BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:  

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. 

As part of its portfolio of work, WFP is committed to strengthening country capacities. Over the 2019-2021 period, external capacity strengthening by WFP reached USD 912 million in expenditures, and this enabling role is emphasized in WFP’s new corporate Strategic Plan (2022-2025). 

WFP’s focus on strengthening country capacities is based on the recognition that national systems are a critical vehicle for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) on ending hunger. Supporting governments and stakeholders across the whole of society provides tremendous opportunities for scale, impact and sustainability of results.  

In June 2022, WFP’s Executive Board approved a Country Capacity Strengthening (CCS) Policy Update. To realize the strategic vision set in this policy document, WFP is revising its CCS toolkit, ensuring that the latest thinking and evidence on effective institutional capacity strengthening practices is reflected in corporate tools and guidance. WFP is also enhancing its operational CCS footprint by investing in pilot projects designed with national/subnational stakeholders to test innovative approaches aimed at catalysing changes in capacities and accelerating progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition. These projects will generate learning and provide examples for possible replication and scaling. 

The HQ CCS Unit is recruiting a consultant to provide research, writing and coordination support for the development of the WFP CCS toolkit and implementation of the CCS pilot project initiative (i.e., Catalytic Investment Facility). 

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Reporting to the CCS Toolkit and Catalytic Investment Facility Lead, the Consultant will: 

1. Conduct research and analysis on specific CCS methodologies. 

1. Track programmatic and budgetary information related to the implementation of Catalytic Investment Facility pilot projects. 

1. Support drafting and editing of CCS guidance and tools, as well as funding proposals and progress reports for the Catalytic Investment Facility. 

1. Prepare PowerPoint presentations, briefs, talking points and other materials to showcase developments in the CCS toolkit and pilot project initiative. 

1. Support coordination and information sharing with internal stakeholders in headquarter, regional bureau and country office teams on the toolkit and pilot project initiative. 

1. Conduct additional tasks that contribute to the work of the HQ CCS Unit Programme Support Pillar as required.