Programme Policy Officer (LGU Advocacy and Engagement Officer)

The CSP is aligned with national strategies and policies as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework and is guided by three interrelated outcomes:

• By 2028, communities exposed to shocks and stressors in the Philippines are better able to meet food, nutrition and other essential needs with inclusive and equitable emergency preparedness and response capacity at the national and local levels.

• By 2028, communities vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity in the Philippines are more resilient and can better manage risks affecting human capital gains and food systems, inclusively and equitably.

• The Government and partners in the Philippines access WFP services that augment their interventions, upon request.

These strategic objectives are framed within the context of the Philippines being on the verge of becoming and upper-middle income country, while at the same time being one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Disasters remain a leading cause of hunger, affecting all aspects of food security: economic and physical access to food, availability and stability of supplies, and nutrition. 

While WFP Philippines maintains a strong capacity to respond directly when significant shocks occur, the overall emphasis of the Country Office lies on systems strengthening (disaster risk management, social protection and food systems) at national, LGU and BARMM levels. WFP utilizes its field operations expertise to support the Government in delivering on key food programmes linked to its mandate and the CSP, including supporting the conceptualization and roll out of national priority programmes such as Walang Gutom 2027 and LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) at BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) and modelling globally proven programmes such as home-grown school feeding – linking local smallholder farmers production to the institutional demand of school meals programmes. WFP engages at the national level on policy dialogue, supporting legislative advances in areas such as school meals, anticipatory action and rice fortification.

POSITION DETAILS:

JOB TITLE: Programme Policy Officer (LGU Engagement and Advocacy Officer)

TYPE OF CONTRACT: Special Service Agreement (SSA) - When Actually Employed/WAE
JOB GRADE: SSA-10
UNIT/DIVISION: Programme Unit
DUTY STATION (City, Country): Manila, Philippines
DURATION: 65 working days during a period of 6 months 

This position is open to Filipino nationals only

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Government of the Philippines has made sustained investments in the School‑Based Feeding Programme (SBFP) as a cornerstone of child nutrition, education, and human capital development. Implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) at national level, and by the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) in in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the SBFP is transitioning from a largely targeted intervention toward a system anchored in hot meals, expanded universal coverage, defined delivery models, improved linkages to local food systems, and a framework for multi-sector coordination and stronger Local Government Unit (LGU) engagement. 

Building on recent policy advances, proof of concepts, and emerging evidence—including home‑grown school feeding (HGSF) modelling, LGU‑led central kitchens, and strengthened alignment with agriculture and nutrition systems—the Government has defined a strategic way forward from 2026-2030 both at national level and in BARMM that recognizes the importance of Local Government Unit (LGU) engagement, ownership and even co-financing. 

JOB PURPOSE
In this context, the World Food Programme (WFP) Philippines seeks a Programme Policy Officer for LGU Engagement and to support DepEd and MBHTE in the stronger involvement of LGUs in the School-Based Feeding Programme (SBFP), in DepEd LGU-led pilots, and the adoption of HGSF models in BARMM and national level. 

The role ensures that: 

• Policy advocacy is grounded in real‑time LGU pilot implementation experience; 

• Lessons from LGU pilots and models —particularly on hot meals delivery, Central Kitchen (CK) operations, financing arrangements, and coordination mechanisms—are documented and consolidated into practical inputs for policy, guidelines, and reform processes; 

• Programme scale‑up is based on institutionalized, sustainable models, rather than fragmented or person‑dependent coordination; 

• Technical assistance guidance to WFP, DepEd, MBHTE, and LGUs on approach to define clear roles, responsibilities, and financing arrangements (including LGU co-financing); and 

• WFP support to LGUs is well-coordinated, practical, and linked to real needs on the ground. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive nor exhaustive): 
The Consultant will report to the Senior Programme Policy Officer for School Feeding, under the overall guidance of the Head of Programme. The Consultant will collaborate proactively with other units and sub-units, and with the WFP BARMM Sub-Office. The Consultant will support in translating LGU level realities, innovations, and constraints emerging from DepEd’s LGU led SBFP pilots, as well as LGU-supported HGSF models in BARMM, Davao and Luzon, into coherent advocacy, policy positioning, and institutional reform inputs, while providing technical assistance across policy, evidence, partnerships, and subnational engagement related to school feeding – including multi-sectoral efforts to enable hot meal expansion and prioritization of local procurement from smallholder farmers - at LGU level. 

Key Functions of the Position
The consultant will focus on three areas: 

• LGU-facing policy and advocacy – advocacy materials to support WFP, DepEd and MBHTE LGU engagement. 

• LGU engagement – understanding and documenting how LGUs actually implement SBFP. 

• Programme alignment – making sure pilots, models, policy, and WFP support are connected. 

  
Accountabilities and Responsibilities

1. LGU‑Facing Policy and Advocacy  

• Support the design and execution of advocacy and policy positioning materials (briefs, talking points, slides) related to SBFP, HGSF, and LGU‑led implementation models, that reflect practical LGU pilot lessons and institutional readiness, rather than aspirational commitments. Should be aligned with DepEd’s national reform agenda and LGU pilot objectives; MBHTE’s regional HGSF scale-up ambition and LGU engagement objectives; WFP Philippines’ Country Strategic Plan (CSP) and strategy for support to school-based feeding; and Global and regional narratives, including the School Meals Coalition. 

• Position LGU-led SBFP, HGSF and central kitchens as practical, scalable, multi-sectoral investments linking education, nutrition, social protection, climate resilience, and local economic development. 

• Support DepEd, MBHTE and WFP senior management with evidence-based advocacy messages grounded in LGU implementation experience. 

• Advocate for the integration of universal hot meals sourced from local smallholder farmers into planning and budgeting instruments, and alignment of advocacy efforts with local budget cycles.

2. LGU Engagement 

• Support the institutionalization of LGU engagement models emerging from LGU-led SBFP pilots and BARMM HGSF implementation, including: CK establishment, readiness, and operational standards; scalable hot meal delivery modalities; sustainable financing and implementation arrangements (e.g. fund transfer, billing, LGU co-financing and budget integration); and coordination roles among LGUs, schools, SDOs, and DepEd central and regional offices, MBHTE. 

• Consolidate LGU‑level insights (what works, what doesn’t, and why) and good practices into policy‑relevant inputs informing: National SBFP and HGSF guidelines; CK operational guidance and eligibility criteria; and advocacy narratives and reform discussions. 

• Work with DepEd and MBHTE counterparts, WFP field teams, and embedded staff to shift LGU engagement from transactional coordination to system‑level enablement and learning. 

• Contribute to guidance notes, briefs, and tools that support sustained and expanded LGU-led SBFP implementation. These should cover the following: what LGUs need before they can implement; what financing models are realistic; and what roles should be formalized. 

3. Programme Alignment 

• Provide structured inputs to the SBFP roadmapping process, ensuring realistic sequencing of policy ambitions, LGU SBFP implementation start-up process, evidence, and partnerships. 

• Support development of a clear LGU engagement framework for school-based feeding, defining: LGU roles across implementation models (DepEd‑led, MBHTE-led, LGU‑led, mixed); entry points across infrastructure (CKs), financing, procurement, and service delivery; and minimum readiness criteria and scalable pathways by LGU capacity. 

• Support explicit trade‑off and sequencing decisions, including: Pace of CK expansion versus LGU absorptive capacity; policy commitments versus budget and planning cycles; and pilot expansion versus consolidation and learning. 

• Ensure coherence between advocacy commitments, policy instruments, and LGU implementation capacity, so roadmap outputs are implementable and sustainable at scale.

4. Coordination and Coherence of WFP Technical Assistance to LGUs

• Support the coordination and coherence of WFP technical assistance (TA) to LGUs so it is coordinated across teams; and adapted to each LGU’s capacity and context. 

• Contribute to the coordination of a roving, multi disciplinary WFP TA team (e.g. Nutrition, Food Safety and Quality, Social and Behaviour Change, Procurement, and related functions), ensuring TA is demand driven and aligned with DepEd and MBHTE priorities; sequenced according to LGU readiness and reform phases; and linked to policy development, roadmapping, and scale up decisions. 

• Ensure TA inputs are captured as learning and fed back into policy, advocacy, and LGU engagement frameworks. 

5. Evidence, Stakeholder Engagement, and Learning 

• Support documentation of LGU pilot implementation, including CK operations, financing mechanisms, and coordination arrangements. 

• Translate studies, costing exercises, evaluations, and pilot learning into actionable policy and advocacy products. 

• Support structured engagement with LGUs, DepEd (central, regional, and division levels), MBHTE (regional, and division levels), and partners. 

• Contribute to stakeholder mapping and power analysis, with attention to decentralized governance dynamics; and

• Document lessons learned to inform programme adaptation, policy refinement, and national scale‑up strategies. 

DELIVERABLES

Tranche 1 - Inception Note & Validated Workplan

• Expected Output: Inception note outlining analytical approach, interfaces with DepEd, MBHTE, and WFP teams, risks, and assumptions. Includes a detailed 6-month workplan aligned with SBFP/HGSF roadmapping and LGU pilot timelines, validated by WFP, DepEd, and MBHTE.  

• Timeline:  End of Month 1 (5 working days)

• Payment: 5%

Tranche 2 - LGU‑Led SBFP & HGSF Pilot Synthesis (Interim Brief)

• Expected Output: Policy ready synthesis of LGU led SBFP and HGSF pilot experience (e.g. central kitchens, fund flows, coordination models), highlighting emerging patterns, constraints, and early implications for scale up. Designed as a decision support brief, not a technical report.

• Timeline:  Mid-Month 2 (10 working days)

• Payment: 15%

Tranche 3 LGU Engagement Framework – Draft

• Expected Output: Draft framework articulating LGU roles across implementation models; entry points across infrastructure, financing, procurement, and service delivery; minimum readiness criteria; and graduated participation pathways, grounded in pilot evidence and DepEd/MBHTE priorities.

• Timeline: End of Month 3 (10 working days)

• Payment: 15%

Tranche 4 SBFP Roadmap Inputs & Strategic Option Notes    

• Expected Output: Concise option notes providing structured inputs to the roadmap, including sequencing options, reform phases, milestones, and explicit trade offs (e.g. pace of CK expansion vs LGU readiness; policy ambition vs budget cycles).    

• Timeline: Mid-Month 4 (10 working days)    

• Payment: 15%

Tranche 5 LGU Engagement Framework – Final (Validated)    

• Expected Output: Finalized LGU Engagement Framework incorporating feedback from DepEd, MBHTE, WFP, and selected partners. Product ready for institutional use to guide LGU engagement beyond pilot areas.    

• Timeline: End of Month 4 (10 working days)

• Payment: 15%

Tranche 6 LGU Focused Advocacy & Positioning Package    

• Expected Output: Targeted advocacy and policy materials (briefs, talking points, slides) positioning LGU led SBFP and central kitchens as scalable, multi sectoral investments, aligned with national priorities and global narratives (e.g. School Meals Coalition).

• Timeline: End of Month 5 (10 working days)    

• Payment: 15%

Tranche 7 Roadmap Follow Through & Programme Coherence Note    

• Expected Output: Short coherence note documenting agreed roadmap priorities, sequencing decisions, and follow through actions across policy, evidence, partnerships, LGU engagement, and WFP TA inputs. 

• Timeline: Mid Month 6 (5 working days)    

• Payment: 10%

Tranche 8 Final Summary Report & Lessons Learned

• Expected Output: Concise final report summarizing outputs achieved, lessons from LGU pilots, implications for national scale up, and recommendations to strengthen institutional sustainability and reduce implementation fragility.

• Timeline: End of Month 6 (5 working days)    

• Payment: 10%

TOTAL: 8 deliverables | 65 working days for 6 months

All deliverables under this contract are expected to be completed within six (6) calendar months from contract start. No extension is anticipated. However, the number of working days can be modified, as long as the total number of days does not exceed the maximum of 65 days.
 

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education:    Advanced university degree (Master’s level) in public policy, development studies, social sciences, education, nutrition, agriculture, or related fields; OR first degree with an additional two (2) years of relevant experience and/ or training.

Experience:    

• At least five (5) years of postgraduate professional experience working within complex, multi stakeholder systems, including government led and multisectoral processes, with a clear orientation toward country owned, system level change, including experience supporting government programmes in education, nutrition, social protection, food systems, or related sectors.

• Demonstrated experience facilitating complex policy, planning, and coordination processes involving national and subnational actors.

• Proven track record in decentralization, system reform, and government led change processes; experience related to school feeding or social protection reforms is a strong asset.

• Experience working at the interface of national policy and subnational implementation, ideally in decentralized governance contexts.

• Country facing experience contributing to diagnostics, strategy development, coordination platforms, or cross sector planning, centered on government priorities and reinforcing national ownership.

• Strong facilitation and alignment experience, convening diverse actors for collective sense making, coordination, and action.

Knowledge and skills    

• Systems-thinking orientation, able to identify interdependencies, incentives, and power dynamics, and translate complexity into practical pathways.

• Strong facilitation and convening skills, supporting dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and government-led coordination.

• Effective in advocacy and policy engagement, grounded in operational and institutional realities.

• Analytical and strategic thinker, able to draw clear conclusions and recommend feasible courses of action.

• Able to translate policy objectives into operationally realistic implementation pathways, particularly at LGU level.

• Adaptive and reflective, comfortable working in high-ambiguity contexts and iterating based on learning.

• Excellent communication skills, concise, policy-ready writing, and strong verbal engagement.

• Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, building trust and effective relationships across government, communities, and partners.

• Able to work independently while ensuring coherence, prioritization, and alignment across institutions.

• Demonstrates mature political and institutional judgment, translating implementation realities into policy- and advocacy-relevant insights.

• Comfortable in roles focused on influence, facilitation, and systems change rather than direct programme management.

• High level of professional judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.

Language: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Filipino and English.