Organization: World Food Programme
Country: Panama
Closing date: 24 Aug 2017
ABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.
JOB PURPOSE
WFP is implementing a two years (September 2016-2018) project entitled “El Nino Response in the Dry Corridor of Central America”, funded by the European Union (PRO-ACT). This project is implemented in four Central American countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Each WFP Country Office has different implementation activities and transfer modalities to support the households most affected by recurrent drought and El Nino, in particular subsistence farmers and day laborers through food assistance, strengthening livelihoods’ resilience to climate-related shocks, and risk management.
The four Central American countries share similar socioeconomic and disaster risk profiles. The Dry Corridor which cuts across the four countries is particularly prone to disasters and has a great vulnerability to shock and food insecurity. Land degradation and deforestation are contributing to the propensity of climate shocks, which result in the loss of crops, seeds and animals, reduced work opportunities, loss of incomes, migration, deepening food insecurity and malnutrition. El Nino came on top of four consecutive years of drought. The main impacts of the drought on affected households are reflecting in the extremely poor dietary diversity and the coping strategy being employed.
PRO-ACT funding from the EU allows WFP to invest in vital resilience building activities through WFP country programmes and capacity development. In order to build community resilience, WFP will therefore strengthen livelihoods by creating and rehabilitating productive assets, intensifying production at household level, diversifying income sources, increasing human capital and providing a safety net for 52,000 beneficiaries.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Economics, Nutrition/Health, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or other field relevant to international development assistance, or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Language:
Experience:
International Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and Spanish.
At least 5 years of experience in this field, with specific focus on resilience*.*
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
Under the overall supervision of the Senior Programme Advisor of the Programme Unit in the WFP regional bureau, the incumbent will be expected to perform the following tasks:
- Provide advice and support to the four Central America Country Offices (COs) delivering a complex portfolio of programed and ensure that policy and programme operations are consistent with WFP policies, Executive Board decisions, and other relevant guidance;
- Provide technical advice or mobilize technical expertise on resilience activities, transfer modalities and appropriate food products;
- Be proactive in testing innovative approaches, particularly the WFP three-pronged approach, including the Integrated Context Analysis (ICA), the Seasonal Livelihoods Programming Consultations (SLP) and the Community-based Participatory Planning;
- Coordinate experience sharing visits among the Country Offices, including WFP staff, national authorities and project participants, in order to spread best practices in the region.
- Support Country Offices efforts to strengthen sustainable mechanisms for the project activities, including asset management and maintenance in the local/community level.
- Develop strategies with COs to support government efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition;
- Liaise with senior stakeholders of governments and other partners in relation to the project and also liaise with the sub-regional intergovernmental organizations such as the Coordination Center for Natural Disaster Prevention in Central America (CEPREDENAC) and the Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD) bodies;
- Keep donor regularly informed and updated on the development of the project and prepare reports in line with the Project timeline. Coordinate all information and feedback from the four COs and the donor serving as the main WFP focal point to the donor;
- Maintain established strategic partnerships to identify opportunities for collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve assistance packages and support advocacy work;
- Enhance WFP’s leadership status in different forums on subjects related to the project and development contexts and other related issues through direct participation, briefings, information products and other materials;
- Manage or oversee operational research and evidence building on issues relevant to resilience/food assistance;
- Manage or oversee preparation and dissemination of timely analytical reports, publications, press releases and communication/visibility material, and a variety of information products or proposals for internal or external use in collaboration with relevant units and sections at country and regional levels;
- Organize and manage the yearly joint working sessions with all the country offices, prepare and revise work plans;
- Advise and support the development of functional training in areas of expertise to enhance the capacity of WFP staff and partners to design and deliver effective food assistance programmes;
- Ensure the best use of assigned financial resources for achievement of set objectives within a significant budget, and manage the assigned funds;
- Lead, motivate and develop a team – at country and regional levels – to enable high performance;
- Take responsibility for incorporating gender and protection perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men in accordance with WFP policies, strategies, guidelines and manuals;
- With support from the RB M&E Advisor, lead and guide all the necessary monitoring and evaluation work required (baseline, follow-up survey and end studies), from a quantitative and qualitative perspectives.
- Any other task, as required by the Senior Programme Advisor in relation to the Project.
DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE
- Has worked in a WFP Country Office, Regional Bureau or Headquarters;
- Has worked and has knowledge and expertise on resilience, and/or food assistance for assets and/or experience working with small holder farmers and cooperatives (P4P).
- Has led a country office programme team or a substantial component of a complex programme.
- Has gained direct experience of different programme approaches (e.g. gender, protection, cash-based transfers, etc.)
- Has worked with government agencies and gained policy experience.
- Has led team in strategic discussions.
- Has dealt with donors and senior government stakeholders.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Good analytical skills; resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgement, tact, negotiating skills; ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing; ability to work in a team, and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds. Ability to cope with situations which may threaten health or safety; flexibility in accepting work assignments outside normal desk description. Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts and staff within the office, host population, donors, NGOs and other UN agencies; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those under his/her supervision. Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
Deadline for applications is 24 August 2017. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
How to apply:
Go to:
https://career5.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=59962&company=C0000168410P&use…=
Click on Apply and follow directions to create online CV
Step 1: Register and create your online CV.
Step 2: Click on “View Vacancy” to read the position requirements and “Apply” to submit your application.
NOTE: You must complete Step 1 and 2 in order for your application to be considered for this vacancy.
