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Research & Data Analytics Officer (Food Security), NOB (12 months renewable contract), Johannesburg

SAF

  • Organization: WFP - World Food Programme
  • Location: SAF
  • Grade: Junior level - NO-B, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Statistics
    • Information Technology and Computer Science
    • Renewable Energy sector
    • Security and Safety
    • Nutrition
    • Scientist and Researcher
    • Food Security, Livestock and Livelihoods
  • Closing Date: Closed

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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 WFP

 

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. 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

BACKGROUND

 

WFP Regional Bureau for Southern Africa is currently seeking to fill the position of a National VAM Officer to manage the Advanced Analytics and Evidence Generation Pillar of the regional VAM Strategy for Southern Africa. The position will be based in our Regional Bureau in Johannesburg, South Africa.

JOB PURPOSE

 

The National Officer (NOB) is an integral part of the RBJ VAM team and will focus on - analytics, research and innovation. The primary mandate of VAM is to identify food insecure populations and their needs, provide early warning and generate information/knowledge to guide in formulating durable and better targeted food security and livelihood solutions at the regional level. The National Officer will be responsible for innovative analysis that will inform WFP programmes and drive the research agenda for defining sustainable and transformative Zero Hunger solutions in WFP Southern Africa Region.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

 

Duties & Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Regional VAM Officer, the National VAM Officer will:

• Manage the implementation of Pillar 1 of the Regional VAM strategy on advanced analytics and evidence generation.

• Conduct advanced analysis of food security, poverty, agriculture and climate data to understand the structural causes of hunger and undernutrition in the region and develop knowledgebase of the drivers at household, community, national and regional level.

• Conduct thematic analysis using secondary data sources among others, national statistics to contribute to understanding food and nutrition security dynamics in the region.

• Collate and analyse data needed for risk modelling for vulnerability/resilience research.

• Design and develop innovative data visualization tools demonstrate complex interlinkages between chronic and acute food security and macro-economic context and climate change in southern Africa region.

• Develop comprehensive country profiles on vulnerability drivers for food and nutrition security and HIV

• Provide technical support in analytics, data innovation and international best practices and data standards both for VAM at the Country Office and Regional Bureau.

• Liaise with other regional partners, including but not limited to FAO, UNICEF, OCHA to ensure that data is effectively used for decision-making.

• Perform any other duties as determined by the supervisor.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

  • Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
  • Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
  •  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
  •  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

  • Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
  •  Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
  •  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
  •  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

  • Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
  •  Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
  •  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
  •  Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

  • Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
  •  Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
  •  Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
  •  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.
FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES
Capability Name Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level
Food Security Analysis Demonstrates ability to conduct structured food security analysis—Identify underlying macro and micro factors impacting food security of communities and countries. Provides findings and recommendations for the programmatic response.
Food Security Monitoring Manages the implementation of food security monitoring systems. Investigates any observed anomalies in the datasets and informs program management for operational response.
Technical Specialized Knowledge (e.g., Economics, Statistics, Public Health, Remote Sensing, GIS, etc.) Provides managerial and technical guidance for designing and conducting analyses, including computation, interpretation, and presentation of results for food security surveys and key indicators (comprehensive food security and vulnerability surveys, food security monitoring, implementing mobile surveys, market analysis, food consumption scores, coping strategies indices. data disaggregation, etc.)
Food Security Assessment Leads all aspects of surveys including design, implementation, analysis, findings and reporting. Ensures that assessment findings are easily translated into operational programmatic response.
Strategic Operational Understanding Demonstrates strong understanding of country operations to participate in response analysis exercises to improve the cohesion between analytical findings and programmatic response. Constructs evidence base underlying technical and policy advice given to stakeholders.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

Education:

 

• Advanced degree (or equivalent) in statistics/applied statistics, applied mathematics, computer science, economics, or other quantitative-field.

 

Experience:

 

• 3+ years of progressively responsible post-graduate experience in data analytics, data visualization, quantitative and qualitative data in a busy setting.

• Demonstrated experience in the use of any of the following data science techniques such as text mining, sentiment analysis, predictive analysis, trend analysis event detection, modelling of complex systems is required.

• Competencies in programming in R, SQL or Python programming and use of statistical software such SPSS, STATA.

• Knowledge of data visualization products such as Tableau or PowerBI etc.

• Experience with Remote Sensing data and GIS skills (ARCGIS/QGIS) is an asset.

 

Experience:

 

• Spoken and written English required.

• Spoken and written French and/or Portuguese will be an advantage.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

 

• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of several statistical tools and methods for food security analysis.
• Developed practical expertise in food security analysis and mapping by participating in multiple assessments in countries, including the design, data collection and analysis.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and understanding of WFP vulnerability mapping systems and emergency assessment standards.

CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION

 

  • This is a 1 Year Renewable Fixed Term Contract
  • Net monthly salary range: R55,590.00 to R67,943.00 
  • Benefits: 30 Days Annual Leave, Pension & Medical Insurance
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

 

This vacancy announcement will close on Friday, 23 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 and qualified applicants from developing countries 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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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