and reporting management.

In close coordination with CO and Field teams, oversee the implementation of the Changing Lives Project in support of refugee transition within the overall framework of differentiated assistance.

Drive joint planning with the Partnerships team to mobilize catalytic funding and advance advocacy efforts in support of transition towards self-reliance of both refugees and local communities.

Oversee implementation of the evidence and learning agenda in collaboration with CO M&E, HQ and external research partner.

Strategic engagement and dialogue

Represent WFP Kenya Country Office at technical level in UN and other partners planning and programming discussions pertaining to School Meals, Social Protection and transition agenda (linked to CLTF).

Make strategic contributions to key programme priorities, including developing adaptive social protection and climate-resilient initiatives and proposals with partners such as Government, donors, and UN agencies.

Coordinate lessons learnt exercises with WFP staff and partners and contribute to the organization of high-level advocacy events.

Programme and knowledge management

Identify opportunities to improve policy, plans, programme design, implementation and effectiveness, coordination, institutional capacities, and resourcing.

Take the lead in drafting selected projects and funding proposals, particularly in the context of IFIs and innovative finance.

Provide technical support to the development of next Country Strategic Plan.

In partnership with a core team of experts, contribute to shaping and implementing the Climate Resilient and Inclusive Food Systems flagship programme, aligning with environmental and social safeguards.

Others

As needed, act as Officer in Charge for the Strategic Outcome 3 team and undertake deputy head of outcome duties.

Undertake any other task within areas of technical expertise, as required and assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced university degree in International Affairs, Economics, Social Sciences, or other field relevant to international development assistance

Experience:

At least ten years of professional experience in international development, with strong field exposure.

Brings in a combination of policy experience (Headquarters) and field experience in middle-income countries on climate-resilient food systems and adaptive social protection and safety nets.

Solid understanding of strategic pathways towards transitioning refugees and vulnerable communities to self-reliance, and how safety nets can promote transition.

At least 7 years of relevant experience in facilitating country capacity strengthening initiatives to change lives processes and leading work across social protection, safety nets and resilient food systems in middle-income country settings, including through delivery of technical assistance and system strengthening activities.

Prior working experience on resilience building and social protection issues with the three Rome-Based UN Agencies is an asset.

• Provide strategic coordination for Kenya’s transition to School Feeding 2.0 and provide technical support to high‑level engagement with Government, donors, UN agencies, private sector and National School Meals Coalition (NSMC) partners.
• Oversee the full School Meals Programme (SMP) portfolio, ensuring strategic alignment, quality implementation, compliance, and effective grant and budget management.
• Lead and supervise the SMP team, drive innovation, and integrate climate resilience, gender, protection and digitalization across programme design and delivery.
• Oversee the implementation of Climate‑Resilient Home‑Grown School Meals projects and ensure coherent field‑level implementation and provide ad hoc coordination to grants, as needed.
• Steer evidence generation, reporting, and knowledge‑sharing across country, regional and global school meals networks.
• Lead overall coordination and oversight of CLTF implementation in Kenya, ensuring coherent delivery across units and field offices, and effective grant and reporting management.
• In close coordination with CO and Field teams, oversee the implementation of the Changing Lives Project in support of refugee transition within the overall framework of differentiated assistance.
• Drive joint planning with the Partnerships team to mobilize catalytic funding and advance advocacy efforts in support of transition towards self-reliance of both refugees and local communities.
• Oversee implementation of the evidence and learning agenda in collaboration with CO M&E, HQ and external research partner.
• Represent WFP Kenya Country Office at technical level in UN and other partners planning and programming discussions pertaining to School Meals, Social Protection and transition agenda (linked to CLTF).
• Make strategic contributions to key programme priorities, including developing adaptive social protection and climate-resilient initiatives and proposals with partners such as Government, donors, and UN agencies.
• Coordinate lessons learnt exercises with WFP staff and partners and contribute to the organization of high-level advocacy events.
• Identify opportunities to improve policy, plans, programme design, implementation and effectiveness, coordination, institutional capacities, and resourcing.
• Take the lead in drafting selected projects and funding proposals, particularly in the context of IFIs and innovative finance.
• Provide technical support to the development of next Country Strategic Plan.
• In partnership with a core team of experts, contribute to shaping and implementing the Climate Resilient and Inclusive Food Systems flagship programme, aligning with environmental and social safeguards.
• As needed, act as Officer in Charge for the Strategic Outcome 3 team and undertake deputy head of outcome duties.
• Undertake any other task within areas of technical expertise, as required and assigned.

• Advanced university degree in International Affairs, Economics, Social Sciences, or other field relevant to international development assistance
• At least ten years of professional experience in international development, with strong field exposure.
• Brings in a combination of policy experience (Headquarters) and field experience in middle-income countries on climate-resilient food systems and adaptive social protection and safety nets.
• Solid understanding of strategic pathways towards transitioning refugees and vulnerable communities to self-reliance, and how safety nets can promote transition.
• At least 7 years of relevant experience in facilitating country capacity strengthening initiatives to change lives processes and leading work across social protection, safety nets and resilient food systems in middle-income country settings, including through delivery of technical assistance and system strengthening activities.
• Prior working experience on resilience building and social protection issues with the three Rome-Based UN Agencies is an asset.