Programme Policy Officer (School Feeding Center Coordinator)

Job Description

Programme Policy Officer (School Feeding Center Coordinator) | World Food Programme

The Tone:
This is a fixed-term role at World Food Programme, located in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The World Food Programme is a leading humanitarian organization dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and building pathways to peace and stability through food assistance. This role is crucial in supporting the Government of Tajikistan in transitioning to a nationally owned, financed, and managed School Feeding Programme, strengthening institutional capacities and sustainable management structures to improve food security and nutrition outcomes.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Fixed-Term
• Location: In-person Dushanbe, Tajikistan

• Team: Programme (School Feeding Programme) | Reports to Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Tajikistan and SF Programme Coordinator
• Mission: Support the nationalization of Tajikistan’s School Feeding Programme by strengthening the operational capacity of the School Feeding Center, institutional systems, and coordination mechanisms.
• Tech Stack: EMIS

What You’ll Actually Do
• Project Strategy: Contribute to the development of School Feeding projects, strategies, and operational processes, ensuring alignment with national priorities and supporting programme nationalization.
• Programme Operations: Provide project management and operational support for School Feeding programmes and the expansion of School Feeding Center functions, ensuring compliance with WFP standards.
• Monitoring & Analysis: Support and monitor data collection, information management systems, and programme performance, while researching and analyzing implementation issues to inform policy development.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Liaise with internal and external counterparts, coordinate with government and other stakeholders, and represent the programme in relevant coordination platforms.
• Capacity Strengthening: Support the development of institutional systems, procedures, and capacity strengthening initiatives for School Feeding Center personnel, education authorities, and partners.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Advanced University Degree in International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Education, Agriculture, Nutrition, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Project Management or a related field OR a First University Degree with additional relevant experience.
• Experience: At least one year of progressively responsible postgraduate professional experience in programme management, project implementation, capacity strengthening, partnership management, monitoring, and reporting, OR at least 3 years of relevant professional experience with a first university degree.
• Skills: Strong analytical, drafting, coordination, stakeholder engagement, and project management skills.
• Bonus: Prior experience in school feeding programmes or projects and government transition interventions is an asset. Fluency in both Tajik and Russian is an advantage.