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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:  Consultant, Head of Contingency Planning & Operations,

Org. Unit:  African Risk Capacity (ARC)

Contract Type: Regular Consultant

Duty Station:  Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Duration: 6 months with possibility of extension

Reporting to: ARC Chief Operating Officer

As a continental sovereign risk pool, the African Risk Capacity (ARC) provides cost-effective contingency funding to African governments to execute pre-approved contingency plans in the event of severe disasters. ARC was established as a Specialized Agency of the African Union in November 2012 to help member states improve their capacities to better plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events and disasters and to assist food insecure populations. Operating under the privileges and immunities of the AU, the ARC Agency, through its Secretariat, provides member states with capacity building services for early warning, contingency planning and risk finance. In late 2013 the Agency established a financial affiliate called ARC Insurance Company Limited (ARC Ltd). ARC Ltd is a specialist hybrid mutual insurance company that issues policies to governments, and which aggregates and transfers risk to the international market. In order for a country to purchase an insurance policy and thus become a member of the Company, the country must demonstrate through a peer review process its ability to effectively use potential payouts.  The evidence shows that the economic benefits of early assistance to households after a failed harvest, before they deplete their productive assets and start skipping meals, far outweigh the insurance premiums countries pay if they pool their risk through a facility like ARC. 

In May 2014, with initial capital provided by the governments of Germany and the United Kingdom, ARC Ltd issued drought insurance policies to a first group of African governments – Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger and Senegal – marking the launch of the inaugural ARC pool.  Should a severe drought hit any of these countries in the next 12 months, each stands to receive a payout to implement pre-approved contingency plans designed to reach those in need early, before livelihoods are lost.  ARC Ltd uses the satellite weather surveillance software Africa RiskView, developed together with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), to estimate needs and trigger insurance payouts to these countries at or before harvest time if the rains have been poor.  By allowing member states to capitalise on the natural diversification of weather risk across the continent, premiums are significantly more affordable than they would be for countries approaching the market alone. Additional countries are in the queue to join the next pool in 2015, with a target of up to 20 countries receiving coverage for droughts, floods and tropical cyclones in the next five years.  The ARC design and establishment phase was managed by WFP and WFP continues to provide administrative services support to the ARC Agency through an administrative services agreement.

Duties: 

Within delegated authority, and under the supervision of the Chief Operating Officer, the Head of Contingency Planning will be responsible for the following duties:

Specific ARC Project Responsibilities:

• Oversee and manage all the strategy of the contingency planning component of the ARC Agency, including:
  • Developing 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;
  • Advising and assisting country in their contingency planning process
  • Advising and supporting the development of feasible contingency planning work-plans for all in-country officers;
  • Assisting in designing and defining monitoring and evaluation processes for ARC disbursements and overseeing and implementing these plans for drought responses;
  • Maintaining oversight of technical aspects of Africa RiskView refinements and enhancements at the country-level and ensure strong linkages to contingency planning and response.

• Contribute to engaging African governments in taking fully informed decisions on participating in the ARC pool. Responsibilities in this regard include:

• Establishing and overseeing 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;
• Facilitating the integration of contingency planning into existing, credible national response systems and broader country policies on food security, DRR and disaster risk management;
• Managing the development of ARC and contingency planning trainings and workshops for stakeholders, including governments and their partners, and regional body representatives;
• Advising 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. 

• Manage the refinement of ARC Contingency Planning Standards and Guidelines, ARC Standard Operating Procedures for Payouts and ARC Contingency Planning Process in general – particularly the ARC processes and criteria for approving and monitoring contingency plans;

• Conduct the process of recruitment of independent experts to the Technical Review Committee (TRC)
• Prepare the documentation for and organize the meetings of the TRC
• Prepare the reports of the TRC and facilitate incorporation of any relevant feedback into the plans, ensuring buy-in and ownership of the plans by countries.
• Prepare the reports of the PRM and facilitate incorporation of any relevant feedback into the plans, ensuring buy-in and ownership of the plans by countries.

• Contribute to the detailed technical design study for a feasible ARC risk pool architecture.  Responsibilities in this regard include:

• Managing the development of ARC participation and operation guidelines, particularly the ARC processes and criteria for approving and monitoring contingency plans;
• Developing metrics and processes for monitoring how ARC disbursements are programmed and mechanism for recourse, if appropriate;
• Facilitating 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 expert input and make recommendations to the PRM on quality of contingency plans based on Board approved standards and guidelines
  • Manage inputs of experts to the PRM
  • Organize documentation and meetings of the PRM

• In the event of a payout, manage the preparation of Final Implementation Plans (FIP) for countries and implementation of ARC Standard Operating Procedures for Payouts

• Collaborate with the M&E Officer in collecting and analysing data on indicators related to Operations Planning
• Represent ARC at international and regional conferences as needed.
• Oversee preparation and dissemination of timely operational and analytical reports, including proposals for improvements in operation and the scope of programmes, and relevant information for internal and external us

• Supervise other programme staff; provide training and technical guidance in their work
• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications

Education:

Advanced university degree or university degree and equivalent experience in one or more of the following disciplines: social sciences, agriculture, business administration, international development, development economics or another relevant field.

Experience:      

At least ten years (of which 5 international) 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 or non-governmental food assistance organization or other international humanitarian or development programmes. Proven experience in building synergies among units, projects and regions.  Demonstrated effectiveness in developing country

Language:

Working knowledge (proficiency/level C) of English and French and limited knowledge (intermediate/level B) of another UN official language, Spanish or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

Knowledge:

Expertise in designing and/or conducting development or humanitarian operations.  Expertise or demonstrated understanding of social protection systems and potential scalability. Strong computer skills, including at least intermediate skills in windows-based word processing, spreadsheet, database and other standard software packages and systems. Strong knowledge of food security analysis and the data collection. Experience in food security country programming and/or contingency planning.  General knowledge of UN humanitarian assistance system, associated resources, UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration

Desirable Skills & Experience:

Experience in a developing country, preferably in the area of food security, emergency response or development. Experience in working with agriculture-based programmes, preferably in arid countries affected by regular drought.  Practical experience in building partnerships with governments and understanding of protocol in dealing with governments.  Experience in managing field-based projects and processes.  Experience with WFP in the Field and/or Headquarters.   General knowledge of African Union Commission, NEPAD and Regional Economic Communities’ policies, rules, regulations and procedures governing administration.  Full knowledge of WFP policies, procedures and operations.

• Superior analytical research, writing and communication skills.
• Excellent skills in stakeholder management and negotiation.
• Excellent facility with Excel, MIS and delivering quality products on time.
• Knowledge of risk transfer, including (parametric) insurance, climate change issues and climate-related development programmes in Africa.
• Knowledge and experience of food security planning and emergency response in Africa (especially for drought and other natural hazards), including beneficiary impact, political economy and the management and operational frameworks for major national and regional responses.
• Practical experience in building partnerships with governments and understanding of protocol in dealing with governments
• Demonstrated ability to take a strategic view across a large complex programme.
• General knowledge of or experience working with African Union, NEPAD, Regional Economic Communities, Regional Technical Institutions – especially CILLS.

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs or spontaneous applications by email.

• If you experience challenges while submitting your online application, please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org for technical support only.

• Please note that applications sent to this email address cannot be considered.

• 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.

• 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

• 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.