Business Support Assistant (VAM Data Management) Sunninghill, JHB (12 Months Renewable Contract) SC4

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.

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.

In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly 80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas. We manage an operating budget of approximately $5.9 billion each year, distributing 12.6 billion rations to those most in need. We reach an average of 80 million people with food assistance in around 80 countries each year.

For more on WFP and what we do, please go to http://www.wfp.org/videos/zero-hunger

The SADC Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) Programme was established in 2005 to support Member States in monitoring the capacity of communities to attain food and nutrition security in the context of pervasive poverty, low economic growth and climate change. This monitoring system is referred to as vulnerability assessment and analysis (VAA) and is led at national level by national Vulnerability Assessment Committees (NVACs). 

VAA in Southern Africa operates in a challenging environment with limited resources, high staff turnover and a variety of data systems and platforms. VAA data can also be political sensitive; and needs proper anonymizing and securing.

In 2017, DFID and SDC contracted WFP to provide technical and financial support to the third phase of the SADC RVAA Programme (2017-2021). The 2017-2021 phase prioritizes three sets of interventions: institutionalisation and capacity development; approaches and tools; and advocacy and leadership development. (Institutionalization of NVACs, which means domestic resourcing, legislative sanction and policy impact.) WFP subsequently established a Regional Technical Support Team (RTST), based in SADC Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.

Since its appointed, WFP has sought to improve the quality of assessments as well as their use. Assessments must respond to the needs of decision-makers and be seen by governments as a funding priority. WFP’s work in improving VAA data management, for example, ultimately seeks to increase domestic funding – making governments and partners view NVACs as indispensable.

Beyond direct support, the RTST also oversees the allocation of donor funds through the RVAA Programme to individual NVACs to conduct activities.

Data analysis is part of the numerous technical support activities of the RTST, and feeds into its own decision-making processes. The programme’s most data-intensive activity is the “RVAA Atlas”, a web-based platform through which vulnerability assessment and analysis data can be publicly accessed and visualized, specifically primary data collected through NVAC assessments, and relevant secondary data such as poverty rates and HIV prevalence. Most of the primary data is currently not accessible, even by stakeholders.

A fully functioning and comprehensive Atlas must be handed over to SADC at the end of March 2023. All 16 Member States will be requiring significant and continuous technical support in cleaning and uploading their historic data; and developing systems to upload incoming data in real time.

The programme has installed a server at SADC headquarters. It will host the Atlas and is also envisioned as a portal for Member States to share information and upload their raw assessment data in secure partitions (cases of data loss are common). Uptake has been slow, and most VACs require significant technical assistance to become proficient with such a system. If successful, the server will allow Member States to maintain their own document repositories, store raw data, secure primary data, undertake in-depth analysis, and better build on the wealth of internal and external information many VAC staff themselves do not have access to.

The programme’s internal information platform, Teams, also require maintaining by a data analyst to ensure knowledge management outcomes.

• To collect and prepare data for the Atlas and other information products
• To visualize data for informed decision-making
• To advise on approaches and tools for data management and analytical capacity development
• To support internal information management

• Strengthen the capacity of NVACs in data management and analysis
• Collect and prepare data for the Atlas project and other information products
• Contribute data analysis to information products
• Support the uptake of the RVAA server by Member States
• Maintain the RTST’s internal information platforms, specifically Teams
• Create and maintain document library of all VAA information products, especially those issued by NVACs and the RVAA

Expected Results:

• NVACs will receive support in data management
• A database will be in place for the Atlas
• Information products will be better supported by data analysis
• The full functionality of the RVAA server will be accessed by Member States
• A well-functioning internal information platform will be maintained
• VAA information products will be collected in a database

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Builds an understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives.
•  Be a force for positive change: Approaches individual tasks and responsibilities with a positive attitude and demeanor.
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Understands the impact of WFP activities in beneficiary communities.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Connects individual tasks and responsibilities to unit’s goals and mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Seeks opportunities to build and enhance individual skills.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Demonstrates respect and understanding for diversity and cultural differences.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Identifies and approaches colleagues or supervisors to serve as coaches.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Sets clear goals and measurable targets for own tasks and responsibilities.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Assesses own tasks and responsibilities to find ways to be more efficient.
•  Focus on getting results: Maintains accurate records of completion times and tasks in own areas of responsibility.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Understands responsibilities and the metrics associated with own tasks.
•  Be Decisive: Notifies supervisors of dangerous situations or potential issues that may arise while in the field or office.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Understands WFP’s organizational structure, including the purpose and mission of each unit.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Supports team in working with colleagues and WFP’s partners in the field toward common goals.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Maintains a professional and courteous relationship with other WFP employees and partners in the field.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Understands own team’s contributions in its partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.

Education:

Completion of secondary school education. An Honours degree in Computer Science or Information Technology or Geographic Information Science (GIS) or related field is desirable.

Experience:

A minimum of 3 years role related working experience.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Practical knowledge of vulnerability assessment and analysis (VAA) and food security information systems in an African context
• Experience in supporting SADC Member States in data management
• Ability to create GIS maps
• Demonstrable experience in maintaining an information sharing platform (ideally Microsoft Teams)
• Knowledge of SADC Secretariat and RVAA Programme an added advantage.
• Highly developed analytical and data management skills
• Ability to deal with complex issues in a clear and easy manner
• Good written communication skills in English; ability to write clear and concise reports

Language: 

Fluency in both oral and written English

• A minimum of 3 years relevant work experience.
• GIS mapping experience and statistical analysis skills.

Gross Monthly Salary Range:  18842 - 22822 ZAR

Benefits: Medical Insurance, Annual Leave, Pension

This vacancy announcement will close on Friday, 2 October 2020 at 11:59pm.

This position is only open to South African Nationals OR candidates with a valid South African Residence Permit.

Female applicants  are especially encouraged to apply.

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

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.