Programme Policy Officer (Climate Services Expert), SC9 - Dar-es-Salaam

About WFP

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to 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 impacts of climate change. At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do. Our vision for the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high-performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment. We live WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and work with partners to save and change the lives of those we serve.

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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 various country, regional, and global offices worldwide, collaborating with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions globally.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

Job Title: Climate Services Expert

Type of Contract: SC- 9 Unit/Division: Tanzania Country Office, ESARO Duty Station (City, Country): Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Duration: 12 Months renewable

Accountabilities/Responsibilities

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Our mission is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes, contributing to saving and changing lives. Access to climate services and early warnings by the most at-risk contributes to better decision-making on the use of household resources prior to, during, and after climate shocks impact on lives and livelihoods. The fundamental right of access to both high-quality climate services and early warnings has been acknowledged in the recent call of the UN Secretary General (UNSG) to enhance early warning systems (EWS) to reach complete coverage, ensuring that within five years every person is reached through EW delivery (UN Early Warnings for All Initiative, 2022). WFP has committed to supporting this initiative through its global operational reach and expertise in the delivery of climate services through its global integrated climate risk management and anticipatory action portfolio.

Climate extremes are a key driver of food insecurity in Tanzania. The climate crisis is compounding drivers of food insecurity, including conflict and economic shocks. To successfully manage these intersecting issues, disaster risk management and humanitarian response systems need to evolve from crisis response to forward-looking risk management, closely linked to climate science and climate services. The impact of climate extremes can be reduced when reliable climate observations and forecasts are translated into actionable climate services geared towards more informed decision-making to support most at-risk communities.

The Climate Services Expert will lead efforts for the implementation of climate services at the national and local government/district and community levels under an Anticipatory Action project funded by NORAD. The expert will also support the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in climate service and AA programming and developing gender-sensitive climate advisories and Early Warning messages.

The Climate Services Expert will work under the supervision of the Anticipatory Action Coordinator and in close collaboration with government agencies such as the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), the disaster management authority, and the Ministry of Agriculture, among others, to deliver the following functions:

Programme Design and Integration of Climate Services and Last Mile Early Warning

• Support in the coordination of development and dissemination of early warning messages with relevant government and non-governmental partners, led by TMA and the national disaster management agency, through relevant country-specific protocols.
• Support the design of and strengthen climate services systems/communication structures and co-production and delivery of climate services and early warning messages with at-risk communities at national, regional, and district levels.
• Translate recommendations of the climate services needs assessment conducted in 2025 into action through district-specific implementation plans.
• Build the capacity of relevant actors in understanding CS and EW.
• Help establish and/or strengthen a robust climate services communication structure at the district and community level with district stakeholders and the target community. This includes the development and improvement of terms of reference for the coordination of climate services/early warning without duplication of existing structures.
• Support the integration of gender and inclusion into the design and implementation of climate services and early warning.
• Support the ideation of and oversee the conduction of the IKS study, report validation, and development of the roadmap for and implementation of recommendations from the IKS study through CS and AA programming.
• Support the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of specific climate services initiatives.
• Support the integration of climate services in SO3 activities like FtMA, Climate Resilience, MCF, and other projects supporting smallholder farmers to ensure a unified approach to climate services.
• Support WFP Tanzania in DRR interventions geared towards institutional capacity strengthening in the country as well as supporting communities to build climate resilience.
• Support donor mapping and proposal writing and resource mobilization for climate services in Tanzania as needed.
• Support the development of technical guidelines and best practices in the implementation of climate programs and interventions as needed.

Support Reporting and Advocacy on CS and EW

• Support documentation of human impact stories based on the implementation of CS & early warning work.
• Contribute lessons learned and best practices from the implementation of climate services and early warning to regional and global initiatives on climate services and anticipatory action.
• Support monitoring of CS & EW reach through the corporate reporting framework.
• Provide content for updating general communication materials related to activities in climate services.
• Support planning, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting (narrative and financial) in compliance with WFP requirements for climate service projects and programs.

Collaboration and Coordination with Other CS Initiatives in Tanzania

• Support and strengthen the role of TMA in coordinating climate services through mapping of CS and EW initiatives in Tanzania and assisting in coordinating climate services work with TMA, NDMA, Ministry of Agriculture, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Provide support to TMA in its role as secretariat in implementing sections of the National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS 2018-2025) that relate to agriculture and food security with stakeholders in the sector.
• Enhance collaboration between WFP and other CS initiatives in the country, such as Norges Vel and NORCAP seconded expertise on early warning/forecasting/meteorology on climate services work in Tanzania.

Deliverables

• Robust district-level climate services and early warning coordination, co-production, and delivery structures established.
• TMA's role in coordinating climate services strengthened.
• Dissemination of EW as an AA tested in the target district in the 2026 OND season.
• Corporate reporting of climate services and last mile early warning reach using the corporate reporting framework (indicator G8).
• IKS study conducted and district-level action plans for implementation drafted.
• GESI integrated into CS and EW initiatives with the most at-risk communities.

Qualifications & Experience Required

Education

Master’s degree in climate science, meteorology, climatology, environmental sciences, development, and climate adaptation.

Experience

3-5 years of post-graduate experience in planning and managing technical cooperation programmes and relevant advocacy programmes in meteorology, climatology, and sustainable development.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong analytical, written, and oral communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team.
• Ability to plan and organize work with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations, and procedures.

Languages

Fluency (level C) in English language & Kiswahili.

WFP Leadership Framework

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Reasonable Accommodation

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org

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Reminders Before You Submit Your Application

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.
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• Kindly note that the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc., may potentially be requested at a future time.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
• All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
• No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.