ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s 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.

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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).

This incumbent will serve as the Project Coordinator for the Postcode Lotterij Food Fortification Project.

Background and Purpose of Assignment

WFP Tanzania through its Country Strategic Plan (CSP, 2022-2027) is supporting the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania to deliver equitable and inclusive economic growth through investments in human capital, resilient livelihoods and nutritious diets. Through the CSP, WFP provides technical and financial assistance to strengthen national systems for effective delivery of nutrition services, promote healthy diets and facilitate social behaviour change for improved nutrition. In addition, WFP supports the government to implement national priorities as stipulated in policy instruments including the National Multisectoral Nutrition Action Plan (NMNAP II). Key national priorities include food fortification and biofortification.

As a key step in this direction, WFP has recently secured funding from the Postcode Lotterij (Previously known as Dutch Postcode Lotterij) under a multi-country flagship initiative aimed at pioneering the fortification of underutilized staples, specifically wholegrain maize and Sorghum/millets. This initiative responds to persistent micronutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger), which affect a significant proportion of the global population and are exacerbated by climate-related shocks. The project will pilot and scale innovative fortification approaches in Tanzania (wholegrain maize flour) alongside global efforts on sorghum, generating evidence, strengthening systems, and supporting policy adoption over a three-year period.

Further, to facilitate evidence-driven decisions to address micronutrient deficiencies, WFP Tanzania and the Government of Tanzania with support from WFP Headquarters are conducting the Mapping and Modelling Inadequate Micronutrient Intake (MIMI) Project. MIMI is a multi-country project which applies novel analytical approaches to existing data sources to model, contextualise, and map the risk of inadequate micronutrient intake and compare programme and policy scenarios. This will complement and inform the design, targeting, and scale-up of the broader Postcode Lotterij-funded initiative.

Through this terms of reference, WFP Tanzania Country Office in Dar es Salaam is seeking to recruit a Programme Policy Officer (Micronutrients) who will serve as Project Coordinator for the Postcode Lotterij-funded initiative, ensuring strategic coordination, implementation oversight, and stakeholder engagement.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Nutrition, HIV and School-Based Programmes and overall supervision of the Head of Programme, the Programme Policy Officer (Micronutrients) will perform the following duties:

Accountabilities/ Responsibilities

• Provide day to day and overall project management, coordination and implementation oversight to the Postcode Lotterij project and, ensuring alignment with global project objectives, donor commitments (timelines, and deliverables).
• Serve as the primary focal point for coordination between Tanzania Country Office, Global Headquarters (GHQ) technical teams and global project coordinator.
• Oversee WFP Tanzania's food fortification and biofortification portfolio, providing guidance and ensuring coordinated approach across units/functions/regions and projects.
• Position WFP as key technical agency in Tanzania’s Food Fortification and biofortification ecosystem through timely representation in internal and external forums at national, sub-national level, as delegated.
• Lead planning and execution of project phases (pilot, scale-up, advocacy) in line with the three-year project roadmap and CSP objectives.
• Work closely with Finance and budget teams, to monitor the grant spending and ensure adequate action is taken on a timely basis to re-programme grant budgets as needed by the evolving programmatic needs to achieve the project objectives.
• Monitor the implementation and report progress and challenges to Head of Nutrition in WFP Tanzania and Global Project Coordinator for the Postcode Lotterij project, to facilitate timely achievement of project milestones and deliverables
• Map and engage with stakeholders involved in the food fortification and biofortification in Tanzania and build strong networks with them, including government entities, non-government organisations, United Nations, civil society, private sector, research and academic institutions and donors for a collaborative and holistic approach to addressing micronutrient deficiencies.
• Support the application of MIMI analysis to strengthen targeting, advocacy, and evidence generation within the broader programme.
• Facilitate policy dialogue and support development/adoption of fortification standards, strategies and guidelines.
• Review and finalise the food fortification position paper, coordinating inputs across relevant functions and offices.
• Support the finalisation of nutrition integration and healthy diets strategy for the WFP Country Strategic Plan in alignment with the new corporate strategic plan.
• Support evidence generation, documentation, dissemination (e.g., pilot results, acceptability studies, shelf-life data) and development of technical food fortification and biofortification materials to inform policy and scale-up.
• Lead resource mobilisation efforts on micronutrients including drafting concept notes and proposals on food fortification and biofortification.
• In close coordination and inputs from the Country Office’s Partnership and Communication unit, lead donor reporting for the project, contribute to visibility, and communication efforts related to the Postcode Lotterij and MIMI projects and overall nutrition and school feeding portfolio.
• Contribute to global knowledge sharing and cross-country learning within the overall fortification and biofortification portfolio at global level.
• Liaise with all relevant Programme staff at national and sub-national levels, and other units to ensure effective collaboration and timely delivery of activities and tasks.
• Work in close coordination with Global Project Coordinator in GHQ and other relevant teams supporting the Postcode Lotterij initiative.
• Perform any other tasks as assigned.

Deliverables at the end of the contract

The following will be deliverables at the end of the contract:

• Postcode Lotterij and MIMI project implemented timely and project objectives met.
• Evidence generated, documented (e.g., operational pathway and feasibility) and disseminated timely to support scale-up and policy adoption
• WFP Tanzania's food fortification and biofortification portfolio well coordinated across functions and offices.
• Food fortification and biofortification stakeholders mapped and engaged for effective implementation of the fortification portfolio objectives.
• Nutrition integration and healthy diets strategy revised and food fortification position paper finalised and endorsed by Management.
• Concept note(s) and proposal(s) on micronutrients available and/or submitted.
• Donor reporting, communication and knowledge products on fortification portfolio of work including Postcode Lotterij and MIMI project, developed and shared on timely basis, in alignment with donor commitment.
• Other technical documentation including training manuals, draft standards, position paper and packages on food fortification finalized in coordination with relevant units and finalized. MIMI project implemented timely and project objectives met.

Qualifications and Experience Required

Education

Advanced university degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Food Technology, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or related fields.

Experience

• 5–10 years of relevant professional experience in nutrition particularly micronutrients including food fortification and biofortification, public health, or food systems.
• Experience working with government (at national and local levels), civil society, private sector and development partners including on capacity development.
• Experience in project management across different thematic areas.
• Experience in supporting advocacy and communication efforts in nutrition including developing communication and knowledge products.
• Experience in mobilising resources for nutrition will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and to coordinate inputs from variety of actors.

Knowledge and skills

• Strong technical knowledge of public health nutrition especially micronutrient nutrition.
• Strong understanding of Tanzania's nutrition context esspecially food fortification and biofortification including stakeholders, policies and programmes.
• Excellent skills in translating evidence into policy and advocacy messages.
• Proven ability to convene and coordinate diverse stakeholders.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills, including preparation of advocacy and policy materials.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in complex, multicultural settings.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Analytical and detail oriented.
• Proactive and resourceful, with a willingness to take initiative and learn new skills.
• Flexible and adaptable, able to work well in a fast-paced environment.
• Thinks innovatively and applies creative thinking.

Languages

Fluency in English and Swahili.

• Provide day to day and overall project management, coordination and implementation oversight to the Postcode Lotterij project and, ensuring alignment with global project objectives, donor commitments (timelines, and deliverables).
• Serve as the primary focal point for coordination between Tanzania Country Office, Global Headquarters (GHQ) technical teams and global project coordinator.
• Oversee WFP Tanzania's food fortification and biofortification portfolio, providing guidance and ensuring coordinated approach across units/functions/regions and projects.
• Position WFP as key technical agency in Tanzania’s Food Fortification and biofortification ecosystem through timely representation in internal and external forums at national, sub-national level, as delegated.
• Lead planning and execution of project phases (pilot, scale-up, advocacy) in line with the three-year project roadmap and CSP objectives.
• Work closely with Finance and budget teams, to monitor the grant spending and ensure adequate action is taken on a timely basis to re-programme grant budgets as needed by the evolving programmatic needs to achieve the project objectives.
• Monitor the implementation and report progress and challenges to Head of Nutrition in WFP Tanzania and Global Project Coordinator for the Postcode Lotterij project, to facilitate timely achievement of project milestones and deliverables
• Map and engage with stakeholders involved in the food fortification and biofortification in Tanzania and build strong networks with them, including government entities, non-government organisations, United Nations, civil society, private sector, research and academic institutions and donors for a collaborative and holistic approach to addressing micronutrient deficiencies.
• Support the application of MIMI analysis to strengthen targeting, advocacy, and evidence generation within the broader programme.
• Facilitate policy dialogue and support development/adoption of fortification standards, strategies and guidelines.
• Review and finalise the food fortification position paper, coordinating inputs across relevant functions and offices.
• Support the finalisation of nutrition integration and healthy diets strategy for the WFP Country Strategic Plan in alignment with the new corporate strategic plan.
• Support evidence generation, documentation, dissemination (e.g., pilot results, acceptability studies, shelf-life data) and development of technical food fortification and biofortification materials to inform policy and scale-up.
• Lead resource mobilisation efforts on micronutrients including drafting concept notes and proposals on food fortification and biofortification.
• In close coordination and inputs from the Country Office’s Partnership and Communication unit, lead donor reporting for the project, contribute to visibility, and communication efforts related to the Postcode Lotterij and MIMI projects and overall nutrition and school feeding portfolio.
• Contribute to global knowledge sharing and cross-country learning within the overall fortification and biofortification portfolio at global level.
• Liaise with all relevant Programme staff at national and sub-national levels, and other units to ensure effective collaboration and timely delivery of activities and tasks.
• Work in close coordination with Global Project Coordinator in GHQ and other relevant teams supporting the Postcode Lotterij initiative.
• Perform any other tasks as assigned.

• Strong technical knowledge of public health nutrition especially micronutrient nutrition.
• Strong understanding of Tanzania's nutrition context esspecially food fortification and biofortification including stakeholders, policies and programmes.
• Excellent skills in translating evidence into policy and advocacy messages.
• Proven ability to convene and coordinate diverse stakeholders.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills, including preparation of advocacy and policy materials.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in complex, multicultural settings.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Analytical and detail oriented.
• Proactive and resourceful, with a willingness to take initiative and learn new skills.
• Flexible and adaptable, able to work well in a fast-paced environment.
• Thinks innovatively and applies creative thinking.

• Advanced university degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Food Technology, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or related fields.
• 5–10 years of relevant professional experience in nutrition particularly micronutrients including food fortification and biofortification, public health, or food systems.
• Experience working with government (at national and local levels), civil society, private sector and development partners including on capacity development.
• Experience in project management across different thematic areas.
• Experience in supporting advocacy and communication efforts in nutrition including developing communication and knowledge products.
• Experience in mobilising resources for nutrition will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and to coordinate inputs from variety of actors.