DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

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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).

JOB TITLE: Value Chain & Food Systems Consultant

TYPE OF CONTRACT: CST-II

UNIT/DIVISION: Supply Chain

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Caracas, Venezuela

DURATION: 06 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

WFP Venezuela is initiating a new line of work to strengthen local food systems and value chains, in alignment with national development priorities and WFP’s Interim Country Strategic Plan (iCSP) 2023–2026. WFP is keen on supporting national agri-food system actors and institutions  through technical assistance for the improvement of efficient and inclusive value chains, logistical capacity and institutional food procurement mechanisms in order to build stronger and more resilient food systems.

To advance this agenda, the incumbent will play a key role in establishing the strategic foundations, analytical frameworks, partnerships and operational models required to guide value chain development in the country. The incumbent will lead assessments, identify opportunities for market development, strengthen linkages between local production and markets, build strategic partnerships, and support the design and initial implementation of value chain interventions.

The consultant will be responsible for designing the strategic architecture and technical foundations for WFP Venezuela’s value chain and food systems portfolio, including the development of a Value Chain Assessment, Market Development Assessment and the formulation of actionable interventions to strengthen linkages between producers, markets, private sector partners and food based social protection programmes.

The consultant will support the rollout of pilot activities, build internal capacity, and position WFP as a relevant actor and catalyzer in food systems transformation in Venezuela.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Supply Chain and overall supervision of the Head of Programme, the Value Chain and Food Systems Consultant will:

• Lead the design of WFP Venezuela’s Value Chain Strategy, ensuring alignment with the iCSP Outcome 2 and national food system priorities.
• Define a theory of change, priority value chains, intervention models, and an implementation roadmap that can be scaled over time.
• Design and lead a Value Chain Assessment and a Market Development Assessment (MDA) to map key actors, bottlenecks, risks, incentives, cost structures, climate vulnerabilities and market failures.
• Produce a comprehensive mapping of Venezuela’s food value chains, identifying opportunities for WFP engagement, constraints affecting producers, inefficiencies across inputs–production–aggregation–logistics–markets, and potential for job creation.
• Conduct market feasibility and economic analyses to inform targeting and prioritization of value chains.
• Identify high-potential value chains and develop intervention packages (capacity strengthening, post-harvest improvements, market linkages, aggregation, logistics, food safety, inclusive business models).
• Co‑design pilot initiatives to test models before scaling, including integration with food based social protection programmes and CBT modalities as relevant.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships with line ministries (Agriculture, Trade, Industry, Environment), UN agencies, NGOs, private sector actors, financial institutions, and research institutions.
• Facilitate market agreements between producers, processors, distributors and retailers to support price stability and unlock market access.
• Support resource mobilization, including inputs to donor proposals, concept notes, advocacy materials and technical annexes.
• Work closely with a national Value Chain Officer, mentoring and transferring knowledge to ensure continuity beyond the consultancy.
• Develop internal tools, SOPs, training modules and guidance notes for WFP teams.
• Represent WFP in relevant coordination platforms on food systems, agriculture, markets and climate resilience.
• Undertake any other activities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Agricultural Economics, Food Systems, Agribusiness, Development Studies, Economics, Supply Chain, or related field.

Experience:

• At least 5-7 years of demonstrated experience in:  value chain development, agribusiness or market systems development, food systems strengthening, market analysis and assessments (VCA, MDA).
• Partnership building with private sector and governments.
• Experience linking institutional demand (e.g. social protection, school feeding, public procurement) with local agricultural markets is a strong asset. 
• Experience working in Latin America or similar middle-income contexts is an asset.
• Experience in UN, international NGOs, or development agencies is desirable.

Knowledge & Skills

• Technical expertise on food systems, market development, rural development, climate resilience, climate change adaptation and resilience principles.
• Strong understanding of climate smart agriculture, regenerative agriculture, agrifoods business development.
• Strong communication, coordination, facilitation, and report writing skills.

Languages

• Proficiency/level C of Spanish and English is required.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

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

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

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.