Post:ARC Programme Officer (Contingency Planning & Operations) P3, Johannesburg
Organization:World Food Programme
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 Programme Officer (Contingency Planning & Operations) at P3 level, which will be based at the Secretariat in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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 Programme Officer will report to the Chief of Governmental Affairs and Policy and be responsible for the following key duties:
Qualifications & Experience Required Education:
University degree, preferably at the advanced level, in Social Sciences, International Development, Development Economics or other related fields.
Experience:
Technical Skills & Knowledge:
Competencies:
Language:
Working knowledge (proficiency/level C) of both English and French;
Proficiency in Portuguese is desirable.
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
How to apply:
http://reliefweb.int/job/585905/arc-programme-officer-contingency-planning-operations-p3-johannesburg
Organization:World Food Programme
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 Programme Officer (Contingency Planning & Operations) at P3 level, which will be based at the Secretariat in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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 Programme Officer will report to the Chief of Governmental Affairs and Policy and be responsible for the following key duties:
- Contribute to the strategy of the contingency planning component of the ARC Project:
- Draft and contribute to the outlining of the multi-stakeholder process for developing robust in-country contingency plans for ARC disbursements and operational mechanisms for ARC contingency plan approval and monitoring;
- Coordinate the development of contingency plans for all African countries considering participating in the ARC risk pool;
- Advise and support the development of feasible contingency planning work-plans for all in-country officers;
- Design and define monitoring and evaluation processes for ARC disbursements and oversee and implement these plans for drought responses once ARC is operational;
- Maintain oversight of all technical aspects of Africa RiskView refinements and enhancements at the country-level in support of the Technical Director and to ensure strong linkages to contingency planning and response.
- Contribute to assisting African governments in taking fully informed decisions on participating in the ARC pool:
- Establish and oversee the management of ARC 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;
- Ensure integration of contingency planning into existing, credible national response systems and broader country policies on food security, DRR and disaster risk management;
- Assist in the development of ARC and contingency planning trainings and workshops for stakeholders, including governments and their partners, and regional body representatives;
- Assist in developing comprehensive in-country working group work-plans for arriving at a decision for a country’s participation in the risk pool and the required in-country preparation for participation.
- Contribute to the detailed technical design study for a feasible ARC risk pool architecture:
- Contribute to the development of ARC participation and operation guidelines, particularly the ARC processes and criteria for approving and monitoring contingency plans;
- Develop metrics and processes for monitoring how ARC disbursements are programmed and mechanism for recourse, if appropriate;
- Facilitate the discussion on and approval of the ARC operation and institutional structure by all stakeholders, particularly through interaction with in-country teams and regional stakeholders.
- Support the ARC Agency Board’s Peer Review Mechanism (PRM):
- Manage process of contingency plan review by experts outside of the Secretariat;
- Collate and manage expert inputs and make recommendations to the PRM on quality of contingency plans based on Board approved standards and guidelines;
- Organize documentation and meetings of the PRM.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Qualifications & Experience Required Education:
University degree, preferably at the advanced level, in Social Sciences, International Development, Development Economics or other related fields.
Experience:
- At least five years of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience, both in the field and Headquarters, in public sector management, advisory and liaison roles, development projects, emergency assistance, and/or operational aspects of national, bilateral or multilateral food aid or commercial transactions;
- Experience in food security programming, emergency response or development and/or contingency planning;
- Practical experience in building partnerships with governments with solid understanding of related protocol is an asset;
- Experience in working with agriculture-based programmes, preferably in arid countries affected by regular drought is desirable;
- Work experience in a developing country context is preferable.
Technical Skills & Knowledge:
- Strong knowledge of food security analysis and the data collection, treatment, and manipulation techniques typically associated with it;
- 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, African Union Commission, NEPAD and Regional Economic Communities’ 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 both English and French;
Proficiency in Portuguese is desirable.
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
How to apply:
http://reliefweb.int/job/585905/arc-programme-officer-contingency-planning-operations-p3-johannesburg
