Programme Policy Officer

• Lead the design, development and implementation of market-based programming, food systems recovery and value chain strengthening initiatives, ensuring alignment with WFP wider policies and guidance.
• Manage a national staff team, including day-to-day management and capacity-building for the longer term.
• Provide technical leadership for the analysis and recovery of key food value chains, including bakeries and bread production systems, agricultural production, dairy and other critical food supply chains, identifying constraints, opportunities and appropriate intervention models to improve food availability, accessibility and resilience.
• Develop strategies, operational frameworks and implementation plans that strengthen local market functionality, enhance food systems resilience and promote sustainable economic recovery.
• Lead WFP engagement at Gaza level with private sector actors, including producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, unions, to identify opportunities for collaboration and programme delivery.
• Develop and manage partnerships that leverage private sector capacities to improve access to food, restore market functionality and strengthen local economic systems.
• Lead the design and implementation of resilience and economic recovery interventions, including cash-for-work ensuring alignment with local needs and market conditions.
• Lead WFP's technical engagement and programme development efforts related to bread production and bakery support systems, working with private sector actors and relevant stakeholders to strengthen availability, production capacity, distribution efficiency and resilience across the bread value chain.
• Develop and support innovative partnership and programming models that connect humanitarian assistance with livelihoods, market recovery and resilience-building objectives, enhancing food security, restoring economic opportunities and strengthening local systems and service delivery.
• Coordinate closely with Programme, Supply Chain, and RAM functions to integrate market and supply chain insights into market-based programme design and operations. This involves collaborating on data collection methodologies, sharing findings, and jointly identifying key market dynamics and supply chain vulnerabilities that could impact the feasibility and success of cash interventions.
• Support the integration of market systems approaches across relevant WFP programme portfolios and contribute to strategic planning processes.
• Represent WFP in relevant technical working groups, coordination forums and inter-agency platforms related to food systems, markets, livelihoods and economic recovery and strengthen collaboration with UN agencies and humanitarian counterparts to enhance programme coherence, knowledge sharing and collective impact.
• Facilitate dialogue with market actors and sector stakeholders to identify emerging challenges, opportunities and priorities for market and food systems recovery.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching and capacity strengthening to WFP staff and partners on market-based programming, value chain development, private sector engagement and resilience approaches.
• Document lessons learned, good practices and innovative programme models to support organizational learning and continuous improvement.

Desired Candidate Profile

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

EDUCATION: Advanced University degree in Project Management, Economics, Business Management, Development Studies, International Relations, or a related field.

EXPERIENCE: Minimum 5 years of professional experience related to CBT, market-based interventions, resilience, value chains, economic recovery, and/or food systems. Field level experience with operations in hardship contexts. Strong background in operations, delivery, and/or assurance. Experience working with suppliers, market-actors, government counterparts, and others. Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions Exposure to contracting and logistics is considered an asset. Experience in the MENA region is considered an asset.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Strong organizational skills, time-management and ability to carry out multiple tasks successfully.
• Solid interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to communicate easily with operational and technical teams (e.g. contacting, retail, nutrition, monitoring and evaluation, etc.).
• Stakeholder and relationship management experience and excellent analytical and negotiation skills.
• Ability to lead the implementation of programmes.
• Good knowledge and practical experience in data record keeping, reporting, and data analysis.

LANGUAGES:

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of Arabic will be considered a strong asset.