Programme Policy Officer – Shock Responsive and Adaptive Social Protection (SRASP)

The Programme Policy Officer – Shock Responsive and Adaptive Social Protection (SRASP) will lead the strategic and technical support to WFP Iraq’s SRASP agenda, focusing on strengthening shock-responsive and adaptive social protection systems. The role involves government liaison, institutional framework development, and multi-stakeholder coordination to advance SRASP in Iraq at federal and KRI levels.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the main liaison with social protection, disaster risk management, and early warning/forecasting counterparts (MoLSA, SPA, Ministry of Interior, Civil Defense, MOST, National Operations Centre in OPM, IMOS ,and others).
• Establish and coordinate the SRASP Task Force, ensuring regular engagement of all relevant ministries and agencies.
• Support the government in developing a legal framework to formalize SRASP as a national mechanism.
• Contribute to the design of financial channel structures that enable rapid and accountable SRASP interventions during shocks.
• Develop and implement a technical roadmap / workplan with identified technical areas to be improved for SP-DRM-SRASP.
• Assess operational structures and develop joint protocols for SRASP intervention, test them at national and governorate level and regularly update them.
• Lead the development of a training and learning agenda, including capacity assessments, workshops, and simulation exercises to strengthen government engagement and technical skills.
• Support integration of SRASP into the Unified Registry, ensuring interoperability between social assistance and DRM systems.
• Strengthen targeting methodologies to prioritize vulnerable households during shocks.
• Improve registration processes to ensure timely and accurate inclusion of beneficiaries.
• Enhance delivery mechanisms (cash, food, or hybrid) to maximize efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness.
• Promote the use of digital solutions for targeting, registration, and delivery within SRASP operations.
• Ensure a nutrition‑sensitive lens is embedded in all SRASP operational architecture through the design of a government plan with line ministries to make SRASP nutrition‑sensitive.
• Coordinate with WFP Programme Units (EPR and Livelihoods & Resilience) and government counterparts to develop and maintain a DRF and AA roadmap for SRASP.
• Ensure SRASP is embedded into WFP’s internal emergency preparedness planning (EPRP, CONOPS, staff readiness).
• Align national SRASP efforts with ongoing DRF-AA initiatives.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Social Policy, Economics, International Development, Disaster Risk Management, or related field.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in social protection, EPR, or adaptive systems required.
• Demonstrated previous experience working on either the design, implementation or evaluation of SRASP systems.
• Familiarity with multi-hazard early warning systems and data management protocols within Iraqi government institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in government liaison, institutional framework development, and multi-stakeholder coordination.
• Strong knowledge of Iraq’s social protection and DRM landscape, including MoLSA, SPA, Civil Defense, MOST, OPM, IMOS, and Unified Registry reforms.
• Understanding of Agenda 2030 and respective targets – particularly SDG1, SDG2 and SDG17 - and how the work of WFP can contribute to achieving them.
• Understanding of WFP’s mandate, Country Strategic Planning process, intervention modalities, programme and project lifecycle tools, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation desirable.
• Knowledge of current thinking and developments in the field of social protection and public policy.
• Knowledge of key national and regional contexts and issues.
• Problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders, conveying an informed and professional demeanour toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently in a timely and organised manner.
• Ability to work as part of a team, participating in open dialogues and valuing diverse opinions of others, regardless of gender, culture, background, experience, or country assignment.
• Strong writing skills with the ability to author reports, briefs and policy papers.
• Proficient computer literacy.
• Fluency (oral and written) in English and Arabic is required.
• Working knowledge of Kurdish is desirable.

Skills

• Social Protection Policies
• Shock-Responsive Social Protection
• Adaptive Social Protection
• Disaster Risk Management
• Early Warning Systems
• Data Management Protocols
• Government Liaison
• Institutional Frameworks
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Social Policy Analysis
• Programme Design
• Programme Implementation
• Programme Evaluation
• Country Strategic Planning
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Report Writing
• Policy Paper Authoring
• Computer Literacy
• Knowledge of SDG Targets
• Stakeholder Engagement

Languages

English, Arabic, Kurdish