WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

Qualified female candidates and candidates with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. 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.

Despite positive economic growth and progress in poverty reduction, Tajikistan is still facing a challenging food security and nutrition situation. Recent economic challenges compounded by population growth have contributed to the reclassification of the country as low-income in 2018 while the COVID pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has further increased household vulnerability. Malnutrition rates remain the highest in Central Asia, and the number of undernourished has remained stagnant. Tajikistan faces different environmental challenges, including environmental and soil degradation and poor natural resource management. Additionally, Tajikistan is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which has further exacerbated food security and livelihoods of vulnerable communities. Given the above, the government has identified food security and access to quality nutrition as one of its development priorities.

WFP is currently operating under the Tajikistan Country Strategic Plan 2023 – 2026, which is operating in tandem with the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) covering the same period. By means of the CSP, WFP is undertaking a strategic shift from direct implementation to enabling and strengthening capacities of national and sub-national institutions to deliver on their food security and nutrition priorities. WFP activities support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The geographic scope of WFP Tajikistan operations encompasses the entirety of the country. In addition to the country office in Dushanbe, WFP has field offices located in Bokhtar, Gharm, Khorog, and Khujand to oversee operations in those specific regions.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The current focus of the resilience building portfolio is with the four-year project “Building Climate Resilience of Vulnerable and Food Insecure Communities through Capacity Strengthening and Livelihood Diversification in Mountainous Regions of Tajikistan”, supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The project takes a transformative approach to ensure food security by supporting climate vulnerable communities and national actors through capacity strengthening and awareness raising for enhanced rural resilience through diversification of livelihoods and improved market access.

While the GCF project will remain an important portfolio, WFP intends to scale-up its climate change adaptation and resilience building (CCARB) portfolio by broadening its reach to include more food-
insecure and vulnerable populations in urban and rural areas with improved climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive agri-food value chains. This will be achieved through an integrated, participatory approach that includes the provision of climate information services, capacity strengthening, food systems and value chain development, sustainable natural resources management and climate-resilient agriculture and forestry, and ecosystem-based approaches. Collaborating with smallholder farmers and leading innovative endeavours to combatting hunger through innovative methodologies and technological solutions that respect local traditions and knowledge will be central to the new strategy.

WFP also prioritizes linkages between its resilience building work with emergency planning and response, including disaster risk reduction and mitigation and responses to socioeconomic crises. Through applying the principles of the triple nexus (i.e., the humanitarian, development, peace nexus) and concentrating on early warning, the CCARB portfolio also includes shock responsive social protection and building back better.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

JOB TITLE:
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Building Coordinator

TYPE OF CONTRACT:
International Consultancy II

UNIT/DIVISION:
Programme

DUTY STATION (City, Country):
Dushanbe, Tajikistan

DURATION: 11 months

ENTRY ON DUTY: May 2024

JOB PURPOSE

To serve as activity manager through leading the coordination, implementation, and review of all CCARB initiatives for WFP Tajikistan, including but not limited to GCF, food/cash assistance for assets creation projects, and food systems projects such as homegrown school feeding and smallholder agricultural market support. Livelihood activities that support that support the triple nexus will be prioritized through innovative approaches respecting indigenous knowledge.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Reporting directly to the Head of Programme and with the overall guidance of the WFP Tajikistan Deputy Country Director, the incumbent is expected to perform the following duties and responsibilities:

External Cooperation
• Ensure strong collaboration and coordination with the Committee of Environmental Protection (CEP) for the GCF project, the Ministry of Agriculture, and other government stakeholders as relevant to new and ongoing projects, through regular meetings, transparent communication, and constructive progress;
• Represent WFP during meetings with partners to contribute to technical discussions, exchange of knowledge and experience, and seek for appropriate interventions (based on an evidence base), and areas for potential collaboration and synergies for CCARB projects;
• Contribute to UN Country Team and interagency meetings on relevant thematic areas, such as the Development Coordination Council groups for climate change, agriculture, and other themes relevant to CCARB;
• Develop, foster, and maintain partnerships with national, international, and multilateral institutions as well as the private sector, civil society, and academia in the area of climate change adaptation and resilience building;
• Ensure the documentation of all discussions through provision of official minutes (for discussions with government counterparts) or key highlights (for other coordination meetings), to be shared with the CCARB team, supervisor, and management and duly archived;

Team Management
• Create an inclusive work environment through respectful and constructive communication and holding self and other team members accountable for their actions;
• Hold regular meetings and/or use other innovative and effective ways to ensure proper information sharing and communication within the team/staff members under direct supervision or coordination;
• Actively manage underperformance through regular conversations, providing support/coaching, documenting as required, and proactively seeking second level supervisor and HR advice;
• Ensure substantiated input and completion of all phases in PACE within established deadlines for all team members under direct supervision;

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES CONT’D

Capacity Development
• Ensure staff are cognizant of WFP policies and procedures, providing guidance and advice as required;
• Provide strong strategic guidance, technical support, advice and direction with respect to climate action policies, global movements, programmes, analysis and reporting;
• Support the capacity building of WFP country office and field staff, partners, and government counterparts to prepare for and respond to all projects within the portfolio;
• Provide support to relevant partners to enable sharing of experience, lessons learned and best practice;
• Provide training and guidance to junior staff as required to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance;

Implementation and Coordination
• Provide oversight, management, and support in developing and implementing all CCARB initiatives, plans and processes, in alignment with WFP and Government of Tajikistan policies and guidance;
• Ensure strong coordination with the emergency preparedness and response team, developing and managing post-crises resilience building projects;
• Support the diversification of programming for the overall CCARB portfolio (including post-crises responses) by developing well-reasoned concept notes and proposals to mobilize resources for the continuation/expansion of existing projects and for new projects that include innovative approaches and improved traditional practices that consider indigenous values;
• Support liaisons with government agencies, UN agencies, international financial institutions, and non-governmental organizations to ensure synergies with CCARB priorities and to engage in project implementation and/or joint programming where possible;

Develop a standard operating procedures package, inclusive of guidance on potential partner roster methodology; approaches to planning, implementing, monitoring, and reporting of all CCARB projects; and evaluating mid-term and final performance of all CCARB partners;
• Ensure all CCARB team members, including self, conduct regular field visits for capacity development, oversight, and general knowledge gathering/sharing and provide concise back-to-the-office reports following such visits;
• Ensure the preparation of accurate and timely reports (especially using primary data from monitoring) on CCARB activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information;
• Ensure the preparation of human-centred success stories for each project, supplemented by fact sheets and/or short reports suitable for external circulation;

Cross-Cutting
• Support the implementation of the WFP Tajikistan Country Strategic Plan by ensuring cross-cutting efforts such as nutrition-sensitivity, gender and diversity inclusion (including disability), protection and accountability, and linkages with other activities, including school meals and capacity development, are integrated into CCARB projects;
• Perform all duties and functions of an activity manager as relevant to internal WFP processes and procedures in accordance with all deadlines (e.g., potential partner proposals, field level agreements, and service provision processes and contracts; invoice/transfers clearances; corporate systems such as WINGS/COMET/SCOPE; monthly deliverables such as mission plans, country brief inputs and bank forecast inputs; responding to official letters requesting support or information; serving as hiring manager; etc.);
• Support in the development of and ensure proper use of a structured information management and archival system for the CCARB team, which links to

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience:
• At least 6 years of progressive experience in managing international development projects aiming to improve livelihoods and food security with a focus on community-based participatory approaches;
• Has worked with UN agencies, government entities, or civil society in the fields of climate change, agriculture, and/or environmental sustainability;
• Has coordinated with and engaged in active discussions with government counterparts, resulting in achievement of organizational goals;
• Has demonstrated leadership and management of technical staff of various
levels, ensuring deliverables are met within appropriate time and quality;
• Has engaged in high-level decisions regarding programme implementation and provided input into strategic discussions on policy;
• Has established relationships and engaged closely with external counterparts;

Education:
• Advanced University degree in International Development, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field related to climate change adaptation and/or international assistance.
• First university degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training courses.

Language:

Fluency (level C) in written and spoken English. Proficiency in Russian or Tajik is desirable.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

All application should be submitted no later than Tuesday 9th April 2024.

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WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment

Qualified female applicants and candidates with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply

WFP will not request payment at any stage of the recruitment process including at the offer stage. Any requests for payment should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.