Programme Policy Officer (Gender, Protection and Inclusion)

The Programme Policy Officer will advance gender, protection, and inclusion priorities under the Country Strategic Plan, providing technical and operational support to ensure equitable participation, meaningful inclusion, protection from harm, and accountability to affected populations in WFP Tajikistan's programmes.

Responsibilities

• Contribute towards the development of programme strategies, projects, plans and processes related to gender equality, protection, disability inclusion, accountability to affected populations (AAP), Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and safeguarding, ensuring alignment with WFP corporate policies, standards, guidance and country office priorities.
• Provide project management and technical support to gender, protection and inclusion initiatives and mainstream these across the programme cycle, including assessments, design, implementation, monitoring, reporting and learning, ensuring programmes promote equitable participation, women’s leadership and economic empowerment, digital and financial inclusion, protection from harm and the inclusion of marginalized and at-risk groups. Lead and advance WFP Tajikistan’s work with adolescents and youth across relevant programme workstreams.
• Support and oversee data collection, monitoring and analytical systems to ensure rigorous quality standards are maintained and that gender, protection and inclusion considerations are integrated into vulnerability assessments, food security analyses, targeting, prioritization, monitoring and learning processes. Coordinate and support gender, protection and inclusion analyses, formative research, risk assessments, community consultations and evidence generation to inform programme design, adaptation and continuous improvement. Support the application of findings and mitigation measures from cross-cutting analyses, including the Integrated Cross-Cutting and Risk Analysis (ICARA), and ensure lessons learned and good practices inform programme improvements.
• Research and analyse policy and operational issues related to gender, protection, disability inclusion, accountability, safeguarding and PSEA, supporting the development of programmes, operational guidance and risk mitigation measures. Identify, assess and monitor risks related to exclusion, discrimination, gender-based violence, child protection concerns, retaliation, safeguarding risks and other programme-related protection risks, and support the implementation of appropriate mitigation actions.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reports, assessments, donor deliverables, guidance notes and other programme documentation on gender, protection and inclusion activities, including monitoring progress and results under the Framework for Accountability for Results (FAR), to enable informed decision-making and accountability to stakeholders.
• Liaise and coordinate with internal counterparts, including Programme, RAM and other technical units, to ensure effective integration of gender, protection and inclusion considerations across programmes and operations. Monitor ongoing projects and support the development and review of tools, standard operating procedures, assessments, training materials and other resources related to gender, protection, inclusion, accountability and safeguarding.
• Support the identification, development and management of partnerships and collaborative relationships with government counterparts, local authorities, community leaders, civil society organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, women’s organizations, cooperating partners and other stakeholders to strengthen inclusive programming, local ownership and improved assistance outcomes. Represent WFP in relevant inter-agency coordination mechanisms, technical working groups and consultations related to gender, protection, disability inclusion, accountability, safeguarding and PSEA.
• Lead and support capacity strengthening of WFP staff, cooperating partners, community structures, producer groups, government counterparts and other stakeholders on gender equality, protection mainstreaming, disability inclusion, accountability to affected populations, safeguarding, PSEA and related minimum standards. Support partner capacity assessment, compliance monitoring and awareness-raising initiatives.
• Serve as a technical resource person and focal point on Gender, Protection and Inclusion, providing guidance and advice to staff and partners. Act as one of the Country Office focal points for Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), overseeing risk analysis, awareness-raising activities, partner engagement and compliance, maintenance of referral pathways, and other related tasks as required. Support field monitoring missions to assess programme quality, accessibility, community engagement, gender, protection and inclusion outcomes, and compliance with corporate commitments.
• Other related tasks.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in gender studies, social sciences, international development, public policy, development studies, humanitarian affairs or another relevant field OR First University Degree with additional years of relevant work experience.
• At least one year of professional experience in gender, protection, accountability, safeguarding, inclusion, social development or related areas with an advanced university degree OR at least 3 years of relevant professional experience with a first university degree.
• Experience supporting humanitarian, resilience or development programmes, preferably in complex or fragile settings.
• Experience working with government counterparts, NGOs, civil society organizations, community structures, local authorities or organizations of people with disabilities.
• Experience designing and delivering training, facilitating workshops and supporting capacity strengthening for staff, partners or community stakeholders.
• Experience conducting or supporting assessments, research, risk analysis or programme analysis related to gender, protection, social inclusion or accountability.
• Experience in livelihoods, resilience, value chains, women’s economic empowerment or financial inclusion programmes is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of gender equality, protection mainstreaming, disability inclusion, accountability to affected populations, PSEA and safeguarding in humanitarian and development programming.
• Knowledge of people-centred programming, community engagement, safe and accessible feedback mechanisms and risk-informed programme design.
• Familiarity with CSP implementation, FAR, results-based management and the use of evidence to improve programme quality.
• Excellent facilitation, coordination, stakeholder engagement and capacity-strengthening skills.
• Strong analytical, drafting, reporting and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical analysis into practical programme guidance.
• Ability to work effectively in sensitive political, cultural and operational contexts, including through field-based engagement and cross-functional collaboration.
• Fluency in English, as well as Tajik and/or Russian. Fluency in both Tajik and Russian is an advantage.

Skills

• Gender Equality
• Protection Mainstreaming
• Disability Inclusion
• Accountability to Affected Populations
• Safeguarding/PSEA
• Humanitarian Programming
• Development Programs
• Social Inclusion
• Programme Design
• Risk Analysis
• Capacity Strengthening
• Training Delivery
• Workshop Facilitation
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Community Engagement
• Livelihood Programming
• Resilience Programming
• Women's Economic Empowerment
• Financial Inclusion Knowledge
• Programme Analysis
• Research
• Result-Based Management
• Evidence Based Programming
• CSP Implementation
• Facilitation Skills
• Coordination Skills
• Drafting and Reporting

Languages

English, Tajik, Russian