Consultant, Global Logistics Cluster Preparedness Project

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

About WFT:

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The World Food Programme (WFP), as the lead agency of the Global Logistics Cluster (GLC), in meeting its obligations to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, has launched the Preparedness Project which aims to strengthen the preparedness and response capacity of national actors. The project is expected to run until end-2021, and provides support for national logistics preparedness and capacity building initiatives in over 20 countries, including Cambodia from 2019.

ACCOUNTABILITES /RESPONSIBILIIES :

Under the overall supervision of the Strategic Outcome Manager for CSP SO3-5, the Consultant will report directly to the Team Leader of the Supply Chain unit at the WFP Cambodia Country Office. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the WFP Cambodia logistics and EPR teams to build on existing capacities and experiences and embed national-actor-facing logistics preparedness and response activities firmly within the WFP Cambodia organizational and institutional arrangements.

The Consultant will also liaise with, and report to, the GLC-designated preparedness coordinator or preparedness desk officer to ensure alignment with the Global Logistics Cluster’s preparedness strategy. The Consultant will be responsible for the development and implementation of the Global Logistics Cluster Preparedness Project activities within a local, empowerment-focused setting, ensuring alignment with the Country Strategic Plan and national preparedness strategies.

The Project’s activities described below are aimed at supporting national-actors so that they recognise and address and issues they see as impacting their preparedness and response capabilities; and enhancing logistics capabilities and stakeholder coordination for strengthening the national supply chain for emergency preparedness. This includes the alignment of activity planning between Global Logistics Cluster, national disaster management structures, partner initiatives and key stakeholders, as well as the co-development, testing and running of logistics preparedness tools, and guidance to improve outputs for further mainstreaming.

This consultancy represents the initial fact-finding phase of the overall preparedness project, where the emphasis is on building a relationship with key national actors in order to collaboratively develop their understanding of where their logistics gaps and bottle-necks lie. If the national actors identify areas for improvement, then GLC can provide a national officer to work with the national actors, to take the prioritized activities forward.  

The key activities proposed during the assignment are listed below. Note that the collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach central to this ToR means that tasks will blend between activities for the duration of the contract.

1. Fact Finding

• Undertake stakeholder analysis, engage with National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), the Humanitarian Response Forum (HRF) and other humanitarian actors, analyse response mechanisms;
• Harmonise GLC preparedness goals with in-country preparedness strategy, taking into account country-specific contexts;
• Gather information on partners’ preparedness activities;
• Work with national actors to establish national logistics coordination (cluster / sector / network) meetings with a preparedness focus (if none exists), or support and participate in these meetings where they are in place.
• Align logistics preparedness activities between national priorities, WFP Country Office current/upcoming strategic plan (CSP), Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (EPRP) and GLC priorities.
• With GLC, develop country-specific LogFrame as relevant to the country context with appropriate, measurable (SMART) key performance indicators. Indicators will be measured at project start, end and appropriate intervals, as well as ongoing monitoring and reporting on project performance and outcomes.

2. Analysis and Planning

The specific tasks within this activity will vary depending on the findings of the Fact Finding activity above. Likely tasks include:

• Coordinate and conduct workshops and lessons-learned activities (based on the information gathered in Activity 1) in an empowerment-focussed manner (1), that facilitates national actors identifying key logistics gaps and bottlenecks; and (2) encourages autonomous nationally-led and -owned process.
• Familiarise national actors with GLC preparedness tools, concepts and platforms within a national preparedness/disaster management context, and use these as a way to empower ownership at the national level.
• Participate in, and support the coordination of, scenario planning, preparedness planning and response planning activities with multiple partners.
• Assess disaster impacts on capacities and infrastructure (gap analysis).
• Actively support the design of a clear nationally-led action plan and structure alongside national stakeholders. This should include establishing a clear coordination structure, agreements amongst all stakeholders for roles and responsibilities in response planning and implementation, designing appropriate Standard Operation Procedures, and addressing relevant Minimum and Advanced Preparedness Actions.
• Localise capacity strengthening, response planning and advocacy. Support governments and stakeholders to address gaps and identify organisations and local actors best placed to address such gaps.
• If requested by NCDM with WFP Cambodia’s agreement, oversee the implementation of the Logistics Cluster’s “Preparedness Platform” on national level (assuming national actor appetite). Support the platform’s implementation through data sourcing, validation, and information management. When necessary, support the implementation process by conducting initial, platform-focused training activities. Provide feedback and constructive criticism during the platform’s implementation.
• Based on the gap-analysis and the subsequent action plan, provide input to WFP CO for the development of future Country Strategic Plans.

3. Global Logistics Cluster Officer Standby Requirements

This task is a standard requirement of all Global Logistics Cluster officers. It will only be activated should the Country Office request Global Logistics Cluster surge support.

• The officer is required to support or assume (depending on available capacities) the role of first wave responder in the event of an emergency, using and expanding the network built during preparedness activities and guiding the incorporation of preparedness initiatives into operational response planning.
• Support the activation phase by briefing, operational network establishment and initiation/consolidation of EPRP related activities;
• Support the ongoing operation with coordination, guidance, network relations and information provision;
• Support the phase out and closure of the operation, especially focussing on lessons learnt and to maintain country related operational knowledge and information.

4. General functions throughout the consultancy

• Work in collaboration with the CO Supply Chain team to ensure harmonised approaches to national actor preparedness and actively build WFP Cambodia capacities to effectively support national logistics coordination in preparedness and/or response to local disasters.
• Act as the primary focal point for GLC preparedness initiatives undertaken with partner organisations (including international, regional and national humanitarian organisations, NCDM, HRF and private sector actors) and ensure continued WFP involvement in preparedness activities.
• Support WFP Cambodia-led country-level fundraising activities that support national-actor preparedness, through proposal writing and strengthening donor relations.
• Support and communicate preparedness initiatives at global and regional levels.
• Conduct and organise primary and secondary data collection and field testing of mapping and analysis tools, in addition to providing input for the Logistics Cluster’s Preparedness webpage and the Preparedness Platform.
• Should the CO and the GLC agree on the need for additional longer-term project support, the consultant will (i) support the recruitment and onboarding of a local preparedness officer; and (ii) mentor the officer to ensure their ability to continue the project into the future.
• Contribute to strengthening early warning capacity and provide inputs for any relevant operational planning and analyse trends of supply chain risk using tools.
• Advise WFP staff undertaking relevant Logistics Capacity Assessments updates.
• Further activities identified as required.

5. Capacity Development functions

• Direct training of national actors in specific technical areas may be required under special circumstances. Agreement by GLC to undertake this is dependent upon (a) a detailed training plan and (b) a clear, sustainable exit strategy to ensure the training is institutionalised and can be carried forward beyond the life of the Project.
• Support the national disaster mitigation and management structure with logistics response planning.
• Actively contribute to regular NCDM and HRF preparedness workshops and preparedness/response simulations as required, in line with ensuring capacity of all stakeholders.

       6. Knowledge Management & Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) functions

• Contribute and support knowledge management initiatives that can be embedded into national structures, ensuring sustainability once the Project ends. Establish an active community of practice around emergency logistics preparedness.
• Liaise with IM/IT officers to update the Preparedness Platform with data as required.
• Support the formulation and carrying out of the MLE framework and activities.

Core Deliverables:

1. Create a PRELog (Preparedness Roadmap for Emergency Logistics): the PRELog describes how GLC will approach and implement the project, providing a snapshot for GLC partner agencies to understand what is being planned/done in country.
2. Organize a gap-analysis Workshop as an outcome of the analysis and planning phase
   1. Create a Concept Note defining the scope, methodology and format of the workshop, outline the workshop agenda, structure, intended participants, and facilitators’ roles.
   2. Produce a Workshop Report: Record workshop proceedings and outputs.
   3. Co-develop with national actors a National Humanitarian Logistics Action Plan which records the gaps and bottlenecks as identified by workshop participants, and the actions, recommendations and solutions proposed by the participants.
   4. Co-develop with national actors a National Humanitarian Logistics Roadmap providing a narrative and context to the Action Plan.
3. Provide Monthly Reports update internal stakeholders on completed, ongoing and planned activities.
4. Provide Quarterly Reports updating partners and donors on activities undertaken and planned actions in country

Qualifications & Experience:

Required experiences, knowledge and skills

• Experience in humanitarian logistics and overall supply-chain management;
• Experience in humanitarian response planning;
• Experience in undertaking research analysis and report writing in English;
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and facilitation skills with the ability to lead large cross-cultural group exercises;
• Ability to communicate, build and maintain relationships with high-level officials and government counterparts;
• Proficiency in Windows, MS Office (Teams, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook);
• Willingness to work in challenging environments / field locations.

Standard Minimum Qualifications:

Education: University degree in international relations, political science, humanitarian action, logistics & supply chain or a closely related field. Demonstrable equivalent combination of education and experience is also acceptable.

Work experience: A minimum of 6 years of professional experience that spans any combination of the following areas: relevant logistics experience (humanitarian, development or private-sector); experience in response planning; Disaster Risk Reduction experience; capacity development experience; and/or working with government/national actors. Demonstrated experience in emergency preparedness is preferred, as is previous experience in working with logistics coordination mechanisms.

Languages: Fluent (level C) or mother-tongue English proficiency.

Deadline for Application: 

The vacancy will be closed onSunday, 10th November 2019 at 17:00 GMT+7

Qualified women and men are encouraged to apply.

WFP is committed to an inclusive working environment which values diversity

and has zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment and abuse of any kind.

• WFP is committed to gender equality and parity (50% women and 50% men) and to diversity more generally, among employees across all grades, functions and contract modalities. WFP supports the use of flexible working arrangements to assist women and men in balancing work and personal responsibilities, translating into effective, efficient and dedicated participation of women and men in the workforce.
• WFP Work Environment: WFP is committed to ensuring that all its workplaces are free from abuse, offensive behavior, harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. WFP does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status. WFP is also committed to promoting a work culture in which every employee understands, and is able to carry out, his/her personal responsibilities for maintaining the dignity of work colleagues. WFP seeks to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. We believe our mission of fighting global hunger worldwide can only be achieved if women, men, girls and boys are offered equal opportunities in terms of access to resources and services, and participation in decision making roles.