Vulnerability Analysis & Mapping (VAM) Officer NOB

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WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian organization fighting hunger in the world. Since 1968, WFP has been working in Niger to support poor women, men, boys and girls. We aim at reaching the Zero Hunger Goal by 2030 by supporting the Government’s efforts on two fronts : saving lives and changing lives.

To save lives, we work in crisis affected areas. We are present in the Lake Chad Basin where the violence instigated by the conflict with Boko Haram has caused the displacement of thousands of people. This crisis has had a negative impact on the stability of the Diffa region, located in the southeast of Niger. Consequently, the local population has become more vulnerable to food insecurity. The situation around the border with Mali is also very volatile and increasingly instable. WFP provides food assistance in these areas to support victims of this conflict, refugees, displaced persons, returnees and host local populations.

To change lives, we work throughout Niger to make people more resilient to shocks, particularly those induced by climate change, which threaten the agricultural production and livelihoods of the most vulnerable Nigeriens. Our package of integrated activities covers nutrition, school canteens and technical assistance for land restoration. WFP purchases part of its food supplies locally and from smallholder farmers in order to revitalize the national and local economy. We focus on capacity building with the government and communities, victims of repeated shocks. People manage to break the vicious circle of poverty and look towards a better future for themselves and their children.

WFP manages the United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS). Some regions are far from the capital and more difficult to reach. Thanks to its aircrafts, UNHAS enables all humanitarian personnel working in Niger to quickly and safely reach locations where they have ongoing operations. It enables us to reach vulnerable people even in the most remote areas.

Independent studies have shown that WFP's interventions in Niger are bearing positive effects on the population. These results confirm that our efforts in support of the Government contribute, with the help of our donors, to the development of Niger.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Advanced University degree in Economics, Food Security, Statistics, Data Science, Public Health/Nutrition, Geography or other related field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.
Language: International Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

Experience: At least 4 years of post graduate professional experience in a relevant field of work.

National Professional: Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

These roles are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) or Country Offices (COs), and report to a more senior VAM or Programme Policy Officer. Job holders operate independently and are involved in operational activities and related analytical work.

JOB PURPOSE

To contribute to the VAM evidence base that supports food security and nutrition policies and programmes (e.g. needs assessment and situation analyses, programme design, targeting, cost effectiveness, and operational efficiency).

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

1. Contribute to the development of VAM projects and activities, plans and processes, ensuring alignment with wider WFP policies and guidance.
2. Support the development of systems and tools for the monitoring and assessment of food assistance needs in line with innovative methodologies and best practice.
3. Support the development of food security and vulnerability analysis and the preparation of timely reports on food assessment needs in line with wider VAM policies, processes and guidance to enable effective decision-making on the development of country strategy, policies and programmes.
4. Provide assistance on the coordination of data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
5. Liaise with implementing partners (internal and external) to monitor ongoing projects, ensuring effective collaboration, timeliness and efficiency and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
6. Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to conduct vulnerability analysis to effectively inform preparedness and response activities.
7. Provide support to relevant partners that are focusing on food security and nutrition issues to enable sharing of experience, lessons learned and best practice.
8. Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
9. Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
10. Other as required.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

11. Lead WFP Niger’s technical activities related to targeting, including developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and coordinating targeting exercises for all of WFP’s activities; 

12. Ensure that targeting approaches are aligned with programme objectives, and coordinated with internal and external partners, including government counterpart – in particular in the context of Niger’s adaptive social protection (ASP) system. 

13. In close collaboration with the cash-based transfers unit and activity managers, provide technical support to determine transfer modalities and values (including through the analysis of market prices), and help ensure that WFP’s cash programmes are aligned with other initiatives and partners (in particular the government’s Cellule de Filets Sociaux and other development partners supporting the development of Niger’s adaptive social protection (ASP) system).

14. Provide technical support to the operationalisation of WFP’s local purchase strategy through the Smallholder Agriculture and Market Support (SAMS) programme, particularly on the identification of intervention areas and for the determination of purchasing prices.

15. Coordinate WFP’s market monitoring and analysis activities, including managing WFP’s technical and strategic partnerships with the government’s Système d'Information sur les Marchés Agricoles (SIMA).

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
• Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
•  Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
•  Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of several statistical tools and methods for food security analysis.
• Developed practical expertise in food security analysis and mapping by participating in multiple assessments in countries, including the design, data collection and analysis.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and understanding of WFP vulnerability mapping systems and emergency assessment standards.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WFP offers equal opportunities to all

WFP is committed to promoting a work culture in which every employee understands and is able to carry out their work responsibilities and maintain the dignity of their co-workers. WFP offers career opportunities for its employees and supports them in their professional development with training and continuous learning actions.

WFP is also committed to creating and maintaining a harmonious climate in the workplace, based on mutual respect and understanding, free of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority and respectful of diversity. WFP is committed to diversity and inclusion in its workforce and encourages qualified women and men from all religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. WFP has a zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate based on the status of HIV / AIDS.

Finally, WFP seeks to promote gender equality and women's empowerment and is confident that its mission to fight global hunger can only be achieved if women, men, girls and boys equal opportunity for access to resources and services and participation in decision-making roles

• Contract Duration: 1 year (Renewable)

• Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.

• Eligibility: This VA is open ONLY to Nigerien Nationals.  WFP is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Closing date of application: 4th March 2021

Applications should be sent only on-line through WFP recruitment website.

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Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.