Under direct supervision of the Head of FSR, the National Programme and Policy Officer – Social Protection will coordinate WFP’s direct implementation in SSN, act as the technical lead in WFP’s engagement with government and non-government social protection partners, and work with internal units to provide technical assistance to the government in social protection. More specifically, the National Programme and Policy Officer will:

• Develop an annual work plan based on WFP South Sudan’s roadmap for support to national social systems strengthening;
• Act as the technical lead in revising WFP’s SSN approach in direct programme implementation based on the outcome of the USN programme review;
• Coordinate the SSN programme implementation across the country with clearly articulated strategic direction, annual priorities, activities, and targets with other technical units and the Field Offices;
• Proactively identify implementation capacity gaps within the Field Offices and cooperating partners and support in strengthening their capacities through training, mentorship, additional guidance materials, and support missions;
• Ensure timely and accurate management of donor funds for the SSN programme and social protection systems strengthening;
• Coordinate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Unit and the Field Offices to ensure the collection and analysis of quality information and data in the SSN implementation and conduct periodic reviews to apply adaptive programming;
• Coordinate a shift towards adaptive and shock-responsive social assistance across the WFP programme portfolio based on evidence and learning from South Sudan and other operations in collaboration.

Eligibility Criteria

• Education: Advanced university degree or university degree with experience and training/courses in one or more of the following disciplines: economics, social policy, international development, or related disciplines.
• Experience: A minimum of three years post graduate with progressively responsible work experience in social assistance, cash-based programming, policy and advocacy, youth livelihoods, and women’s empowerment.
• Knowledge & Skills: Demonstrated ability to prepare concise and well-written programme documents (e.g., proposals, reports, briefs, and presentations) in English. Proficiency in computer programmes: e.g., Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Competencies: cognitive capacity, teamwork, action management, innovation, partnerships, and client orientation.
• Languages: Proficiency in English, oral and written (level c).