Post:ARC Regional Programme Officer
Location: Johannesburg
Organization:World Food Programme
Country: South Africa
City: Johannesburg
Theme: Coordination
Disaster Management
Food and Nutrition
Job years of experience: 5-10 years
Job type: Job
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. As a service provider for the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency Secretariat, we are currently seeking to fill the position of ARC Regional Programme Officer for the Southern and Eastern Africa Regional at P3 level, which will be based at the Secretariat in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ARC Regional Programme Officer will be responsible for managing ARC activities with relevant regional entities and for directing the ARC capacity building programmes and government relations for at least three selected countries and will be expected to travel between the countries of responsibility.
Two-thirds of all emergency food aid is delivered to Africa and half of WFP’s expenditures are a result of weather-related causes. With the support of DFID, SIDA, SDC, IFAD and the Rockefeller Foundation, WFP provided technical and managerial assistance to the African Union Commission in the establishment of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency. The treaty-based organization has 22 member states at present and focuses on quantifying and monitoring weather risks for food security in Africa with an aim of assisting countries in managing weather disaster risk for vulnerable populations more effectively through the creation of a risk pool.
The WFP Executive Director and the Chair of the ARC Governing Board have entered into an administrative services agreement whereby all ARC activities utilize WFP administrative processes including procurement, HR and IT services. Through delegated authority of the Executive Director to the ARC Interim Director General, WFP has also entered into bilateral MoUs with countries that wish to participate in the year-long ARC capacity building programme with a view to taking out insurance with the ARC’s risk pool. The ARC Secretariat based in Johannesburg manages all in-country capacity building programmes and member state government relations.
The ARC Regional Programme Officer will report to the Chief of Governmental Affairs and Policy and be responsible for the following key duties:
Specific ARC Project Responsibilities (Southern and Eastern Africa)
General ARC Project Responsibilities
General Responsibilities
Qualifications & Experience Required Education:
University degree, preferably at the advanced level, in International Development, Development Economics, Rural Development, Agriculture, Finance, Business Administration or a field relevant to international development assistance.
Experience:
Technical Skills & Knowledge:
Competencies:
Language:
Working knowledge (proficiency/level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (level B) of another UN official language (Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian or Chinese) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages).
Terms and Conditions Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year.
WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, 30 days’ annual vacation, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with ARC and WFP.
http://www.africanriskcapacity.org Learn more about the African Risk Capacity. http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Where we work” and “Our work” to learn more about WFP’s operations. http://icsc.un.org Click on: Quick Links > Salary Scales > by date http://www.unstaffmobility.org Learn more about countries where the UN operates
Deadline for applications: 4 July 2013
Job ID: #585909
How to apply:
http://reliefweb.int/job/585909/arc-regional-programme-officer-southern-and-eastern-africa-p3-johannesburg
Location: Johannesburg
Organization:World Food Programme
Country: South Africa
City: Johannesburg
Theme: Coordination
Disaster Management
Food and Nutrition
Job years of experience: 5-10 years
Job type: Job
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. As a service provider for the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency Secretariat, we are currently seeking to fill the position of ARC Regional Programme Officer for the Southern and Eastern Africa Regional at P3 level, which will be based at the Secretariat in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ARC Regional Programme Officer will be responsible for managing ARC activities with relevant regional entities and for directing the ARC capacity building programmes and government relations for at least three selected countries and will be expected to travel between the countries of responsibility.
Two-thirds of all emergency food aid is delivered to Africa and half of WFP’s expenditures are a result of weather-related causes. With the support of DFID, SIDA, SDC, IFAD and the Rockefeller Foundation, WFP provided technical and managerial assistance to the African Union Commission in the establishment of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency. The treaty-based organization has 22 member states at present and focuses on quantifying and monitoring weather risks for food security in Africa with an aim of assisting countries in managing weather disaster risk for vulnerable populations more effectively through the creation of a risk pool.
The WFP Executive Director and the Chair of the ARC Governing Board have entered into an administrative services agreement whereby all ARC activities utilize WFP administrative processes including procurement, HR and IT services. Through delegated authority of the Executive Director to the ARC Interim Director General, WFP has also entered into bilateral MoUs with countries that wish to participate in the year-long ARC capacity building programme with a view to taking out insurance with the ARC’s risk pool. The ARC Secretariat based in Johannesburg manages all in-country capacity building programmes and member state government relations.
The ARC Regional Programme Officer will report to the Chief of Governmental Affairs and Policy and be responsible for the following key duties:
Specific ARC Project Responsibilities (Southern and Eastern Africa)
- Liaise with government and its relevant in-country partners as the main in-country contact person for the ARC Secretariat and the ARC in-country working group focal point(s);
- Lead and manage the on-the-ground implementation of Africa RiskView customization and ARC contingency planning, building consensus with local partners on all aspects of the project’s scope;
- Assist senior ARC managers in recruiting, leading and managing national in-country officers to ensure the in-country work plans are completed in accordance with established procedures, meets standards and are completed on schedule;
- Coordinate under the direction of the Lead Contingency Planner ARC contingency planning efforts and other capacity building activities with the in-country working groups;
- In support of the ARC Senior Programme Adviser, coordinate and facilitate the process for establishing each country’s terms of ARC participation with the in-country working groups;
- Manage the Africa RiskView software and assist the ARC Senior Programme Adviser in the refinement of the model by soliciting and synthesising in-country working group feedback, working with national technical experts and securing improved data as required.
General ARC Project Responsibilities
- Assist African governments in taking fully informed decisions on participating in the ARC risk pool:
- Help to convene in-country working groups comprised of relevant government ministries and other stakeholders in food security, risk management and contingency planning in target countries, leveraging existing national platforms as appropriate;
- Organise and conduct Africa RiskView, contingency planning and ARC training workshops for in-country stakeholders, including government and their partners, and regional body representatives;
- Manage and facilitate the in-country working group work-plans and processes for arriving at a decision for a country’s participation in the risk pool;
- Identify synergies with existing in-country programmes for ARC and Africa RiskView.
- Contribute to the detailed technical design study for feasible ARC risk pool architecture through gathering feedback from in-country stakeholders:
- Contribute to the development of ARC participation and operational guidelines;
- Facilitate the discussion on and acceptance of the ARC’s operation and institutional structure by stakeholders.
- Assist Chief of Governmental Affairs and Policy in coordinating consultations and political engagements:
- Facilitate and participate in consultations held with countries, Regional Economic Communities, donors, NGOs, international organisations and leading thinkers consulted on the ARC concept.
General Responsibilities
- Establish and manage knowledge and information exchange and manage the delivery of ARC services to the ARC countries;
- Represent the ARC Project and WFP at national and international meetings and conferences as necessary;
- Interface with partner agencies, governments, NGOs, donor partners, and lead institutions in early warning, climate change and disaster risk management in-country and assist in the development of joint work-programmes and partnerships;
- Perform duty travel and other related duties as required.
Qualifications & Experience Required Education:
University degree, preferably at the advanced level, in International Development, Development Economics, Rural Development, Agriculture, Finance, Business Administration or a field relevant to international development assistance.
Experience:
- At least five years of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience, preferably both in the field and Headquarters, in public sector management, financial risk management, development projects, emergency assistance and/or operational aspects food assistance, disaster preparedness, vulnerability analysis, contingency planning or early warning;
- Experience in financial commodity risk management and alternative risk transfer;
- Practical experience in natural disaster (preferably weather) risk management in development countries with strong understanding of risk modelling techniques and approaches;
- Quantitative experience in the fields of finance, risk management or agricultural commodities is as asset;
- Work experience in a developing country context is desirable.
Technical Skills & Knowledge:
- Strong knowledge of financial analysis and the data collection, treatment, and manipulation techniques typically associated with it;
- Good understanding of the international humanitarian aid, donor and development communities;
- Working knowledge of basic statistical analysis; Advanced knowledge of related software is highly desirable;
- Advanced computer skills, including at least intermediate skills in windows based word processing, spreadsheet, database and other standard WFP software packages and systems;
- General knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration is highly desirable.
Competencies:
- Excellent written and oral communications and presentation skills;
- Strong analytical and negotiation skills;
- Resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgement and tact;
- Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those under supervision;
- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with partner agencies, governments, NGOs, donor partners, and lead institutions;
- Ability to work in a team, and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
Language:
Working knowledge (proficiency/level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (level B) of another UN official language (Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian or Chinese) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages).
Terms and Conditions Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year.
WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, 30 days’ annual vacation, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with ARC and WFP.
http://www.africanriskcapacity.org Learn more about the African Risk Capacity. http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Where we work” and “Our work” to learn more about WFP’s operations. http://icsc.un.org Click on: Quick Links > Salary Scales > by date http://www.unstaffmobility.org Learn more about countries where the UN operates
Deadline for applications: 4 July 2013
Job ID: #585909
How to apply:
http://reliefweb.int/job/585909/arc-regional-programme-officer-southern-and-eastern-africa-p3-johannesburg
