BACKGROUND:

WFP Zambia Country Office is implementing its five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP) which was a result of rigorous consultations with government, donors and other stakeholders, and reflects their appetite to support and partner with WFP in the country. It is informed by, and strongly aligns with, national and United Nations priorities, and global commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It embraces the Government’s long-term Vision 2030; aligns with 8th National Development Plan (NDP8); and contributes to the joint Zambia-UN Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF). The CSP is informed by WFP’s long-standing and broad experience in the country, embracing lessons from evaluations and reviews which call for greater synergy, a consolidation of ‘pilot’ initiatives, and improved gender-sensitive approaches to programme design. Finally, it is guided by the Zero Hunger Strategic Review (ZHSR).
In a break with past approaches, both the ZHSR and the NDP8 recognize that hunger and nutrition issues are multi-faceted, and require well-integrated, collaborative, multi-sectoral national approaches, that draw on the skills and resources of key stakeholders.

These key strategies point to an increasing national consensus on food and nutrition security, which has created a strong opportunity for WFP to re-focus its investments and efforts to areas of genuine comparative advantage and give effect to maximum impact. WFP Zambia’s integrated and pragmatic CSP shifts away from unsustainable localized and micro-level interventions, to embrace more effective advocacy and engagement with national policies, systems and programmes to achieve national impact on SDG2. Given the Government’s commitment to budget support for nutrition, social protection, and agriculture, despite the country’s constrained fiscal position, WFP’s overarching strategy seeks to enable the government to meet its policy aspirations with better systems, expertise and resources for implementation. This means a decisive shift of WFP’s country positioning towards the provision of upstream technical assistance for nationally owned solutions. Advancing the WFP Corporate Strategic Plan (2019-2024), the CSP addresses both SDG2 and SDG17, and WFP’s Strategic Results 1, 2, 3 and 5. WFP will implement six activities to achieve four Strategic Outcomes (SO).  These SOs will: respond to crises and shocks including support to refugees (SO1); address the root causes of malnutrition (SO2); build the resilience, enabling environment and market access for smallholders, especially women (SO3); and support government institutions to provide social protection systems (including home grown school meals) and disaster preparedness and response (SO4).

To achieve progress, programme results need to be properly documented and communicated for learning. In addition, there is a renewed focus by WFP Zambia to strengthen advocacy and awareness around the nutrition and the role of national social assistance programmes in achieving Zero Hunger. It Is against this background that WFP seeks to engage a Communication & Reports Officer to provide substantial value to CO ’s effective positioning with public, private and external partners to attract policy support, resources, technical assistance and innovative solutions to advance the work of WFP, while contributing to the establishment and presentation of standard operating picture of WFP programme portfolio and associated results that facilitate informed and timely decision-making at all levels throughout the organisation.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

The Communications & Reports Officer (NOA) will be supervised by the Head of Unit, Partnerships, Communications & Reports and work closely with the other units in the country office.

The following are expected responsibilities:

Collate relevant information and data from media and local internal and external sources to facilitate and maximize the exchange of information and data flow between functional area networks in WFP, to provide operational awareness and understanding of events that may have humanitarian and/or operational impact.
Implement country specific communication work plans designed to maintain and enhance the visibility and reputation of WFP, as well as support fundraising activities ensuring alignment with overall communications and WFP strategies.
Lead/support the preparation of Annual Country Report (ACR) for the Annual Reporting Exercise in collaboration with the country office programme, monitoring & evaluation, logistics and resource management functions by coordinating to ensure coherence and quality of performance information.
Contribute to communications through good research, analysis of assigned area of work and timely preparation and distribution of information products. communication activities and strategies to target audience(s); including social media plan by developing social media content, and utilising platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities.
Generate donor specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, in order to support global and country fund-raising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages.
Support communications activities that enable informed decision making and ensures consistency of information presented to the media and other stakeholders. Oversee maintenance of a contact list of journalists and media outlets and support the flow of  news/information about WFP’s work to the media, in order to support regular and appropriate communications.
Support capacity building of WFP staff on all aspects of communication; liaise and interact with WFP staff and external counterparts to support aligned activities and a coherent approach to communications within WFP.
Support staff in assigned area to ensure that standard OIM & PR procedures and templates are followed to drive the quality, consistency and standardisation of information management and performance reporting across WFP. providing advice and guidance within area and level of expertise, in order to ensure that all activities meet desired standards of consistency, quality and impact.
Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with more complex analysis and queries.
Perform other assignments as required.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced University degree in Political Science, Statistics, International Development, Information Management or Journalism, Development Economics, Marketing Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience:

Has gained experience in utilising specialist communications techniques to enhance functional outputs

Has implemented communications and reports management activities by delivering specific activities as defined.
Has provided direction and instruction to more junior staff members within area of expertise
Knowledge & Skills:
Relationship Management: Demonstrates ability to build and sustain effective collaborative relationships with appropriate stakeholders and contacts in area of expertise to raise the profile of WFP, build relationships and further organizational aims.

Communication Expertise: Facilitates and contributes to open verbal or written communication with stakeholders as required (i.e. through preparation of targeted written or visual communications materials, presentations, and official documentation) to convey tailored messages. Engages in mutually informative discussion with partners and influencers.

Information Analytics, Reporting & Management: Gathers, analyses and reports information in a manner that draws out fact-based insights to inform approach to partner relationships and support substantive discussion with partners. Captures relevant information and progress, and ensures internal information sharing.

Knowledge & Skills:

Relationship Management: Demonstrates ability to build and sustain effective collaborative relationships with appropriate stakeholders and contacts in area of expertise to raise the profile of WFP, build relationships and further organizational aims.

Communication Expertise: Facilitates and contributes to open verbal or written communication with stakeholders as required (i.e. through preparation of targeted written or visual communications materials, presentations, and official documentation) to convey tailored messages. Engages in mutually informative discussion with partners and influencers.

Information Analytics, Reporting & Management: Gathers, analyses and reports information in a manner that draws out fact-based insights to inform approach to partner relationships and support substantive discussion with partners. Captures relevant information and progress, and ensures internal information sharing.

Languages:

International Professional: Fluency (level C) in English.