Independent Review of the Independent Oversight Advisory Committee

JOB TITLE:

Independent Review of the Independent Oversight Advisory Committee

TYPE OF CONTRACT:

Consultant WAE

UNIT/DIVISION:

Executive Board Secretariat

DUTY STATION (City Country):

HQ - Rome Italy

DURATION:

15 working days between 08/09/2025 and 25/11/2025

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The World Food Programme is the worlds 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.

The Executive Board is WFPs supreme governing body. Comprising 36 States Members of the United Nations or Member Nations of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) the Board provides intergovernmental support policy direction and supervision of the activities of WFP.

The WFP Secretariat is headed by the Executive Director who is responsible and accountable to the Board for the administration of WFP and for the implementation of its programmes projects and other activities. The Executive Director is responsible for providing services to the Board assisted by the Executive Board Secretariat. The Executive Board Secretariat which is under the Deputy Executive Director portfolio is the interface between the membership (Board Members and Observers) and the WFP Secretariat.

The Executive Board Secretariat also facilitates the relationship between the Board and other governing bodies and facilitates the meetings of the Independent Oversight Advisory Committee (IOAC) by providing secretariat support.

The IOAC formerly known as the Audit Committee serves in an expert advisory capacity to assist the Executive Board and the Executive Director in exercising their governance responsibilities for financial reporting internal control arrangements risk management processes evaluation and other audit-related matters. The Committee is wholly independent and external to the WFP Executive Board Secretariat and the Board. Its five independent expert members are selected and appointed by the Executive Board for three-year terms renewable once. For more information on the IOAC see here its Terms of Reference revised in November 2021 and Annual Report of the IOAC June 2024).

Further to the United Nations Joint Inspection Units recommendation that an independent performance review of oversight committees be conducted every three years this independent review seeks to assess the performance of the IOAC with an aim of making recommendations to enhance the quality effectiveness efficiency and relevance of the Committees operating practices and performance to increase its impact and added value to WFP. The review shall be conducted by adapting the 2022 UN System Oversight Committees independent peer review framework to an external independent consultancy in place of a peer review process. The framework provides guidelines for the purpose scope methodology criteria for assessment steps and procedures for the review. Once completed the summary results of the review will be included in the IOACs forthcoming annualreport to the Board. The previous external review of the effectiveness of the IOAC was conducted in late 2021 with the report issued in the first quarter of 2022.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reviewing relevant reference documents including those relating to the legal authority workplan minutes of the meetings annual reports of the IOAC outcome of self-assessments and stakeholders feedback; and

Conducting interviews with relevant stakeholders including members of the IOAC WFP Executive Board members internal and external oversight and advisory functions and WFP management representatives who are engaged with the IOAC based on the suggested list of questions in Annex I.

Analyse the interview outcomes and discuss preliminary observations and findings including the proposed recommendations with IOAC members.

Prepare a summary report focusing on recommendations to enhance the quality effectiveness efficiency and relevance of the Committees operating practices and performance while protecting the confidentiality of the information.

Submit the summary report by Tuesday 25 November 2025.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

A summary report including an analysis of the interview and/or stakeholder survey outcomes and recommendations to enhance the quality effectiveness efficiency and relevance of the Committees operating practices and performance to be shared with IOAC members the WFP Executive Director and President of the Executive Board.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced university degree in Economics International Development Social Sciences or other relevant areas.

Experience:

Fifteen years or more (of which six international) of senior level experience in a relevant field of work with a background and interest in international humanitarian development. Extensive experience working with multicultural teams including UN agencies and improving their performance.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Broad knowledge of diverse humanitarian assistance and development practices with areas of leading technical expertise including evaluation and assessment.
• Ability to lead coach and motivate diverse high-level teams and drive improving their performance.
• A track record of dealing with and influencing at the highest levels within and beyond the organization.
• Ability to assimilate and analyze complex issues to develop strategies and policies from a governance perspective.
• Detailed understanding of business principals and processes and the ability to quickly assimilate UN/WFP specific governance processes and systems.

Languages:

English