Consultant, Programme Policy (CSP), CSTII, Abuja

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

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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.

At WFP people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse committed skilled and high performing teams selected on merit operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment living WFPs values (Integrity Collaboration Commitment Humanity and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

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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).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
WFP Nigeria Country Office (CO) will conclude implementation of its second-generation Country Strategic Plan (CSP) at the end of 2027 and will initiate development of the next CSP with a multi-phased process expected to commence in September 2026.
The new CSP will be developed within the framework of WFPs Strategic Plan which places renewed emphasis on WFPs core mandate and comparative advantages in meeting urgent food and nutrition needs strengthening resilience to reduce future humanitarian needs and supporting governments to strengthen national food and nutrition systems. The CSP process will translate these corporate priorities into a strategic direction tailored to Nigerias evolving humanitarian and development context national priorities and WFPs comparative advantage.
The CSP will also be developed in close alignment with the next United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) which will succeed the current framework. Nigeria will be a pilot country for application of the UN80 agenda to the next Cooperation Framework with implications for UN country-level prioritization configuration and ways of working. The CSP development process will require close engagement with the Resident Coordinators Office and UN Country Team to ensure that WFPs strategic positioning and programme priorities are reflected in the emerging UNSDCF and aligned with the broader repositioning of the UN development system in Nigeria.
Against this backdrop the Nigeria CO is seeking to recruit a Strategic Planning Consultant to support the CSP design and formulation process. The consultant will support the CO throughout the CSP cycle including the development of the strategic evidence base internal and external consultations strategic prioritization and formulation drafting of the CSP package and the corporate review and approval process in close coordination with the Regional Bureau (WACARO) and Headquarters (HQs).

Under the supervision of the Country Director and in close coordination with the Deputy Country Directors Head of Programme and the CO CSP Task Force the Strategic Planning Consultant will support and coordinate the development of the Nigeria Country Strategic Plan (CSP) . The consultant will work closely with relevant CO units and liaise with the WACARO and HQs Programme Review teams throughout the process.

The Strategic Planning Consultant will have the following main responsibilities:

1. Support and coordinate the strategic planning process ensuring alignment with national priorities the emerging Common Country Analysis (CCA) and UNSDCF WFPs Strategic Plan and relevant corporate policies and guidance. This will include:

a) Provide direct support to the CO CSP Task Force and senior management in planning coordinating and managing the CSP development process including development and monitoring of the CSP roadmap milestones and deliverables.

b) Coordinate and consolidate the evidence and inputs required to inform CSP design including findings and recommendations from the CSP Evaluation and other evaluations and reviews national policies and priorities contextual and analytical evidence stakeholder consultations lessons learned and WFP corporate priorities.

c) Support and facilitate strategic discussions and consultations to define WFPs future strategic positioning comparative advantage priorities and intended contribution in Nigeria. This will include consultations at federal level as well as subnational consultations with state and local government counterparts and other relevant stakeholders across selected geopolitical zones to ensure that the CSP is informed by Nigerias diverse political institutional socio-economic and humanitarian contexts and reflects relevant subnational priorities and perspectives.

d) Coordinate inputs and technical support from CO units WACARO and HQs including remote and in-country technical missions and liaise with relevant CSP focal points and technical teams to ensure their effective integration into the CSP development process and coherence with WFP corporate requirements.

f) Lead and coordinate preparation of the CSP narrative and associated components of the CSP package consolidating inputs from relevant technical and functional areas.

g) Support and coordinate the CSP corporate review consultation and approval process including preparation and revision of the CSP package in response to feedback from WACARO HQs and the Executive Board.

the COs strategic engagement in the development of the next CCA and UNSDCF in close coordination with senior management and relevant technical leads. This will include supporting WFP engagement with the Resident Coordinators Office UN Country Team Government and other relevant stakeholders; coordinating and consolidating WFP inputs to the CCA and UNSDCF processes; and ensuring that WFPs evidence operational experience comparative advantages and strategic priorities are appropriately reflected in the emerging Cooperation Framework.

strategic engagement with Government and other key stakeholders throughout the CSP development process including UN agencies international financial institutions donors civil society academia the private sector and other relevant partners to inform the strategic direction of the CSP strengthen alignment with national priorities and identify opportunities for partnerships and complementary action.

The CSP development process is expected to be structured around the following three phases:

1. Strategic Analysis and Formulation Phase

During this phase the Strategic Planning Consultant will support the CO in consolidating the evidence base undertaking consultations and facilitating the strategic discussions required to define the overall direction and priorities of the next CSP. The phase will include:

a) Stocktaking and lessons learned: Review implementation and performance of the current CSP including findings and recommendations from the CSPE decentralized evaluation and other relevant reviews operational experience and lessons learned.

b) Review of national priorities and context: Review and synthesize relevant national development plans sectoral policies and strategies humanitarian priorities and other frameworks relevant to WFPs mandate alongside available analysis of Nigerias food security nutrition vulnerability conflict and broader socio-economic context.

c) WFP positioning and comparative advantage: Support analysis of WFPs current portfolio operational footprint partnerships and capacities and its positioning relative to Government UN agencies international financial institutions and other humanitarian and development actors. Support identification of WFPs comparative advantages and potential areas for strategic prioritization.

d) Stakeholder consultations: Support the preparation and facilitation of consultations with key stakeholders including the Federal Government UN agencies donors international financial institutions civil society academia private sector and other relevant partners. This will include subnational consultations with state and local government counterparts and other stakeholders across selected geopolitical zones to ensure that the strategic direction is informed by Nigerias diverse contexts priorities and perspectives.

e) CCA and UNSDCF engagement: Support the COs contribution to the CCA and UNSDCF development processes including consolidation of relevant WFP evidence and analysis and coordination of inputs to ensure coherence between the emerging CSP strategic direction and the next Cooperation Framework.

f) Internal strategic analysis and prioritization: Facilitate discussions with CO management the CSP Task Force and relevant technical and functional teams on WFPs future role and positioning including strategic priorities target populations and geographies comparative advantage partnerships and potential trade-offs.

g) Alignment with the staffing exercise: Ensure close coordination and coherence between the CSP development process and the parallel staffing alignment exercise to ensure that the emerging CSP strategic direction priorities and operational requirements appropriately inform organizational and staffing considerations and that relevant staffing implications are taken into account in CSP design.

h) CSP formulation workshop: Support the preparation and facilitation of the CSP formulation workshop in collaboration with WACARO and HQs as appropriate to consolidate the evidence and consultation findings and reach agreement on the proposed strategic orientation priorities and overall architecture of the CSP.

2. Development Phase

Building on the strategic direction agreed during the first phase the Strategic Planning Consultant will support the CO in translating the agreed priorities and strategic orientation into the CSP and its associated technical package. The phase will include:

a) Coordinate the development of the CSP architecture and Line of Sight including the formulation of CSP outcomes outputs and activities and their alignment with WFPs Strategic Plan national priorities and the emerging UNSDCF.

b) Lead the drafting and editing of the CSP narrative in collaboration with the CSP Task Force and relevant CO units ensuring that the agreed strategic direction evidence base CSPE findings and recommendations stakeholder inputs and cross-cutting priorities are appropriately reflected.

c) Coordinate development of the CSP logical framework including the results chain indicators and assumptions in close collaboration with M&E unit and other relevant technical teams.

d) Coordinate preparation and consolidation of the broader CSP technical package including the Country Portfolio Needs Budget Partnering and Resourcing Strategy and other required corporate documents and components.

e) Facilitate and consolidate inputs from relevant CO technical and functional areas to ensure coherence between the CSPs strategic objectives programme design implementation arrangements operational capacity and resource requirements.

f) Coordinate technical engagement with WACARO and HQs throughout the development process including technical missions and consultations and incorporate relevant guidance and inputs into successive drafts of the CSP package.

g) Support preparation for strategic alignment and validation processes as needed with WACARO and HQ to confirm the overall direction and technical coherence of the draft CSP prior to formal corporate review.

3. Review and Approval Phase

During this phase the Strategic Planning Consultant will support the CO in managing the formal review consultation and approval process and finalizing the CSP package in accordance with WFP corporate requirements. The phase will include:

a) Revise the CSP package through successive rounds of corporate review consolidating and addressing comments while maintaining coherence across the narrative LoS logframe budget and other components.

b) Support the CO in preparing for relevant corporate review and validation meetings including preparation of presentations briefing materials and responses to issues raised during the review process.

c) Support preparation for the Executive Board Informal Consultation including preparation of the Country Directors presentation talking points and other supporting materials.

d) Coordinate incorporation of feedback received through the Executive Board Informal Consultation and any subsequent review processes and support finalization of the complete CSP package for submission to the Executive Board for approval.

e) Support any additional consultations with Government the UN Country Team and other key stakeholders required during the review and approval process.

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:

At least 12 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 etc. Specific experience in strategy formulation programme management and project planning in a large multicultural institution in the field or headquarters is an asset.

Previous experience with WFP or the UN System is an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:

Ability to translate understanding of programme principles into relevant effective and context specific approaches; Ability to explain WFP projects and operations to counterparts and to communicate with Government and partners clearly and effectively both orally and in writing; Good understanding of project lifecycle humanitarian principles and tools programmes and transfer modalities; General knowledge of UN system policies rules regulations and procedures; Strong writing analytical and research skills; good interpersonal skills teamwork spirit and ability to work in multicultural settings; superior cognitive capacity.

Languages:

Proficiency/level C of English is required.

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