DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS16 December 2025-23:59-GMT+02:00 South Africa Standard Time (Maseru)
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A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).
The Strategic Advisor will facilitate the high-level engagement with senior level Government officials and key stakeholders engaged in school health and nutrition in Lesotho. This engagement will aim at buttressing effective and efficient design and implementation of the GPE Technical Assistance Facility in support of the National School Feeding Programme (NSFP) in Lesotho. She/he will collaborate closely with WFP (as GPE Grant Agent in Lesotho, the Ministry of Education, Local Education Group members and key senior Government high level officials across the multi sectors that are relevant this initiative.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
The Strategic Advisor will work closely with Ministry of Education and Training and other relevant ministries, dedicated Technical Working Group (TWG). Under the direct supervision of the TAF Coordinator and the general guidance of the WFP Deputy Country Director, the incumbent will support the roll out of TAF by performing the following responsibilities:
- Facilitate and convene strategic dialogue with high level senior Government officials and with key stakeholders in the school health and nutrition landscape. In particular, foster discourse that could positively influence the NSFP with increased cross-sectoral collaboration and engagement of wider plethora of stakeholders to support it.
- Promote prioritized activities included in the TAF Workplan with senior Government officials and key stakeholders within Local Education Group members, as well as other national platforms (where advocacy on TAF will be relevant). Where necessary, join the high-level meetings where TAF project activities will be discussed in the capacity of the strategic Advisor to support advocacy and policy dialogue to strengthen NSFP.
- Together with the TAF coordinator, present at high-level government meetings including but not limited to the advisory board meetings, ESP, and sectoral budget discussion for school feeding, as appropriate.
- In collaboration with the TAF coordinator, ensure clear communication of goals, progress, and challenges related to prioritized TAF activities to senior Government officials, share their feedback with the TAF team and advise/discuss necessary adjustments, where applicable.
- Advocate for the NSFP needs, aligned to the immediate and mid-term priorities and School Meals Coalition (SMC) commitments for the programme. Review and provide feedback in key TAF products (specifically on activity deliverables) to ensure alignment of TAF with national NSFP priorities and facilitate the endorsement of the products by the respective government entities.
- Mobilize and ensure the participation of high-level officials during the consultative workshops where TAF products will be presented to the TWGs, advisory board & various forums
- Provide strategic inputs into the TAF coordinator in the development of stakeholder mapping and co-facilitating the stakeholder workshop as required; and build collaborative networks for advocacy of TAF products across diverse sectors.
- Together with the school feeding TAF coordinator, strategize the approaches to sustainably secure political buy-in for successful implementation of the TAF (means of achieving this to be discussed with the TAF team), as well as measures that will make those activities sustainable, taken forward by the Government and stakeholders beyond the TAF project.
- Provide high-level strategic guidance and leadership in convening key stakeholders, including facilitating a high-level meeting, and support the coordinator by co-facilitating TWG meetings as needed.
- Provide strategic advice on the engagement of high-level government officials and stakeholders to ensure activities have optimal participation, inclusive, and national stakeholders increasingly engage and take ownership.
- In consultation with the TAF Coordinator and TWGs, support unblocking barriers and challenges (where applicable) to ensure timely and effective implementation of the TAF workplan.
- Co-lead and advise the institutional system strengthening and capacity building interventions; and strategize the bottlenecks analysis recommendations and facilitate the co-creation of appropriate structure to enhance effectively implementation of the school feeding programme in the MoET and relevant sectors.
- Provide strategic inputs into TAF progress and final reports as well as specific progress updates on implementation, and documentation and lesson learned.
- Perform any other duties that will support strategic high-level engagement and support the implementation of the TAF project in line with the Terms of Reference and objective of the activity.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Education:
- Advanced degree in public administration, education, international development, social sciences or other related fields.
Experience:
- At least 10 years of senior level experience in strategic engagement with national governments, particularly high-level policy and decision makers at the country level.
- Significant experience in establishing strategic partnerships with development partners at the national level (global, regional experience will be an advantage), and with a wide variety of stakeholders and subject matter experts in education, food security, nutrition, health, social protection, agriculture, gender and/or related fields
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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org
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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).
Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.
Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language
Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter
Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time
Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified
All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.
- Advanced degree in public administration, education, international development, social sciences or other related fields.