Senior Technical Advisor – Disaster Risk Financing

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.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

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).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT: Climate impacts are increasing in frequency and intensity, driving humanitarian needs and amplifying food insecurity risks across WFP’s areas of operation. WFP’s Climate and Resilience Service (PRGR) supports governments and communities to better understand, manage and finance climate risks. Within this, the macro- and meso-level disaster risk financing (DRF) portfolio is rapidly expanding, with innovative instruments—from macro insurance to catastrophe bonds and layered risk financing—becoming central to WFP’s support for national systems. DRF has a clearly defined role throughout the 3 strategic objectives of the new strategic plan, for emergency preparedness and response, resilience strengthening, and systems strengthening through pre-arranged finance. Under the overall guidance of the Macro Level Climate Risk Financing Programmes Lead, and in close coordination with the Lead DRF Advisor, the Senior Technical Advisor – DRF provides high-level technical leadership on disaster risk financing instruments, with an emphasis on macro and meso-level climate insurance, risk layering, catastrophe bond structuring, and climate hazard model development. The role provides global strategic and technical support, contributes to innovation, and strengthens WFP’s leadership in the DRF sector. ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. A. Technical Advisory Services on Disaster Risk Financing Instruments

2.Coordinate the technical design, structuring, and refinement of sovereign and meso-level risk transfer instruments, including macro drought insurance products, risk layering mechanisms, and trigger-based contingency financing tools.

3. Coordinate the design, testing, and refinement of new or expanded DRF instruments, including: i. Expansion and optimization of the catastrophe insurance layer in Africa, ii. Meso-level insurance products in collaboration with the Inclusive Risk Financing Team, iii. New macro drought insurance instruments for high-risk contexts (e.g., Afghanistan)

4. Provide technical recommendations on the development of first-of-its-kind financing instruments, including a catastrophe bond for drought, ensuring rigorous modeling, structuring, and integration with national systems.

5. Advise WFP and partners on the development and evaluation of data analytics and risk modeling (rainfall indices, WRSI, vulnerability modules, crop models, hybrid indices), ensuring methodological robustness and appropriate parameterization.

6. Coordinate the policy placement process for WFP / PRGR, including policy document review, technical sign-off, and navigating the correct corporate channels for policy signature and premium payment.

7. Initiate and oversee technical research and studies that advance modeling, index design, and DRF operationalization.

8. B. Strategic Advisory Support to Country Offices and Governments

9. Support technical engagement with Country Offices (COs) and Government Technical Working Groups to support the customization of climate hazard models and interpretation of risk parameters.

10. Provide technical advice on the benefits, limitations, and design implications of different risk transfer products, including those offered by ARC, CCRIF, PCRIC, SEADRIF, and market-based providers.

11. Guide countries through risk financing strategy development, including instrument selection, layering, and integration with national early response systems.

12. Provide technical training for COs, government counterparts, and internal focal points on DRF, risk transfer, and index methodologies.

13. C. Market and Partner Engagement

14. Represent WFP in technical negotiations with product developers, insurers, reinsurers, brokers, modeling firms, and catastrophe bond structurers, alongside the risk & insurance division team.

15. Seek and manage advisory services from third parties on particular products as and when needed. Shape and guide the work of technical service providers, consultants, and modelling firms, including drafting TORs, managing deliverables, and quality assuring outputs.

16. Provide WFP’s technical contributions in relevant DRF global fora (e.g., Insurance Development Forum, RMSG, etc.), positioning WFP as a thought leader.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

1. High quality risk transfer instruments designed or refined, including catastrophe bond structures, macro insurance and other insurance linked security products, and meso level insurance solutions.

2. Technical briefing notes and model assessments for each country’s DRF instrument(s), submitted ahead of policy purchasing timelines.

3. Refined and expanded Africa catastrophe insurance layer and documentation of the expansion approach.

4. At least one new risk transfer product developed (or advanced to design stage) for a specific region/country.

5. Strengthened technical capacities of COs and partner government teams, documented through training materials and feedback.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Advanced University degree in risk modelling, engineering, economics, environmental sciences, climate science, agricultural sciences, geosciences, financial engineering, or related field.

Experience: • At least 11 years of progressively responsible experience in disaster risk financing, macro/meso level insurance, catastrophe modelling, climate risk management or related technical fields. • Demonstrated experience in structuring risk transfer instruments, including sovereign insurance or catastrophe bonds. • Proven experience working with technical service providers, modelling firms, financial institutions, brokers, reinsurers/insurers, and managing their deliverables.

Knowledge

& Skills: Strong expertise in climate hazard modelling, index design, and financial structuring of DRF instruments. Ability to lead high level technical discussions and advise senior partner

Strong coordination and communication skills across diverse stakeholders. Excellent analytical writing and technical reporting skills.

Languages: Fluency in English (Level C). Intermediate proficiency (Level B) in another UN language is desirable; French is an asset.

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.