Jan 2, UN World Food Programme Associate (Community Resilience) Jobs in Kenya

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.

WFP in Kenya has been working in partnership with the Government for over 40 years. Its role has evolved from primarily delivering food assistance (saving lives) focusing on delivering immediate and ongoing support to boost food access and availability and to medium- to long-term action (changing lives) which aims at building climate-resilient food systems.

In June 2023, this partnership was renewed through WFP Kenya’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP, 2023-2027), through which WFP will continue to support the Government of Kenya in addressing food security and nutrition challenges within the framework of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) – Zero Hunger.

Organizational Context

The Government of Kenya gazetted and published the Refugees Act 2021, on 23 November 2021 and the law came into effect in February 2022. The provisions of this act place a strong emphasis on inclusivity and transitioning from camps to settlements for refugee management. This transition from a camp-based to a settlement-based approach holds profound implications for refugees, host communities, and broader humanitarian and development efforts. It fundamentally alters how the needs and aspirations of displaced populations are addressed.

By departing from traditional camp models, which often isolate refugees and render them reliant on aid, settlements promote self-reliance. Consequently, refugees gain the opportunity to engage in economic activities, access services provided by the host government, and actively participate in host communities. This shift enhances their dignity and simultaneously reduces the burden on humanitarian agencies.

The Refugee Act of 2021 is currently being put into action. Subsidiary laws are being developed, and the ‘Shirika Plan’ is being drafted to guide the shift from camps to settlements. These developments align with the World Food Programme (WFP) Kenya’s 2023–2027 Country Strategic Plan, reflecting the corporate agenda of “saving lives, changing lives.

” WFP in concert with other key stakeholders envision a transition that fosters integrated and thriving refugee and host communities with resilient economies, and to contribute to the realization of this vision, WFP is committed to playing a vital role through specific actions and collaborative efforts.

Guided by international agreements like the Global Compact for Refugees (GCR), the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), and the Refugee Act of 2021, as well as local plans like the Socio-Economic Development Plans for Garissa and Turkana, WFP Kenya as articulated in the CSP2 is transforming its refugee operations design from a primarily humanitarian focus to one that encompasses humanitarian, development, and peace-building elements.

Job Purpose

To effectively contribute to this transformation, WFP will focus on three pillars of collaboration with UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), the government and other key partners. Firstly, WFP will transform its refugee operations design from a primarily humanitarian focus to one that encompasses humanitarian, development, and peace-building elements.

Secondly, WFP will optimise food systems to enhance livelihood opportunities. Finally, WFP will transform existing assistance modalities and approaches such as cash-based transfers, and social protection to catalyse the transition.

WFP will leverage its long-standing relationships with the government, UN partners, NGOs, targeted communities, and county governments to implement this strategy through WFP initiatives, joint UN programs, and other

collaborative efforts. Additionally, WFP will explore greater engagement with the private sector to increase investment in refugee-hosting areas. Recognizing the risk of inadequate funding and the need for coordinated action among stakeholders, WFP will also play a key role in advocating for the advancement of the transition agenda.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Policy Officer – Resilience, this position will provide specialised operational and technical support to WFP Kenya’s programme for the resilience and integration of refugees and local communities.

Participate in developing and reviewing of crop, fodder, and livestock extension including social and behaviour change communication messages/ guidelines.

Coordinate engagement with target smallholder farmers, producer groups, and agro dealers/ stockists, regularly to identify resilience and food system’s needs, possible solutions, anticipate challenges and ensure smooth communication

Support in fostering relationships and communication with relevant stakeholders/ mechanisms, such as cooperating partners (where applicable), food security and livelihood working groups, relevant NGOs, civil societies and community leaders and project target groups in Dadaab/Kakuma.

Support in coordinating and liaising with internal counterparts to enable effective collaboration, implementation and monitoring of ongoing and upcoming resilience project activities.

Gather, and collate information, prepare input for reports, perform data analysis and highlight trends/issues ensuring deliverables adhere to corporate standards and quality control within set timelines.

Support the capacity building of WFP staff, and other actors on resilience building, food systems, agriculture, markets and market systems, agro-value chains, climate change and adaptation and other thematic areas as may be defined in the food resilience and systems projects.

Support organization and management of donor and high-level visits and missions to project sites assigned to him/her.

Knowledge and skills:

Extensive knowledge of Kenya’s refugee context.

Understanding of food system concepts and their application to programme design and implementation in different contexts.

Knowledge and experience in implementing programmes in agriculture value chain/ food security/ natural resource management.

Knowledge on participatory community engagement approaches such as participatory rural appraisal, participatory learning and action, community managed disaster risk reduction.

Knowledge on broader aspects of agricultural extension methodologies such as farmer/pastoral/ agro-pastoral field schools, demonstrations.

Deep understanding of project cycle management (PCM) including design, planning, implementation, monitoring and adaptation.

Deep understanding on monitoring technical activities related to production, post- harvest losses, and market linkages with smallholder farmers and/or co-operatives.

Broader understanding of cross cutting issues in humanitarian and development programming such as conflict sensitive programming, nutrition sensitive programming and gender sensitive programming.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

Education:

A certificate of secondary school education, preferably supplemented by technical qualification and/or university degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Agronomy, Agricultural Education and Extension, Engineering (Environmental Engineering, Agriculture Engineering), Food Security, Animal Science/ Animal Production, Range Management, or other field relevant to international development assistance

Experience:

At least 5 or more years of progressively responsible work experience in supporting programme management.

Experience in implementing resilience building activities in arid and semi-arid areas.

Experience working with organizations that have medium to large food security and agriculture portfolio and longer-term projects.

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; UN World Food Programme Associate (Community Resilience) Jobs in Kenya

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