Program Policy Officer

• Job Title: Program Policy Officer (Capacity Building)

WFP Pakistan is seeking a dynamic and qualified professional to lead the design and implementation of targeted capacity-building interventions. This role will focus on strengthening institutional and community-level capacities in areas such as climate change adaptation, anticipatory action, and community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM), aligning closely with the project's technical objectives and strategic outcomes.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and/or Head of the Provincial Office in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Programme Policy Officer (Capacity Building) will be responsible for the design, coordination, and delivery of targeted capacity-strengthening interventions in support of the GCF-funded project. The incumbent will play a critical role in building institutional and community capacities in climate change adaptation, anticipatory action (AA), and community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM). Key responsibilities include:

Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening

• Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive capacity-building strategy tailored to the needs of key government counterparts—such as PMD, FFC, RMCP, PDMA, and the Irrigation Department—and community-level stakeholders in Buner and Shangla.
• Conduct detailed training needs and capacity gap assessments on early warning systems (EWS), flood and weather forecasting, and anticipatory action protocols across national and provincial institutions.
• Design and deliver targeted trainings for technical staff at PMD and RMCP on short-range weather forecasting, flash flood forecasting, forecast validation, bias correction, data assimilation, and impact-based forecasting.
• Implement a 'Training of Trainers' (ToT) model to ensure sustainable knowledge transfer and long-term capacity retention at institutional and community levels.
• Collaborate with the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) to establish and manage a project training calendar, ensuring alignment with national training priorities and leveraging existing institutional capacity.
• Conduct awareness-raising sessions and Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) campaigns to improve community preparedness and response to climate-induced disasters.
• Coordinate closely with the Project Management Unit (PMU), Project Implementation Unit (PIU), District Coordination Groups, and other relevant actors to ensure effective delivery of capacity-building and technical activities.
• Promote cross-learning and collaboration with other GCF-funded projects and climate resilience initiatives in Pakistan.
• Monitor the implementation of all capacity-building, AA, and IBF activities; prepare regular progress reports; and document lessons learned, good practices, and success stories for reporting and knowledge-sharing purposes.
• Contribute to the development of technical guidelines and training materials that incorporate gender considerations and address the needs of marginalized groups.
• Prepare detailed reports on training events, and awareness-raising sessions, including participant feedback, recommendations, and improvements for future activities.
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the supervisor to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

Education:

Advanced university degree in Environmental Science, Climate Change, or a related field OR first level university degree with additional 2 years of related experience.

Experience:

A minimum of 3 years of professional /managerial experience in institutional capacity building, flood forecasting, early warning systems, and disaster risk reduction, with a specific focus on anticipatory action and impact-based forecasting. Prior experience working with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) will be considered a strong advantage.

Knowledge & Skills:

• In-depth technical expertise in institutional capacity building, with a focus on projects related to Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF), Anticipatory Action (AA), and Early Warning Systems (EWS).
• Proven experience in designing and delivering effective training programs.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills.

Languages:

Fluency (level C) in English language, Urdu, and other local language.