POSITION TITLE:

Programme Policy Officer (Cash-Based Transfers and Food Assistance for Assets Consultant)

GRADE: International Consultant CST I

ORG UNIT: Programme Unit / Korhogo / Côte d’Ivoire

DURATION: March 2025 – February 2026

CONTEXT:

Côte d’Ivoire has made significant economic progress in recent years, becoming one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, largely driven by cocoa, coffee, and oil exports. However, the country faces persistent socio-economic challenges, particularly in its northern regions. It is subject to pervasive food insecurity, malnutrition and gender inequalities, exacerbated by an influx of asylum seekers from its northern border and frequent climate-related shocks.

The northern areas have been deeply affected by political instability and conflict and remain vulnerable to intercommunal violence and armed group activities. The northern populations, often marginalized, continue to face limited access to basic services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. To worsen this situation, Côte d’Ivoire has been receiving a steady influx of asylum seekers fleeing across the border from Burkina Faso into the regions of Bounkani and Tchologo. As of 30 November 2024, 70,500 asylum seekers have arrived in the country, fleeing armed conflict, general insecurity, and socio-economic vulnerability.

Additionally, Côte d’Ivoire is highly vulnerable to climate change, which exacerbates food insecurity and threatens livelihoods, particularly in agriculture-dependent regions. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and droughts disproportionately affect rural populations, worsening poverty and displacement. Furthermore, the country is at risk from natural disasters, including floods, which disproportionately impact urban slums. Despite these challenges, Côte d’Ivoire’s government, with support from international partners, is working toward improving stability and resilience through economic diversification, infrastructure investment, and social reforms. However, sustained progress remains contingent on addressing regional inequalities, building climate resilience, and mitigating emergency risks in vulnerable areas.

JOB PURPOSE:

As the Cash-Based Transfers (CBT) and Food Assistance for Assets Consultant, this role will contribute to saving and changing lives by leading the implementation of high-quality cash transfer and food assistance for assets programming in Côte d’Ivoire. The role will identify most appropriate methods for intervention, place people at the center, and ensure that all phases of CBT and FFA implementation are effectively delivered, respond to assessed needs, are cost-efficient and effective, accountable to affected populations, and carried out through through a multifunctional approach and the active participation of all internal and external stakeholders.

The position will provide technical and programmatic support to WFP’s based Transfers and Food Assistance for Assets, including developing, improving, and overseeing the implementation of processes required for the assessment, targeting, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of the programming. This will include proving technical support and implementation oversight to (1.) WFP’s CBT assistance to asylum seekers and host communities in the northern regions; (2.) WFP’s “Women-Adapt: Enhancing the climate change adaptive capacity of smallholder farmer communities in the Poro Region, focusing on vulnerable women and youth;” and (3.) an upcoming EU-INTPA project covering Food Assistance for Assets in an Emergency Context, as well as to new programming.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

Contribute towards the development of CBT and FFA projects that complement existing projects, (including plans and processes), ensuring alignment with wider programme policies, WFP’s technical guidance, and contextual realities.

In support of the Emergency Response Unit, oversee the implementation of FFA activities, including integrated context analysis, community-based participatory planning, targeting, and community asset creation with food assistance, ensuring a coordinated approach with WFP’s other activities and external stakeholders, and compliance with WFP’s standards and procedures.

In support of the Emergency Response Unit, oversee the implementation of CBT activities, including targeting, delivery of cash assistance, problem solving, and progress monitoring, ensuring a coordinated approach with WFP’s other activities and external stakeholders, and compliance with WFP’s standards and procedures.

Develop and/or update tools, standard operating procedures, and systems to support effective, standardized, optimized, and accountable delivery of CBT and FFA programming.

Provide hands-on technical support to field teams and partners in the delivery of cash-based transfers and FFA projects.

Advise on the selection of appropriate modalities for cash transfers and FFA interventions based on feasibility assessments, market analysis, and vulnerability assessments.

Ensure that CBT and FFA programming is fully integrated with broader programmatic components, including nutrition, school-based programs, and SAMS

Develop and coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained in the delivery of programming.

Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on CBT and FFA projects, including Women-Adapt project and the EU-INTPA project, and any complementing activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

Participate in coordination mechanisms and develop / support partnerships with UN agencies and external stakeholders at the field level to ensure a well-coordinated, complementary, and effective approach to the delivery of programming.

Liaise with internal and external counterparts to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.

Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to preparefor and respond to food assistance resilience and food system needs.

Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.

Other as required.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK: COMMON STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES:

Programme Lifecycle & Food Assistance

Displays ability to identify the main hunger problem at the national or subnational level to design and implement context-specific programmes that integrate complex analysis and the full range of food assistance tools.

Transfer Modalities (Food, Cash, Voucher)

Demonstrates ability to analyse and consolidate quantitative and qualitative information from different sources (e.g., market studies) to inform transfer modality selection and programme development.

Broad Knowledge of Specialized areas (i.e. , Nutrition, FFA, VAM, etc.)

Demonstrates the ability to interpret basic data in the context of WFP specialised fields to contribute to technical programme design, implementation and monitoring.

Emergency Programming

Displays ability to translate understanding of programme principles in emergencies and protracted conflict situations into relevant, effective, and context specific approaches.

Strategic Policy Engagement w/ Government

Develops thorough recommendations using multiple inputs (e.g., government counsel, research, own experience) to strengthen national or subnational entities and government owned food and nutrition security programmes.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Has 4 years of technical knowledge in the field of CBT, Food Assistance for Assets, Food Systems, Climate Adaptation and Rural Development, including at least two years of field experience in emergency context.
• Has taken leadership of implementing programs
• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree

with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.