Regional Social Protection & Cash Transfer Specialist (Asia-Pacific)

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background, and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations, and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination
• All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

The FAO Regional office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) supports member countries in the development of knowledge products, capacity development and implementation of programmes and projects in food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing in developing countries and countries in transition, assisting governments and country stakeholders, main development partners, regional and national institutions with the policy and strategic planning to achieve food security and nutrition, make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more sustainable and productive, reduce rural poverty, make food value chains more efficient and inclusive and promote climate change adaptation and/or mitigation.

A growing portfolio in RAP over the past few years is the Anticipatory Action and Shock-Responsive Social Protection (SRSP) agenda. Anticipatory Action and SRSP are innovative approaches designed to protect families and their assets ahead of a hazard. Cash has further been identified as a key mean of support to be provided through or beside existing Social Protection systems. Acting before a disaster is crucial – it can safeguard lives and livelihoods, build resilience to future shocks, and ease pressure on strained humanitarian resources. Similarly, strengthening national social protection systems and cash based delivery systems is key in order to ensure a sustainable approach to lives and livelihoods protection. This initiative is supported by several resource partners including the European Union, Germany, Belgium and Sweden.

Reporting Lines

The Regional Social Protection & Cash Transfer Specialist (Asia-Pacific) reports to RAP’s Senior Resilience Officer, working in collaboration with the Social Protection Officer and Emergency & Rehabilitation Officer/Anticipatory Action Lead for Asia-Pacific. The Specialist will further work in close collaboration with the Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER)’s Anticipatory Action and Cash and Vaucher (CVA) Teams as well as the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP)’s Social Protection Team, and related country-level teams.

Technical Focus

Support the strengthening of national SRSP systems linked with Anticipatory Action. This will include working on assessing existing national programmes and systems (i.e. information management systems, registries, delivery systems, payments modalities) and strengthening their capacity to deliver anticipatory action, mostly via CVA, in response to the forecast of a shock. The work will have a national level components (mostly but not exclusively in The Philippines, LAO PDR, Viet Nam and Pakistan) a regional (Asia-Pacific) and a global component.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Regional Social Protection & Cash Transfer Specialist (Asia-Pacific) will:
Support countries to identify the main entry points to link the national social protection system to Anticipatory Action
• Guide and support the roll out of country-level feasibility studies aimed at identifying the programmes and elements fit to deliver Anticipatory Action, including cash transfers, ahead of shocks. In collaboration with other UN agencies and partners (this will include finalize and adapt existing FAO’s assessment methodology);
• Support the development and implementation of SRSP Country Roadmaps (where relevant) to create key linkages between the national social protection system and Anticipatory Action including, for example, the development and implementation of scalability frameworks of social protection schemes or elements to support Anticipatory Action, including through cash transfers;
• Provide support to the development and delivery of capacity development events on shock responsive social protection as a modality to channel anticipatory action (including through cash transfers) at country level;
• Strengthen partnerships and inter-agency efforts on SRSP, cash transfers and anticipatory action at country and regional levels;
• Support efforts to institutionalize SRSP and Anticipatory Action with key government agencies, promoting cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration, including by facilitating policy dialogue at country and regional levels;
• Support efforts to engage donors and new partners on the SRSP and Anticipatory Action agenda at country and regional levels.

2. Support the implementation of the ASEAN Guidelines on Disaster Responsive Social Protection
• In collaboration with other UN agencies and partners, support the roll out of the ASEAN Guidelines on Disaster Responsive Social Protection (ASEAN DRSP Guidelines) at country level, promoting linkages with Anticipatory Action.
• Support ASEAN sector bodies (social welfare, disaster management, health and human development, etc.) in implementing the ASEAN DRSP Guidelines.
• In partnership with the ASEAN Poverty Gender and Inclusiveness (PGI) Working Group, support the development of Guidance, tools, capacity building to ensure inclusiveness and gender considerations in the ASEAN DRSP Guidelines and Anticipatory Action implementation.
• Promote sharing of experiences and joint learning on SRSP and Anticipatory Action including between ASEAN and other regional/sub-regional organizations.

3. Strengthen FAO cash transfer activities at country and regional levels, contributing to coordination and partnership
• Assist country level Anticipatory Action and SRSP teams in preparing, planning, coordinating and implementing cash transfer activities (e.g. Unconditional and/or conditional Cash Transfer, Cash , Cash for Work, etc.) ensuring high operational standards and compliance with FAO rules and regulations.
• Support the development and implementation of cash preparedness roadmaps at country level to ensure that FAO will be ready to deliver cash transfers in accordance with Anticipatory Action plans and building upon national social protection systems, including but not limited to feasibility assessments, capacity development and training, selection and registration of beneficiaries, selection of modalities and delivery mechanisms, value and frequency of cash transfers, identification and contracting of Service Providers (including Financial Service Providers), etc..
• Support country teams exploring the feasibility of multiple programmatic and operational options for FAO to deliver cash transfers through the existing Social Protection system at country level.
• Support country teams developing Standard Operating Procedures for cash transfers based on Anticipatory Action plans and ensure training (possibly including simulation), awareness and ownership of the various internal and external stakeholders;
• Provide recommendations to enhance the timeliness, effectiveness and impact of cash transfer interventions at all phases of the project cycle.
• Provide capacity building support on cash transfer activities to country offices as needed.
• Liaise with and coordinate efforts of relevant internal stakeholders (programme, technical experts, procurement, finance-administration, budget holder, data management, MEAL, etc.) for cash transfer preparedness and implementation.
• Participate in and support existing multi-stakeholder coordination and partnership mechanisms on cash transfers, anticipatory action and SRSP, and liaise with key stakeholders (regional bodies, government and humanitarian actors) to ensure complementarity with other sectors/clusters/interventions.
• Share regular information and provide timely reporting on the progress, achievements, impact, cost-effectiveness, and/or challenges and bottlenecks of the implementation of cash transfer interventions with recommendations to improve the quality, impact and timeliness of cash transfer implementations.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in one or more of the following: social protection, social policy, law, rural development, development studies, humanitarian action or equivalent
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in the field of social protection, including experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, capacity.
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish, according to the country of assignment.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Good written communication skills, including in emergency settings;
• Demonstrated ability to analyse problems, make appropriate recommendations, effective decisions, including in emergency settings;
• Strong foundation in programme formulation, planning, implementation, management and evaluation.
• Knowledge of social protection, rural development and agriculture context in Asia-Pacific.
• Previous experience in the Asia-Pacific region is an asset.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency