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WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

Title:  Head of Research & Development Department

Org. Unit:  African Risk Capacity (ARC)

Duty Station: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Contract Type: Regular Consultant

Duration: 6 months with possibility of extension

Reporting to: ARC Group Director General

Background

The African Risk Capacity (ARC) is Africa’s sovereign insurance pool and early disaster response mechanism. Owned and governed by its countries, ARC empowers its member states to be in the driving seat of response by reinforcing national systems and providing governments with access to immediate funds for early and planned responses to populations affected by natural disasters. Merging traditional approaches to disaster relief and risk quantification with concepts of risk pooling and transfer, ARC has created a unique pan-African disaster response system, providing a sustainable African-led strategy for managing extreme weather risks. By anticipating and not reacting to disasters, ARC countries are developing the capacity to protect development gains and build a more resilient Africa.  

A Specialised Agency of the African Union, ARC currently counts 39 AU countries as its members. In 2014, it launched its initial risk insurance product for its member states through its financial affiliate, the ARC Insurance Company Limited (ARC Ltd). ARC Ltd is a specialist hybrid mutual insurance company that aggregates risk by issuing insurance policies to participating governments and transferring it to the international market. ARC Ltd uses the satellite weather surveillance software Africa RiskView, developed by ARC Agency, to estimate the impact of drought on vulnerable populations – and the response costs required to assist them – before a season begins, and as it progresses, so that index-based insurance payouts, based on Africa RiskView, are triggered at or before harvest time if the rains are poor.

Responsibilities

ARC is now seeking a consultant to lead the R&D department.  The consultant will be responsible for leading and executing the ARC Agency’s research and development strategy and work programme, ensuring ARC remains on the cutting edge of global parametric risk management and modelling technology innovation.  This programme includes the design and launch of new insurance products and associated country work programmes (including flood, cyclone and outbreak and epidemic (O&E) risk), the further refinement and development of Africa RiskView for drought and on-going technical ARC Agency activities, the design and deployment of new financing initiatives, such as the development of other special projects at the request of the Director General.  The ARC consultant will:

Strategy and Management

Under the direct supervision of the Director General and in collaboration with other departments of the institution and staff, spearhead the research and development (R&D) strategy of the African Risk Capacity, ensuring it is aligned with ARC’s growth goals and Member State demand, and is a solid and integral part of ARC operations and services.  Manage and further develop ARC’s innovative, multiple project, multiple partner and multidisciplinary R&D work programme with a focus on long-term sustainability for ARC and knowledge transfer for the continent.  Lead, manage, and further develop ARC’s R&D programme to ensure a strong, cohesive Department with a high-performing team that delivers on ARC’s R&D objectives and provides practical support to other ARC operating units.  Develop the Africa RiskView software and risk models to improve existing ARC insurance products, and ensure ARC remains at the cutting-edge of global risk management and modelling technology. Work with ARC Ltd. to design, develop and successfully deploy new ARC insurance products and programmes, including flood, tropical cyclone, and O&E, and the specialist service providers working on these initiatives, to meet Member States' demand while meeting the highest standards of risk transfer best practice. Identify and develop new initiatives and supervise the R&D department in the implementation of other special projects with technical and strategic importance to the Agency. Ensure that evaluation, audit, intellectual property, quality control and assurance, sustainability and compliance recommendations are efficiently implemented within the R&D work processes, teams and outputs. Organise and staff expert advisory panels under the guidance of the Director General, for all R&D projects and ARC products. Hold accountability for the standards, processes and outputs of the ARC’s R&D work programme and team members, defining and enabling best practice, efficiency, transparency, innovation and high performance and criteria, while ensuring the optimal use of financial resources for the achievement of ARC’s growth and continental risk management objectives.  Conceptualise and implement cutting-edge research, analysis and publications to generate greater and always current evidence for ARC’s value proposition to Member States. Identify, build and lead productive relationships with a broad range of partners on the continent, including regional technical institutions, and at the global level to promote ARC’s risk management activities, standards and products, transfer of knowledge and expertise, technological advancement and attract technical, operational and financial support for ARC activities. Contribute to the consistent improvement in the quality, use and customisation of products developed by the R&D department, by Member States, ARC Ltd, or under license from specialised software and model providers. Implement any other assignment as requested by the Director General or the COO.

Qualifications

Education:

Advanced university degree in Natural Sciences, Agriculture sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Sciences, Economics, Finance, or a similar relevant quantitative discipline. A PhD will add value.

Experience:          

• At least 10 years of postgraduate progressively responsible experience in: Data management and software development, commodity or financial risk management, insurance products, and programme development.
• Expert knowledge of risk modelling, risk financing and/or insurance, particularly for natural disasters, sovereigns and parametric insurance applications.   
• Seasoned management and leadership skills and demonstrated ability to steer multidisciplinary, diverse, geographically disparate teams working on multiple projects in the same direction to achieve ARC strategic goals effectively
• Ability to take a strategic view across an extensive, complex, multi-disciplinary programme.
• Self-starter, with a track record of successfully managing and launching new, innovative and complex technical projects, developed in-house and with technical partners. 
• Quantitative and technical, with solid knowledge of and ability in statistics, risk modelling and data analysis.
• Understanding of the (re)insurance and risk transfer markets, particularly with respect to the design of insurance products for agriculture, climate and/or weather-related risks and parametric applications.  
• Experience in managing software development.
• Expertise and experience in designing and deploying programmes for developing countries is an advantage.
• Understanding of the international humanitarian aid, food security, donor and development communities in Africa is an advantage.
• A working knowledge of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, and the international dialogues and debates on climate change and DRR, a plus. 
• Excellent writer, communicator and team-worker.
• Excellent skills in stakeholder management and negotiation. 

Language:

Fluency in English and French, Knowledge of any other AU language will be an added value.

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

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.