Strategic Planning Specialist

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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.

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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).

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR SHORT-TERM/CONSULTANCY CONTRACTS
JOB TITLE: Strategic Planning Specialist
TYPE OF CONTRACT: International Consultancy (CST-3)
DEPT/DIVISION: Programme Operations Department (PO), Programme Cycle & Quality (PQBC)
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Home-based with in-country and HQ missions as required
DURATION: EOD asap and NTE 31.12.2026

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The World Food Programme is seeking a Strategic Planning Specialist to support the organization’s strategic planning activities in support of ending hunger, the application of United Nations reform 
processes, and the provision of related corporate guidance.
The Programme Cycle & Quality Unit (PQBC) in the Programme Operations Department (PO), in WFP Headquarters is responsible for guiding Country Offices (COs) through the development of Country 
Strategic Plans (CSPs) that conform with the requirements of United Nations engagement. The PQBC team carries out core functions to support WFP COs in the design, review and approval of quality 
CSPs in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) as well as producing corporate guidance, digital tools, and key document templates.
PQBC also provides support for the PQB Director and the AED PO through the provision of analytical 
work, discussion papers and advice on critical corporate strategic issues, including engagement and support to COs, engagement with WFP’s senior management, and support in developing policies and 
programmes for consideration and approval by the WFP Executive Board.

At the direction of PQBC management and under the direct supervision of the Workstream lead on Policy, Guidance and UNDS Engagement, the Strategic Planning Specialist will perform the following:
a.  Provide    expert strategic    communications    support in developing CSP related guidance materials that translate a suite of complex policies and technical content into clear, accessible, and actionable documents, for the consumption of both senior managers and field-based staff.
b.  Contribute to the maintenance and ongoing development of innovative corporate tools and guidance materials related to country strategic planning as captured in the CSP Manual; specifically, the refinement of templates and tools for CSP development including the CSP 
narrative, CSP Technical Package, the CSP Technical Annex, the Line-of-Sight guidance and CSP template.
c.  Provide specialist advice and support in further developing the conceptual and strategic approach for CSPs in line with an ongoing dialogue with WFP’s Executive Board, existing WFP policies and ongoing UNDS reform initiatives.
d. Support PQBC to develop, engage and/or contribute to corporate strategic processes including policies, strategies and other critical high-level initiatives related to CSPs and UN reform as required; specifically, a potential update of the 2016 CSP Policy.
e.  Support the preparation of corporate position papers on strategic issues to inform senior management and WFP's corporate positioning on key topics, especially those related to the CSP 
programme cycle and the CSP framework, such as theories of change, evidence value chain, partner- ships, governance, technology and innovation.
f.  Provide expert advice    in    the development of innovative

approaches to the CSP process such as exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) applications for greater effectiveness and efficiency.

Upon request and in close coordination with PQBC, the Strategic Planning Specialist will provide direct support to CO CSP teams in their conduct of CSP processes and activities, including:
g. Support country level CSP design and strategic development processes, including through participation in CSP formulation workshops and in-country missions as needed.
h. Support COs in drafting well-written, high-quality CSP narratives and the timely submission of accompanying CSP packages, in accordance with corporate rules and guidance.
i.  Support COs in the CSP review and approval processes, in close coordination with One Global Headquarters including the revision of CSP packages as needed.
j.  Advise and support CO management to define the CSP strategic orientation, aligned to corporate, 
national and UN system priorities; and to coordinate and deliver the CSP package for corporate review, validation, and approval, project management, and information and knowledge management using corporate tools such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.
k. Consolidate inputs that will inform the Country Strategic Planning design, including evaluation findings, national frameworks and priorities, partners and stakeholders’ mapping, lessons learned, etc.
l.  Coordinate remote and in-country technical missions from One Global Headquarters, to help consolidate inputs and define the CSP strategic orientation.

2

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Education:  Advanced University Degree and/or equivalent experience with emphasis in one or more of the following disciplines: political sciences, economics, agriculture, international affairs, social sciences, development studies or a field relevant to international development or 
humanitarian assistance.
Experience: 10 years post-graduate, progressively responsible international and national experience in the fields of goal oriented/strategic planning, organizational change management, inter-agency coordination, programme re-orientation, policy development and analysis, etc. Specific experience in country programme strategy formulation, technical writing, policy development, programme cycle management and project planning in WFP or comparable UN institution in both the field or in headquarters is an asset.

Knowledge: Ability to translate understanding of WFP programme principles into relevant, effective, and context-specific approaches; broad knowledge and understanding of food security issues; ability 
to explain WFP CSP development processes, projects and operations to counterparts and to communicate with Government and partners clearly and effectively, both orally, in writing and through remote channels; Strong understanding of WFP’s project management and programme lifecycle, humanitarian principles and tools, programmes and transfer modalities; General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures; Familiarity with structure and processes pertaining to WFP’s Executive Board an asset.
Skills: Strong editing, writing, analytical and research skills; strong facilitation, collegiate, leadership and interpersonal skills, teamwork spirit and ability to work in multicultural settings. Proven ability to provide critical inputs to programme design and implementation, entailing the 
analysis of complex issues or the development of new methods/approaches requiring the identification and in-depth examination of numerous strategic and technical factors, as well as policy considerations while providing solutions to technical problems or in the formulation of programme and policy proposals.
Languages: Proficiency/level C of English is required; Proficiency/level C of additional UN language(s) is an asset.
 

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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:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

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• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

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.

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