Job Description

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
A key recommendation from the Somalia Country Portfolio Evaluation (2012 – 2017) was to include protection, accountability to affected populations (AAP)
and gender into programming. As a result, WFP Somalia has progressively strengthened the integration of gender and protection in programming through
the establishment of full time Protection & Gender and AAP technical positions, increased engagement and partnership with various protection actors, and
development of guidelines to improve programme design and implementation. Efforts include the development of community-based targeting guidelines for
Somalia through the Food Security Cluster (FSC), mapping of GBV referral pathways in collaboration with the GBV sub-cluster and UNICEF, engagement with
various actors on disability and inclusion of marginalized/minority groups, and incorporation of organizations representing minority/marginalized groups in
the FSC regional coordination hubs.
In 2020, WFP also took leadership in championing collective accountability, coordinating the development of key data categories for a collective feedback
mechanism that was shared with the Inter-Cluster Coordinating Group (ICCG) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT).With the approval of the Global
Protection and Accountability Policy (2020), WFP is required to apply a protection approach to its programming. This means mainstreaming gender and
disability into programming and ensuring the inclusion, participation, and meaningful engagement of the most at risk in WFP’s food assistance programmes.
To make the protection approach systematic, WFP needs to ground the policy to the relevant local contexts in Somalia. To this end, WFP is increasing its
personnel capacity through the recruitment of one National Programme Policy Officer (Gender & Protection) in each of the Area Offices in Somalia to deliver
on its commitments.
The incumbents would work closely under the overall guidance and support of the Programme Policy Officers on Gender & Protection and AAP at the Country
Office and report to the Area Office Head of Programme - Garowe. Overall, the Gender and Protection Officer will also liaise closely with other teams to ensure
cross-functional synergies and provide technical support to improve the integration of protection, gender and accountability across WFP programmes and
operations in Puntland and Dhusamareeb in Somalia. This includes supporting the operationalization of relevant WFP policy and strategic frameworks, such
as the Gender Policy (2022), the Protection and Accountability Policy (2020), the Disability Inclusion Road Map (2020 -2022), and the Community Engagement
for AAP Strategy (2022 -2026) at the Area Office level.
Vacancy Announcement No: JR121625
Job Title: Programme Policy Officer-Gender and Protection
Contract Type/Grade: Fixed Term (NOA)
Duty Station: Garowe
Contract Duration: 12 Months (Renewable)
Date of Issue: March 26th 2026 | Closing Date: April 8th 2026
Join Us and Make a Difference!
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority)
• Support the Area Office with continuous context-specific protection and gender analysis aimed at providing solid evidence to inform vulnerabilitybased and inclusive response across the programmatic cycle;
• Analyze documents to identify entry points for advancing protection and inclusion of the most vulnerable populations in the WFP programmes
and delivery modalities
• Support participatory implementation and analysis of WFPs programme related to food support and nutrition through field visits and
engagement with key local stakeholders;
• Support the M&E team to strengthen the Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) to appropriately respond and refer to all cases relating to
protection including child protection, fraud, and corruption, GBV and SEA, in alignment with corporate WFP policies and guidelines.
• Support programme staff and cooperating partners to integrate mainstream inclusion across the operation, including both programmes and
support functions;
• In collaboration with the CO Gender & Protection Officers, support programme staff to integrate gender and protection throughout the
programme management cycle (design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation), and in needs assessment frameworks as appropriate,
including the adaptation of tools, collection, analysis and reporting processes to ensure that different beneficiary needs are identified and met;
• In collaboration with the CO Gender & Protection Officers, provide technical support to Programme staff and Cooperating Partners on the
monitoring of the Gender and Age Marker (GAM) exercise including the provision of guidance and training, development of key tools to facilitate
data collection, as well as development of narratives relating to gender equality and women's empowerment and protection under the Annual
Country Reporting for the Country Office;
• Support WFP’s existing commitments to gender transformative practices and protection, and efforts to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse
(PSEA) workplan, together with local PSEA focal points and the PSEA Taskforce;
• Working with the Gender & Protection and Diversity & Inclusion Officers, support the Communications and Social and Behavior Change
Communication (SBCC) colleagues to develop participatory initiatives for internal and external dissemination regarding the commemoration of
international and national events focused on gender equality such as International Women's Day and the 16 Days of Activism to End GenderBased Violence
• Assist local counterparts in government and other partners to identify protection issues in the framework of WFPs strategies including
humanitarian assistance
• Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships on GEWE, protection mainstreaming and disability inclusion with national and local actors,
including organizations representing women, persons with disabilities and other particularly marginalized groups in affected communities.
• Participate in all relevant area based inter-agency gender, protection and AAP coordination mechanisms/clusters, coordinating and
strengthening the link between WFP’s internal work on gender, inclusion, protection and AAP and its interagency role as a partner and peer
within the humanitarian system;
• Support knowledge sharing and gathering of best practices and lessons learned on pilot initiatives, policies and programmes relating to gender
equality and women's empowerment and protection at the Area Office level through staying abreast on global, regional, and national initiatives;
• In collaboration with the CO Gender & Protection Officers, identify challenges and opportunities to strengthen the capacity of WFP staff and
cooperating partners at the field levels, on the overall knowledge and importance on gender and inclusion and its relation to gender-based
violence risk mitigation and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, WFP's policies and obligations, gender and protection analysis etc.;
• Other tasks, as required and assigned by the supervisor or by the management.

Experiences and Qualifications

Education: Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition, Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, or
any other related fields. OR First University Degree with additional years of relevant work experience and/or training/courses.
Experience: At least one (1) year of relevant experience with Advanced University Degree OR first University Degree with a minimum of three
(3) or more years of relevant experience in the development/humanitarian field related to protection, gender equity and women’s empowerment,
GBV, PSEA, disability inclusion, digital financial inclusion, human rights and/or gender-based violence. Experience in the areas of food security,
nutrition, emergency response, social protection, livelihoods and disaster risk reduction will be considered as an added advantage.
Languages: Fluent knowledge of English and Somali language.
Knowledge and Skills Required:
• Knowledge of gender and protection in humanitarian and development settings, gender-based violence, humanitarian policy issues and linkages
with food security and nutrition.
• Analytical skills, including gender and protection analysis.
• communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate through multiple mediums (e.g., policy, advocacy messaging, reporting,
training)
• Knowledge and skills in adult learning
• Team spirit and excellent interpersonal relations.

Skills Required

Follow us on social media