WFP: Programme Policy Officer (Capacity Building) – Peshawar

The World Food Programme (WFP) is seeking a Programme Policy Officer (Capacity Building) in Peshawar, Pakistan. This role involves designing and implementing capacity-building interventions focused on climate change adaptation and disaster risk management for vulnerable communities. The officer will work closely with government and community stakeholders to enhance early warning systems and promote climate-resilient livelihoods, targeting over 146,000 direct beneficiaries.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency, with a long-standing presence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan, where it has been working for over three decades. WFP focuses on emergency response, livelihood recovery, nutrition, and building resilience to climate shocks in the region. As part of its commitment to resilience-building, WFP has secured Green Climate Fund (GCF) funding for the “Integrated Climate Risk Management for Enhanced Resilience to Climate Change in Buner and Shangla Districts, KP.”

The project aims to improve the adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities, particularly against riverine flooding, by enhancing early warning systems (EWS), developing anticipatory action (AA) protocols, and promoting climate-resilient livelihoods. Targeting over 146,000 direct beneficiaries, it also aims for broader impact, benefiting approximately 1.6 million people. The project focuses on three outcomes: improving EWS and AA capacity, increasing climate resilience through local adaptation and diversified livelihoods, and enhancing knowledge management for evidence generation and scalability.

To support the effective delivery of this initiative, 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.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements